Neuroadaptation Process

By Christopher Young Treatment, Assessment and Planning

Teacher: Phoebe Spry- Bailie

Turning Point, Victoria

A client is displaying symptoms, which may be associated with alcohol withdrawal:
This essay will discuss the phenomenon of neuroadaption within the human body, which may be associated with alcohol withdrawal. Along with this, it will also describe the clinical features from alcohol withdrawal, which can progress from the mild to very severe. The essay will also discuss the appropriate treatment interventions and actions, which might improve alcohol withdrawal. Neuroadaptation is described
as the process by which the whole body recompenses for the existence or occurrence of any traces of a drug within the body, the process will occur so as the body system can recover the situation and attain its normal functioning.
Neuroadaptation, however, is a two-way process. An individual who is not addicted to drugs and substances, but let us say alcohol. The Neuroadaptation process will work towards retaining the normal sober position of the body. However, the case is not similar to those individuals who are totally into taking drugs, more so talk of victims of drug addiction. In any case, one is to total abuse of drugs of any kind in the case of alcohol. The neuroadaptation is likely to adopt a change in its process, and the change will lead to the dependence and lenience of the alcohol, which the victim is making use of. Therefore with the constant use of alcohol, the body slowly by slowly adapts and gets used to the availability of the substance. (Breese, et al, 2011 ,p149-171) With the adaptation, a change in the occurrence of neuroadaptation is likely to occur. Once addiction levels get to such a point, the neuroadaptation tends to operate in a reverse manner, once
the process occurs instead of the body system working in a manner to attain its normal sober position. This time round neuroadaptation will operate in a manner that the body is in need of more alcohol to get back to the resulting effect. At such a state, the victim will usually be referred to as an alcoholic since he/she is already an addict.
At this level, the effect is not only to the normal body, but it proceeds to harm the brain as well. The change in the brain is due to the dependence of the alcohol and any attempts of withdrawal the victim will face some difficulties. These difficulties will include some experiences of pain, which are signs of withdrawal, and the withdrawal occurs since the body is adapted to alcohol and when the time comes, it needs to retain its normal functioning. Withdrawals are attempts made by the victim who is in addiction to reverse the neuroadaptation from the dependence of drug back to its normal status. (DePoy,et al, 2013,p 23-30) However, the resulting symptoms, which accompany withdrawals, are not pleasant and encouraging at all, and some researchers indicate that they can be as serious as leading to death. With the combination of the discomforts, the victim is likely to experience, both emotional as well as physical, such instances make the withdrawal process harder. Most people will experience a lot undergoing withdrawals of alcohol addiction, some physical symptoms experienced by the victim will include. The muscle aches, sweating, body, shakes, heart palpitations and to some extent diarrhea as well as insomnia. However, the duration at which the symptoms are to last are not constant.

In some cases, it can only take a few hours while in others, the symptoms will last weeks and even months. With such knowledge, many alcohol addicts will generate fear of suffering from these effects and will get discouraged from trying to recover from addiction. Hence, many of them will end up living their lives as addicts. Mostly the symptoms resulting from recovery will only tend to be managed by close family members with the help of close friends. To some extent, medical assistance will have to be applied to reduce the risks, which are associated with the symptoms. Some of these serious symptoms, which will call for professional attendance, will involve the Delirium tremens. With Delirium tremens, other attached risks likely to attack the victim will include high blood pressure, hallucinations, agitation, sense of confusion and others. (Sullivan, et al 1989.p65-77) Without professional assistance, Delirium tremens will easily cause the death of the individual.

