In an article I found on The New York Times website, the topic of discussion is the danger of alcohol withdrawals, but more specifically, the fact that they are most likely what caused singer Amy Winehouse's sudden death in 2011. The cause of death was still not named but her family said she had tried to stop drinking. Dr. Harry Haroutunian wants people to understand that unsupervised alcohol withdrawal can be very dangerous. He states, “About half the people who come off steady and regular alcohol use will have some manifestation of the syndrome. People should seek medical advice" (Parker-Pope, 2011). But how, exactly, does one stopping the consumption of alcohol become life-threatening? First of all, it's important to know the major, life-threatening risks are more associated with the heavy drinkers, the ones who drink a large amount daily. This is because when the body is dealing with the depressive drug, alcohol, it "ramps up" multiple hormones and brain chemicals such as serotonin, dopamine, and epinephrine. When an alcoholic abruptly stops consuming alcohol, the body becomes overwhelmed by these hormones and brain chemicals. This leads to serious issues in the body such as dehydration, vomiting, abnormal heart rhythms and delirium tremens. These "D.T.'s" have about a 15% fatality rate. This condition is extremely dangerous because it can occur only 24 hours after the last drink and patients who are not supervised can have seizures, a heart attack, or even a stroke (Parker-Pope, 2011). What it comes down to, is heavy drinkers considering stopping alcohol consumption need to be aware of these risks and make sure to be supervised and seek medical attention when doing so.
Source:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/03/amy-winehouse-and-the-perils-of-alcohol-withdrawal/?_r=0
Holly D. R.
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