When people stop consuming alcohol after chronic use, they lose the inhibitory effects of the GABA receptors, resulting in the central nervous system being overstimulated. This article looks at the connection between alcohol, seizures, and epilepsy, as well as treatment options and support. This article explores how alcohol affects people with epilepsy and provides recommendations for how much alcohol is best to consume. A good rule is to alternate between alcoholic beverages and a glass of water.
Identifying the Risks: When Alcohol and Epilepsy Collide
Epilepsy is defined as a spectrum of disorders that involve the central nervous system (brain and spine). The seizures that occur in epilepsy are caused by abnormal brain activity. These seizures may cause people to have unusual sensations or emotions, behave in unexpected ways, or experience convulsions or loss of consciousness. Behavioral therapies help individuals identify and modify patterns of thought and behavior that contribute to alcohol misuse.
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Drinking alcohol poses real risks to everyone’s health, and it can be especially risky if you have epilepsy. Talk with your doctor about epilepsy and alcohol for advice about what’s can you drink alcohol if you have seizures best for you. First, talk with your doctor about the risks, and read the leaflet inside your anti-epilepsy medication. They can suggest a treatment plan or refer you to another health professional. Alcohol has the potential to enhance some side effects of anti-seizure medications, including drowsiness and dizziness.
Can alcohol trigger seizures?
Whether to drink alcohol or take recreational drugs is a personal choice, but it is worth knowing the possible effects they could have on your epilepsy. Alcohol or recreational drugs can cause epilepsy in some people. Mixing alcoholic drinks and seizure medicine could have harmful effects. When you drink while taking these types of drugs, it lowers your alcohol tolerance. As a result, you may feel the effects of alcohol and get drunk more quickly.
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Alcohol can have both short-term and long-term effects on individuals with epilepsy. Short-term risks include alcohol withdrawal seizures, which can occur when a person reduces or stops heavy drinking, causing a sudden release of excitatory neurotransmitters in the brain. Long-term alcohol misuse can lead to chronic neurological damage, increasing the likelihood of seizure disorders (CDC, 2022). People who drink large amounts of alcohol and suddenly stop are at a higher-than-usual risk of seizures. About 5 percent of people detoxing from alcohol abuse will have alcohol withdrawal seizures as part of the process of quitting drinking.
- It’s important to be aware that uncontrolled alcohol withdrawal can be fatal, and there is a risk of Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy.
- We’re talking about drinking alcohol, that means that if you are under 18 (in the UK), this page isn’t for you.
- Short-term risks include alcohol withdrawal seizures, which can occur when a person reduces or stops heavy drinking, causing a sudden release of excitatory neurotransmitters in the brain.
- ” This can be confusing — especially if you or someone you love has been newly diagnosed with epilepsy and is deciding whether or not to drink.
Alcohol can also cause seizures in a person who doesn’t have epilepsy. This information is not designed to replace a physician’s independent judgment about the appropriateness or risks of a procedure for a given patient. EpilepsyDisease.com does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
- Seizures, and a severe condition called delirium tremens, are possible complications of alcohol withdrawal.
- Of course, it is lower risk – and better for your general health – to avoid alcohol altogether.
- They also recommend that doctors check every six months to see if Epidyolex is working to control or reduce seizures and stop prescribing it if it is not.
- Alcohol and seizure medication may interact in ways that make it more likely that some people will have a seizure.
These chemical messengers can either slow things down or fire things up, which can lead to that infamous tipsy feeling. The most important thing to remember is a night-out should be on your terms and drinking should be your choice, whether you want to drink, how much you drink is down to you. Don’t give in to peer pressure or feel like you have to drink more than you want to. Although these are general guidelines, your tolerance or consumption recommendation can vary based on your overall health, size, and medical condition. Every effort is made to ensure that all our information is correct and up to date.
This can happen whether or not a person has epilepsy at the time of the withdrawal. However, people with epilepsy may be more likely to have seizures while going through alcohol withdrawal. Rather, the risk of alcohol withdrawal seizures is more of a concern.
If you or a loved one experiences symptoms of alcohol withdrawal—ranging from tremors, insomnia, and anxiety to seizures—reach out for professional help immediately. Early intervention can dramatically reduce the risk of serious complications and set the stage for a safer, more effective recovery process. For people with epilepsy, alcohol may interfere with anti-seizure medications and increase the risk of seizures. In people with epilepsy, drinking three or more drinks may increase the risk of seizures. Consuming alcohol is a common seizure trigger for people with epilepsy.
Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) works best when combined with counseling and peer support, as part of a comprehensive approach to recovery. A personalized medication plan can help mitigate withdrawal risks, alleviate cravings and create a safer environment for therapy to be most effective. Heavy alcohol consumption is a common trigger for seizures in those who already have epilepsy. Before taking your medications, it’s a good idea to check with your doctor or your pharmacist to see if it’s safe to mix with alcohol.
People who chronically consume large amounts of alcohol seem to be more likely to have epilepsy than people who don’t. Many people with epilepsy have heard that alcohol consumption can change the blood levels of their AEDs. More recent research shows that having one to two drinks a day does not seem to affect these levels in most medications. However, some medications are more likely than others to metabolize differently when alcohol is used. It is important to discuss your individual risk for drinking with your health care team.
Other approaches, like Motivational Interviewing (MI), tap into a person’s intrinsic motivation. Through empathetic, goal-oriented counseling, MI helps individuals resolve ambivalence about quitting alcohol and solidify their commitment to recovery. Additionally, if a seizure cannot be stopped or multiple seizures occur in rapid succession, it could result in permanent injury or prove fatal.
Withdrawal seizures can happen any time from 6 to 72 hours after you have stopped drinking. Keep in mind that sometimes alcohol withdrawal seizures are a separate condition from epilepsy. Most alcohol withdrawal seizures are generalized tonic-clonic seizures, commonly referred to as “grand mal” seizures. These involve a loss of consciousness and violent muscle contractions throughout the body. Seizures typically happen within 6 to 48 hours after the last drink, but the exact timing can vary based on the individual’s drinking history and other health factors. Excessive alcohol consumption may cause seizures, particularly alcohol withdrawal after heavy drinking.
