Treatment of delirium tremens at home with folk remedies

Delirium tremens is an acute psychosis that occurs due to prolonged consumption of alcoholic beverages. The development of this pathology indicates the last stage of alcohol dependence. During delirium tremens, internal organs are subject to increased stress, and the brain suffers from intoxication and oxygen starvation.

Lack of timely assistance often causes serious complications and can lead to death.

7 Possible complications and consequences

8 Prevention

9 Conclusion

What to do with delirium tremens and how to cure it at home?

One of the common types of post-alcohol conditions, namely delirium delirium, commonly known as delirium tremens, the symptoms and treatment at home of which will be discussed below.
This condition occurs in most cases within three days after leaving the binge , as well as as a result of prolonged drinking and alcohol abuse. Relatives and friends living with a patient suffering from alcoholism and delirium tremens are constantly looking for ways and means to save their loved one from this terrible disease.

Seeing a doctor provides short-term relief and only in a mental health clinic, so the patient’s relatives are looking for an answer to the question: how to treat delirium tremens at home?

Delirium tremens is characterized by the following patient conditions:

How it manifests itself

Let's look at how delirium tremens manifests itself and what its symptoms are:

Alcoholic delirium looks classically like this - the patient has pronounced auditory, visual and even tactile hallucinations , which is reflected in his behavior and facial expressions.

During visual hallucinations, the patient sees things that in ordinary life somewhat frightened him: these are creatures such as spiders, rats, and so on. The appearance of images of non-existent personalities is noted: cruel killers, terrible dead, simple monsters, devils, etc. Moreover, all such characters in the imagination of the sufferer interfere with him, cut him with knives, tease him, want to kill him.
With auditory hallucinations, the patient can hear various rustling sounds, various chaotic screams, the hissing of a snake, threats addressed to himself, he has a constant fear that someone will abuse his loved ones, above him.
Facial expressions and behavior correspond to the visions; there are grimaces of horror and fear on the face. The alcoholic constantly shakes off seemingly crawling insects, then supposedly crushes them, gets out of the imaginary web, and hides in a corner.
The patient's speech is abrupt, consisting of individual small phrases and shouts. Often they have a conversation with non-existent interlocutors from their visions.

The patient may suddenly start running and immediately jump out of the window opening; the threshold of sensitivity in this state is low, which is why many cases of suicide have been recorded. A person tries to commit suicide only because he wants to get rid of obsessive hallucinations or obeys a voice that eats him from the inside. The alcoholic sees no other way out and, as a result, kills himself.

Also, the state of delirium tremens is characterized by disorientation in time and place; the patient often does not understand where he is, does not recognize his family and friends, and cannot name the date and time . But it is noteworthy that the patient very clearly states his last name and his first name, that is, he is well versed in his own personality.

FAQ

Answers to the most frequently asked questions from relatives:

How long does delirium tremens last? Alcoholic delirium can last for several days, with symptoms intensifying in the evening and at night, and weakening in the morning and during the day.
What causes delirium tremens? This is a very complex process of the impact of alcohol breakdown products on the human brain; it occurs in patients who have suffered a TBI (traumatic brain injury) or infectious diseases.
Does delirium tremens go away on its own? If the patient understands that something wrong is happening to him and follows the instructions of his family, then he can do without clinics and medications.
Do people die from the disease in question? If you do not provide any assistance to the patient, death may occur (12% of deaths from the total number of patients with delirium tremens have been recorded).
What to do if a person has delirium tremens? You can help the patient by carrying out a set of measures:
drinking plenty of fluids and high-quality vitamin foods,
cleansing the body of alcohol products and substances toxic to the body.

The next point is to cleanse the body of toxins and alcohol breakdown products. Herbal infusions and medicinal teas are your faithful helpers.

Helping patients with delirium tremens at home

How to stop an attack of delirium tremens, how to treat a person at home, how to help him?

Of course, the ideal solution for the patient is to place him in a specialized clinic , where the symptoms are relieved in the first hours with pharmacological drugs. However, not every patient wants to go to a psychiatric institution or for some other reason it is necessary to stay at home and carry out complex therapy for the treatment of delirium tremens.

If you do not make efforts to treat delirium tremens, the consequences can be very disastrous.

