Most people get a hangover, even heavy drinkers may experience mild withdrawal symptoms when they drink for a few days. How can alcohol kill a serious alcoholic when they stop drinking? What actually kills them?
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Fatal seizures is what we worry about most in alcohol withdrawal. A seizure is an unorganized, excitatory firing of brain cells, so let’s talk about how that happens.
Think of you brain as having gas pedals (NMDA receptors – excitatory) and brake pedals (GABA receptors – inhibitory)
Alcohol’s main effect is to push the brake pedal and slow down the brain. After prolonged exposure, in an attempt to regain balance, the brain will reduce the amount of brake pedals it has, so when the alcohol is removed, the balance is removed in favor of excitatory stimulus and seizures.
Alcohol also blocks the gas pedals which causes the brain in a similar, but opposite response, to make more gas pedals available which also helps push the brain toward too much excitement when the brakes (alcohol) are removed.
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