25% of men admitted to hospital in an emergency have an alcohol related problem or injury
Alcohol
is a depressant drug. You can become dependent on
it, and even addicted to it. This means that you
need to carry on drinking to avoid unpleasant emotional
or physical effects when you stop. These effects
are known as withdrawal symptoms.
The whole process of giving up alcohol when you
have become dependent on it, is known as detoxification.
Detoxification is a very serious matter and should
only be undertaken under guidance from a counsellor
or doctor. They will assess whether you need medication
to help you withdraw. When withdrawing from alcohol
a person usually goes through four phases,
although not all people will experience these:
