What’s the difference between a hangover and alcohol withdrawal?

What's the Difference Between a Hangover and Alcohol Withdrawal

Nearly everyone who has tried alcohol has experienced headache, nausea, anxiety, fatigue, and dehydration after a long night of drinking; you know it better as a hangover. Not everyone has experienced alcohol withdrawal, even though they may have tried alcohol. And while some of the characteristics of the two are similar; there is a huge different between a hangover and alcohol withdrawal.

So what is the difference between a hangover and alcohol withdrawal? Well, in order to answer that question it is good to look at what both of them are.

What is a hangover?

A hangover is a collection of signs and symptoms linked to a recent bout of heavy drinking. The sufferer typically has a headache, feels sick, dizzy, sleepy, confused and thirsty. Hangovers can occur at any time of day, but are usually more common the morning after a night of heavy drinking. As well as physical symptoms, the person may also experience elevated levels of anxiety, regret, shame, embarrassment, as well as depression. The severity of a hangover is closely linked to how much alcohol was consumed, and whether the sufferer had enough sleep. A hangover is the consequence of consuming too much alcohol which causes urination and the chances of dehydration; an immune system response which can affect appetite, concentration and memory; stomach irritation which can cause nausea and stomach ache; a drop in blood sugar which can result in shakiness, moodiness, tiredness, weakness; dilation of blood vessels which can cause headaches; sleep quality which causes tiredness and fatigue.

What is alcohol withdrawal?

Alcohol withdrawal refers to a group of symptoms that may occur from suddenly stopping the use of alcohol after chronic or prolonged ingestion. Not everyone who stops drinking experiences withdrawal symptoms, but most people who have been drinking for a long period of time, or drinking frequently, or drink heavily when they do drink, will experience some form of alcohol withdrawal symptoms if they stop drinking suddenly. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can include:

  • Anxiety
  • Irritability
  • Rapid emotional changes
  • Depression
  • Fatigue
  • Bad dreams
  • Headache – general, pulsating
  • Sweating, especially the palms of the hands or the face
  • Nausea and Vomiting
  • Loss of appetite
  • Insomnia, sleeping difficulty Paleness
  • Rapid heart rate (palpitations)
  • Eyes, pupils different size (enlarged, dilated pupils)
  • Skin, clammy
  • Abnormal movements
  • Tremor of the hands
  • Involuntary, abnormal movements of the eyelids

Alcohol withdrawal can also result in hallucinations, agitation, fever, convulsions, seizures, black outs, DTs, and in the worst case scenario death.

So what is the difference between a hangover and alcohol withdrawal?

The answer should be quite obvious now. The difference between a hangover and alcohol withdrawal is: A hangover is the result of consuming too much alcohol and alcohol withdrawal is the result of cutting back on alcohol or stopping all together. The two are totally different from one another. Alcohol withdrawal is the result of a physical dependence on the substance and then depriving the body of it and a hangover is merely the body’s reaction to taking in too much alcohol one night. Alcohol withdrawal can result in death. A hangover may make you feel like death, but you won’t die. Many people get hangovers because it is so easy to accidentally take in too much alcohol but many people do not suffer alcohol withdrawal because they have had to build a physical addiction to it and then try to stop drinking first in order to experience it.

 

Source:

http://www.addictscience.com/hangover-withdrawal/

 

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The Ultimate Hangover Remedy: Yoga?

Yoga and Hangovers

After you have been out partying a bit too much and are paying the price the morning after you may not even feel like moving but there is a routine that could  be the answer to your hangover blues. Enter: yoga. A light and simple yoga routine the day after you drink a little too much may be just as effective as jogging and possibly more effective than the normal, “lay in bed and rest” remedy.

Here is how to cure a hangover with yoga:

A yoga routine normally has a number of different asanas or yoga poses that are specifically designed to stimulate, energize and detox organs and other parts of your body. In order to counteract those unpleasant symptoms of hangover, you know, the headache, queasiness, and fatigue there are a few certain yoga poses that can help detoxify and recharge your body so you can quickly and easily get back to normal. This is awesome because hangovers can be rough.

The first step in the ultimate hangover remedy, yoga, is to drink plenty of water. Drinking plenty of water should already be on the list of things to do because drinking water is a huge hangover remedy in fact it is THE remedy. Rehydrating is essential to getting rid of a hangover as well as having a good yoga session. The reason for this is because alcohol dehydrates the body of its essential nutrients and minerals. Drinking a few glasses of water before the yoga routing and drinking some more throughout the day should really help you to be on your way to feeling better. Avoiding carbonated drinks and caffeine are also a good idea because they will just make things worse and dehydrate you more. Here is a yoga sequence for hangovers.

  • Lie on you back and take a few deep and calming breaths.
  • Lift your feet in the air and hold it there for a minute. If you cannot manage this, use a wall as support.
  • Alternatively flex and point your feet to stretch those tired muscles.
  • Pull your knees down to your chest and wrap your arms around them and give yourself a big hug. This is known as the Wind Relieving Pose and helps detoxify the stomach and intestines and encourages cleansing.
  • Other yoga poses that can help reduce the effects of a hangover include Sun Salutations – to increase the heart rate and improve circulation, Twisting Poses – to rid the stomach of all toxins and cleanse the organs and end with a few relaxing or meditative poses to clear the mind and restore the body’s equilibrium.

