Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

A person suffering from mild, moderate or severe alcoholism who then attempts a detox can suffer from withdrawal symptoms depending on the amount they drink and how frequently. Such withdrawal symptoms usually happen on occasions when they don’t drink, and include:

  • – Feeling sick
  • – Having ‘the shakes’
  • – Raised temperature
  • – Sweating
  • – Psychological symptoms including feeling lonely or empty if not consuming alcohol

If you are suffering from alcohol abuse, you risk doing severe damage to your health. Physical symptoms that can occur include an increased risk of raised blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, diabetes and liver disease. You may experience mood swings, aggression, anxiety, depression and even suicidal feelings if you are becoming highly reliant on alcohol. As a result, relationships with loved ones can suffer, as well as your ability to do your job and carry out simple daily tasks. There are also short-term effects from alcohol abuse which you may suffer from, including reduced and slowed reaction times, tightness in the chest and breathlessness, blurry vision, disorientation and poor reflex action.

If you are considering drug and alcohol rehab or are currently undertaking an alcohol detox that is causing such withdrawal symptoms as your body craves toxins, eating foods that are healthy can increase your chances of success, this is especially because those who have alcohol or drug addictions typically have a lack of appetite or a poor diet in which their body isn’t getting enough nutrients. It is very important that when you are detoxing your body of a substance that you are getting enough vitamins such as Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Potassium and Iron from your food to successfully carry out your detox in a healthy and manageable way.

Foods That Help Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

If you’re going to undertake an alcohol detox, a fundamental rule is to cut out sugary foods, especially those with processed sugars and meals that have a high fat content. Although we all need particular carbohydrates that are high in fibre, it is also recommended that you cut down on carbs too, such as crisps, bread and pasta.

Make sure you are managing your salt intake too (don’t add extra salt to your food), and drink plenty of water. If you find this difficult, you can always buy flavoured water, sparkling water or add mint leaves or a wedge of lime/lemon to the water to give it more flavour.

The best foods to help your alcohol detox are from the fruit and veg family. Make sure you are eating fruits and vegetables of all colours and types, as this will ensure that your blood sugar is well regulated. If you find this challenging, find ways to incorporate them into your meals, for example by making a vegetable curry with low fat coconut milk and tasty spices. Lean meat like chicken and fish should also be consumed, as should eggs, which are very high in protein. Find inventive ways and research recipes online to mix the two, like making a delicious kedgeree or omelette.

Alcohol Withdrawal Superfoods

There are some foods that will specifically help you during your alcohol detox due to the special properties they have and positive effects on your body. These include:

Sunflower seeds: These can help raise your dopamine levels, which can counteract any lows of this hormone that you may have experienced as a result of excessive drinking.

Spinach and parsley: These green leafy foods contain an amino acid called L-glutamine, and are best eaten raw to get the full benefit. L-glutamine is known for decreasing cravings for sugar and is therefore very useful when it comes to beating a desire for alcohol.

Whole grain foods: These are rich in fibre, which takes longer to digest and can therefore reduce hunger cravings and a need for alcohol.

 

Emotional Support for Alcohol Withdrawal

Emotional Support

As you continue with your detox, you should also be getting the emotional support that you need, as this is a long term solution rather than a quick fix.

At Ocean Recovery, we can offer support for those following alcohol detoxes who are suffering from withdrawal symptoms. We have a compassionate approach to every kind of addiction, and offer rehab treatments in homely accommodation based in Blackpool, with beautiful vistas overlooking the sea and Blackpool Beach. We want your stay with us to be about relaxation, calm and comfort, and offer lots of therapies to help you on your journey and stay sober for good.

All of our staff members are deeply passionate and committed in supporting their clients at all times, and exercise the utmost discretion and understanding. Get in touch with us at Ocean Recovery today if you or a loved one needs help with alcohol issues.

Alcohol Icon

Alcohol addiction

Please click on one of the below links for more information on the alcohol addiction treatment we offer.

Alcohol Rehab Alcohol Detox

John Gillen - Author - Last updated: December 14, 2021

John is one UK’s leading professionals in the addiction recovery industry. Pioneering new treatment techniques such as NAD+ and ongoing research into new therapy techniques such as systematic laser therapy, John is committed to providing the very best treatment for people throughout the UK and Europe. During his extremely busy schedule, John likes to regularly update our blog section with the latest news and trends in the industry to keep visitors to our site as well informed as possible on everything related to addiction treatment.