Consequently, with such knowledge, many have opted to look for the professional way of withdrawing from alcohol addiction. With the use of a clinical mode of withdrawal, a large number may not be exposed to the many risks, which accompany the whole process. With clinical assistance, the victim will undergo various stages before attaining a complete withdrawal from alcohol. Deciding on whether the victim undertaking the alcohol withdrawals will necessarily require the professional attention will, however, be determined by the harshness of the symptoms or the syndrome. The harshness of the symptoms will be determined and addressed by professional clinicians who will determine whether they pose any unwitting risk for the victim to undergo through the withdrawal process under the clinical care. If there is a need for the victim to undertake the withdrawal program through admission, this is after evaluating the report from the assessment provided by the professionals. Once there is need, the admission will take place. More so, to control the overcrowding in these withdrawal clinics, the professionals under this department will always insist on that withdrawal process is not life threatening and the symptoms attached to it are easily handled even without the attendance of the clinical officers. The same is enhanced since victims with minor degrees to alcohol addiction can undergo the withdrawal process without the management of any specific therapy. However, the same is not possible to the victims experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms due to alcohol. Such individuals will have to be under specific care to avoid injury and any occurrence of risk, which may lead to loss of lives.

With the clinical mode of withdrawing from alcohol addiction, it is common that many patients are likely to have been into the abuse of alcohol on a daily basis for a span of three months, or others are likely to have had a large quantity for about a week. With such patients, withdrawal symptoms occur in a span of around six to twelve hours once the victim reduces the intake of alcohol. (Hayashida,et al 1989,p56- 66) These symptoms are likely to disappear immediately a consumption of alcohol has been taken. The assurance of withdrawal from alcohol is the diverse indications, which accompany the symptoms. The symptoms range from minor one to some serious symptoms. The range of these signs also varies greatly, and they change due to time, as well as the duration at which they occur may increase slowly by slowly. Hence, such a description professionally is said to range from “mild to severe.” The terms are commonly applied in a clinical withdrawal program.

With mild withdrawals, they are usually occurring within a span of, 24 hours after the last take of alcohol. Mild withdrawals will mostly be characterized by the following. Insomnia, body shakes, diaphoresis, the GI upset, confusion, and hyperreflexia. Those are the common symptoms accompanied with the mild withdrawals. The mild withdrawal is most crucial withdrawal, which will occur severally and under a short period after the consumption of alcohol. With moderate withdrawal, it is likely to happen 24- 36 hours after the previous use of alcohol. Average withdrawal will be accompanied by more serious symptoms compared to mild withdrawals. With moderate withdrawals, the following symptoms will occur. Tremors are likely to be evident, insomnia, an intense anxiety and to some extent, the victim will suffer from “Excessive adrenergic symptoms.” The symptoms resulting from these stages, however, may not require a higher attention during the attendance as those of mild stage. More so, they will take time before occurring unlike with the mild withdrawals, which will occur a short time after the last intake of alcohol.

The last type of withdrawal symptoms is the severe withdrawals; with severe withdrawals, it is likely to occur two days after the decrease or the complete avoidance in the intake of alcohol. (Brown. Anton, 1988, p78-91) Severe withdrawals will likely to be characterized by the following. Agitation, hallucinations, several changes of sensorium and disorientations. In some patients, the following will also be evident. Diaphoresis, tremulousness, tachypnea as well as tachycardia. However, one can even note or even predict the occurrence severe drinking withdrawals from some syndromes. They will include hypokalemia, thrombocytopenia as well as a previous history of the severe alcohol withdrawal. Statistics state that almost 25% of the victims suffering from prolonged abuse of alcohol will experience an alcoholic hallucinosis. The alcoholic hallucination is likely to take place immediately 24 hours after the last abuse of the drug. The hallucinosis will then take place continuously for another 24-hour period. With time, the situation is likely to worsen, with such instances of hallucinations becoming more dangerous and effective than earlier. The frank hallucinations will then take place. In the advanced stage of these hallucinations, anxiety and fear are generated. (Sullivan, et al, 1989. p76-88) The victim is seen worried and maybe even appearing to gaze to imaginary objects. Hallucinosis are however not necessarily accompanied by the delirium tremens.
About 23-33% of the victims, suffering from the alcohol withdrawals will experience the alcohol seizures withdrawal as well. Seizures withdrawals can usually be accompanied by several features. Normally, the seizures are most of the time brief, general, and tonic in nature. Therefore, the seizures will lack aura. They will tend to take place in a collection of two to three and will take place in a span of very short time. Normally, these seizures are common. The statistics provided however will indicate that about 30-50% of patients experiencing seizures will later on lead to delirium tremens. Seizures will tend to take place a day immediately after the previous consumption of alcohol. Seizures will also tend to run under the operation of benzodiazepines. (Carlson et al, 2011. p123-145) With seizures, the occurrence of status epilepticus will also take place. However, the occurrence of status epilepticus will not be that common. Such instance will occur since victims suffering from alcoholism are usually more exposed to head injuries, epilepsy, idiopathic and other head related problems.

