For some students, Winter Break was used to work, relax or spend time with family. For other students, three weeks of liver abuse were their only accomplishment.
One student confessed to drinking for the first 16 days of Winter Break. Then he took two days off and started again. Why would anyone do this to his or her body? It seems the only reason is there was nothing else to do during break, and there was alcohol available.
The first week of Spring Semester greets students with new professors, new classrooms, new amenities in the dorms and even new friends. For the portion of the student body that spent Winter Break consuming large amounts of ethanol, there could also be a new - and potentially deadly - experience in store for them. Delirium tremens, or the "DTs," for short, is a real and scary symptom of withdrawal after heavy alcohol abuse.
For centuries, doctors have known about the DTs, but until recently, there was debate on what caused this withdrawal symptom. Doctors now hold that the DTs are a result of the harmful and toxic effects that alcohol has on the brain, nervous system and body.
But what constitutes heavy abuse? Drinking less than a pint of hard liquor a day puts you in the clear, but if you drank that much or more on a daily basis during break, you are in danger of falling victim to the DTs. However, if you stopped drinking more than a few days ago, and you are still symptom free, then you also don't need to worry.
For those people who still have not stopped drinking heavily since break, close vigilance after alcohol abuse is necessary to ensure good health.
Because it can be a deadly consequence of drinking heavily, the DTs are not to be taken lightly. As many as 35 percent of alcohol abusers whose DTs go untreated die from the condition. If treated, the percentage falls to 5 percent or less.
There are several symptoms of the DTs, and, fortunately, they are relatively easy to detect. As the name suggests, some people experience hallucinations - or delirium - when they stop abusing alcohol. These hallucinations are known simply as "pink elephants" in the medical world. Others experience tremors throughout their entire bodies that can be severe at times. The tremors can even blossom into full-blown seizures, if not treated. Some other symptoms include, but are not limited to, irritability, insomnia, vomiting, confusion, anxiety, palpitations and loss of appetite.
Once the afflicted patient gets to the point where treatment is necessary, there are many goals health care providers want to meet. First, and most obvious, doctors want to save their patients' lives. Following that step, immediate health concerns are addressed, then further complications are prevented. A variety of medicines can be used to treat seizures, tremors and even hallucinations. The muscle relaxant Valium is widely used to curb the tremors that DT sufferers experience. Diazepam is a drug used to treat anxiety, tremors and seizures, as well. And while going through the withdrawal symptoms, it is highly recommended that patients totally abstain from alcohol.
The DTs are a real possibility for college students who engage in heavy drinking. If you, or someone you know, is experiencing any of the symptoms of the DTs, a hospital visit is in order because the DTs are considered a medical emergency. Doctors and other qualified health care providers are the only people capable of treating the DTs effectively. Do not delay going to the doctor because death is always a possibility when the DTs are concerned.
Also, don't try to out-perform the aforementioned student: For your information, he is now on day two of sobriety and DT-free.
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