There is still no scientific evidence that yoga works as a hangover remedy or that yoga will get rid of the effects of alcohol but it is a known fact that what yoga does do is reduce stress and make you feel better. If you have a hangover keep your movements slow and gentle and keep regular breath flowing during the poses. If anything it may not get rid of the hangover but it will help to make you feel maybe just a little bit more relaxed. And then you can go back to sleep.

If you need help with your addiction give us a call now at 1-800-984-4003.

Smoking and Drinking Together Cause Massive Hangovers

Smoking and Drinking Together Cause Massive Hangovers

The other morning I woke up with what felt like a massive hangover. My head hurt, my eyes were grainy, and I felt sick to my stomach. The funny part was-I hadn’t had any alcohol the night before. I’d stayed out late, and I’d smoked a lot of cigarettes, but I didn’t have an alcoholic drink. I’d never thought about it before, but that morning I realized that part of the reason I felt so terrible after a night of drinking was the fact that I got very little sleep and smoked a lot of cigarettes.

Smoking and Drinking Together Cause Massive Hangovers: The Research

A lot of people smoke and drink at the same time. Even many nonsmokers will have a few cigarettes when they are out on the town. But studies suggest that smoking and drinking together cause massive hangovers. Findings published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs found that at the same number of drinks, people who smoke more have been shown to have more intense hangovers the next day. Smoking itself was shown to increase chances of a hangover more than nonsmoking. The subjects in the study were asked to rank hangover symptoms like nausea, headache, and difficulty concentrating.

Smoking and Drinking Together Cause Massive Hangovers: What causes a hangover?

Alcohol is broken down in the liver first to acetaldehyde, then to harmless acetic acid. Acetaldehyde is the main chemical that is responsible for the symptoms of a hangover. Smoking also increases your acetaldehyde in the body and this is why smoking and drinking together causes massive hangovers. The severity of a hangover is directly connected to the amount of alcohol an individual drinks and how much sleep he or she has gotten, and according to this new study, whether or not the person smoked a lot of cigarettes.

The hangover symptoms that individuals feel can be caused by:

  • urination (resulting in dehydration)
  • immune system response
  • stomach irritation
  • poor sleep quality
  • drop in blood sugar
  • dilation of blood vessels

Smoking and Drinking Together Cause Massive Hangovers: Prevention and cures

There is no real “cure” for a hangover. Most of the classic hangover cures really don’t work. The only really cure is time or preventing the hangover in the first place. Obviously, if you want to lower your chances of getting a hangover you can cut down on the amount that you smoke while you are drinking or not smoke at all. Also, getting adequate rest and drinking a lot of water have been shown to reduce your chances of getting a hangover. The main cause of hangovers, however, is binge drinking. Binge drinking is defined as having more than four drinks in a sitting for men, and five drinks for women. This type of drinking, where your blood alcohol content increases quickly in a short amount of time, is the most important factor in getting a hangover. This is because your body gets overwhelmed and cannot break down the alcohol as quickly as you are consuming it, causing a buildup of acetaldehyde.

If you need help with your addiction give us a call now at 1-800-984-4003.

‘Play Safe’ Documentary Shows How to Prevent Overdose and Hangovers

Play Safe

Play Safe

[Image Source: Chicago Tribune ]

“People were harmed during the making of this film, but without that sacrifice we’d have nothing” – Eddie Einbinder, Play Safe –

In the public school system, sex education is taught to teach children about the human reproductive system. In sex Ed we’re taught what sex is and how to practice it safely. What if we had to take a “Drug Ed” course in which we were shown what drugs were and how to practice using them safely? Wouldn’t that be a bit extreme? Not according to Eddie Einbinder.

Drug abuse in American is not a new concept and has fluctuated with the state of the economy. Every couple of years we start to battle a new drug, like cocaine and crack in the 80’s and prescription drug abuse in 2012. With every threat against humanity we must prepare solutions in prevention, education and treatment. Drug abuse is no different, but the methods used to prevent, educate and treat it are always a hot subject of debate.

Eddie Einbinder of New York is a crusader of sorts on harm reduction in drug use. After some of his college friends overdosed on various substances he decided to do something to bring awareness to drug use. Mr. Einbinder believes that people who want to try drugs are going to do it no matter what so why not educate everyone on the good, the bad, the ugly and how to use and prevent overdosing or a mean hangover. Is this, “how to use drugs safely” motto the way to go about spreading knowledge of drug abuse? Scare tactics have been used for many years to warn people of the dangers of drug abuse but those who’ve already become addicted do not “fear” the consequences. In the face of total loss of family, friends, work, social life, and health addicts will continue to use. So now we’re all left to wonder if this new way of awareness could work. What do you think?

Although Play Safe doesn’t seem to be out on the Internet for everyone to see, the trailer itself offers a snippet of what the viewer can expect to see.  According to the end of the trailer, Play Safe will feature people using the following drugs: Mushrooms, Ketamine, Marijuana, Nitrous, Cocaine, LSD, MDMA, Salvia, Heroin, Oxycontin, Tobacco, Meth, DMT, Adderall, and Alcohol.

Play Safe Trailer
GRAPHIC IMAGES AND REAL LIFE DRUG USE FEATURED IN THIS FILM. WATCH AT YOUR OWN RISK.

SOURCE: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-x-0523-drugs-education-keilman-20120523,0,2453593.story

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