Delirium tremens DT is the most common related sign with alcohol withdrawals.
Delirium tremens will mostly take place in 48-72 hours regarding the previous drink that the victim had. Delirium tremens will also involve some several features, which will accompany during the time of an attack. With delirium tremens, it will involve all the early as well as the intermediate symptoms that we have discussed. However, with delirium tremens, an addition of sensorium, which is altered and profound, should be included. (Depoy et al, 2002. p45-58), Disorientation, Hallucination as well as the agitation are also common when it comes to delirium tremens. More so, Spartan autonomic, which will include tachycardia, diaphoresis as well as hyperthermia, will be evident. It is also important to learn that delirium tremens may also be present even with the absence of preceding
seizures.

It is also understood that to blunt some of these impacts of withdrawal from alcohol, any victim who will not be in a position to access the recommended type of alcoholic drink may be due to financial instabilities. (Neasta, et al 2010 p 23-28) Such a victim will end up consuming other substances, which will lead to a similar. The victims who will appear not to afford the legal alcohol will end up consuming substances, which contain some traces of alcohol just to satisfy their desires. Some of the substances, which many of them will end up consuming, will be the isopropyl alcohol, methanol, as well as the ethylene glycol although such are rarely used. However, it is believed that with the consumption of these substances containing a large amount of alcohol may end up leading to the diminishing of effects occurring from withdrawal in alcohol. Other such as the cough syrup may end causing poisoning effects such as the acetaminophen toxicity. (Daeppen, et al, 2002, p 87-103) The substances containing the sufficient amount of alcohol are the ones, which will take place in controlling the effects accompanied with withdrawals. Such substances will include the mouthwash, hand sanitizers, methanol and at sometimes isopropyl may apply.

With such knowledge, the submission of the right care to victims withdrawing from alcohol is likely to be efficient. The appropriate treatment with alcohol withdrawal however may vary according to the stage and the current situation the victim is suffering from. The stage, which he or she is in, as well as other factors, which have to be thought out carefully while undertaking the care for any patient. (Mayo-Smith 1997,p144-151) More so, it should be considered that some of these effects might end up leading to other side effects. For instance, in our case, the use of alcohol may end up leading to other head problems. The appropriate treatment should involve the proper application of the knowledge attained from the study of symptoms. The withdrawal must not be carried out instantly to avoid severe instances such as death. It should be conducted with a lot of caution as well as prevention. The right steps should also be conversant with the clinician carrying out the practice. With those who are not necessarily undertaking the clinical or the therapy form of alcohol withdrawal, they should also be in a position to be reassured and advised that the symptoms accompanying withdrawal are not too serious and with time, they will recover. The family members and friends of such victims are also encouraged to provide the appropriate attendance and assistance to the victim whenever necessary.
References.
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Daeppen, J.B., Gache, P., Landry, U., Sekera, E., Schweizer, V., Gloor, S. and Yersin, B., 2002. Symptom-triggered vs fixed-schedule doses of benzodiazepine for alcohol withdrawal: a randomized treatment trial. Archives of internal medicine, 162(10), pp.1117-1121.

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