Alcohol & Seizures
To someone with a history of seizures, alcohol can be very dangerous. In fact, alcohol has even been correlated to cause seizures in people who were previously unaffected by them.
To most people who enjoy social drinking, this will never be an issue. However, people who have found themselves spiraling into heavy drinking may find an increase or development of seizures.
There are two types of seizures associated with alcohol: binging seizures and withdrawal seizures.
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Binging Seizures
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Binging seizures occur at the height of the alcohol consumption. If someone decides to binge drink, and has more drinks than her body can handle, she could go into seizure. This type of seizure can occur in anyone, even if he is not epileptic and has no previous history of seizures.
Withdrawal Seizures
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Withdrawal seizures occur due to the absence of alcohol in the system. These will usually occur in someone who is an alcoholic or chronic drinker and is used to having alcohol in his system. If he stops drinking suddenly for any reason, he may experience an alcohol withdrawal seizure 24 to 72 hours after the last drink.
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People with a History of Seizures
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While anyone can be affected by these alcohol-related seizures, the chances are a lot higher for people who have experienced seizures in the past. For people with a history of seizures, it is important that they maintain control of their drinking and do not exceed their own personal limit.
Anti-convulsant Medications and Seizures
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Not only are people with a history of seizures at risk for alcohol-related seizures, if they take anti-convulsant medication, this can create further risk. Anti-convulsant medication can lower tolerance for alcohol, so a person on these medications are able to drink a lot less than they normally would. Also, the side effects of any anti-convulsants can be exaggerated with alcohol consumption.
Avoiding Alcohol-related Seizures
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The best way to avoid alcohol related seizures is to make sure to only drink in moderation, or to abstain from alcohol. Everyone has a personal limit, and you should be aware of that limit. If you find yourself unable to stop drinking, seek help from a professional.
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