The symptoms of alcoholic delirium can be relieved using the classic method developed by Dr. Popov E.A. (has a name - Popov’s copybook):

3 tablets of Phenobarbital (Luminal),
15-20 grams of 96% medical alcohol,
100 grams of distilled water.

Mix all components and give to the patient to drink in one dose. If it is not possible to purchase Phenobarbital, you can use another sleeping pill.

Treatment of alcoholic delirium with folk remedies

Alcoholic psychosis, delirium or delirium tremens was recorded in ancient times and since then people have been looking for remedies that can help the patient. Let's look at the most effective and popular ones.

It is necessary to infuse two laurel leaves and one lovage root for seven days, then filter the mixture and give the patient a few drops. The aversion to alcohol will be long-lasting.
A tincture of wormwood and yarrow in vodka for 10 days will also help get rid of cravings for alcohol, and in cases of delirium tremens it will stop the condition.
A decoction of the medicinal mixture (20 grams of yarrow, 20 grams of thyme and 20 grams of wormwood), brewed with 200 grams of water, will literally bring the patient back to life.
Interesting fact: if you often eat sour apples, delirium tremens may end.

Read also: How the herb hoofed grass relieves alcoholism
During attacks of delirium tremens, it is advisable, of course, to consult a psychiatrist, but this disease can be successfully treated at home.

Video: NTV report on delirium tremens

Reasons for the development of alcoholism

Alcohol, unfortunately, is very widely advertised; its sale is available to all categories of the population (except minors) in many retail outlets and at any time of the day. Social tension in the social and psychological spheres contributes to the mass consumption of this harmful product. An important factor in the development of alcoholism is the inability or impossibility for some reason to organize one’s rest or leisure time.

Increasingly, there are cases of alcohol addiction developing into various complex diseases, in particular alcoholic psychosis. As a rule, people of working age suffer from such diseases. All kinds of poisoning, injuries, accidents, suicide attempts (successful and unsuccessful) lead to extinction or degradation of society. According to statistics, in the ranking of the mortality rate of the working-age population, mortality from causes caused by alcohol abuse ranks first. In Russia, every second man and every third middle-aged woman dies from drunkenness.

In addition, alcohol abuse has a negative impact on the upbringing of children in unfavorable family environments. There has been an increase in the filling of orphanages and boarding schools with children from disadvantaged families. There is an urgent question about the health of children born to alcoholic parents.

What is alcoholism? Is this a manifestation of promiscuity or a complex mental illness? In the initial stages, you can say that this is promiscuity. But with systematic and excessive use, a seemingly harmless habit turns into intractable diseases.

Treatment of delirium tremens at home

Long-term use of alcoholic beverages poisons the entire body and ends with the person beginning to experience visual or auditory hallucinations. This condition is popularly called delirium tremens, and in the professional sphere - delirium tremens.

Doctors say that it is useless to treat such a problem at home, but many people think otherwise and try to get a person out of delirium tremens on their own. Every person should know exactly how to treat delirium tremens at home and whether it is possible, because no one is immune from problems of this nature.

How do doctors recommend treatment?

Doctors categorically do not recommend treating delirium tremens at home. Because a person who is in a state of delirium tremens has the ability to experience sound and auditory hallucinations, therefore, he can be very dangerous to society. Doctors recommend that relatives of a patient who has delirium tremens act according to the standard scheme, namely as follows:

try not to sharply deny what the person says;
try not to let the alcoholic leave the home;
urgently call emergency medical assistance;
place the patient in a hospital and treat him there with medication.

Only in a hospital setting do they know how to treat delirium tremens correctly and have a large supply of necessary medications for this. To bring a person out of this state, all toxic substances must be eliminated from his body, and only after that the brain will be able to work again at a normal pace.

It is also possible to get rid of delirium tremens at home, but it will be very difficult to cope with this kind of condition of a dependent person, and this should be taken into account. In the hospital they know what medications and in what quantities should be given to patients, but at home, the addict’s relatives may get confused and do some procedure not quite correctly.

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Hospital

It is better to treat delirium tremens in a clinical setting. Before starting to do this, the patient must give up alcohol. After a few days of sobriety, a comprehensive diagnosis is carried out.

To cure such psychosis, the patient is prescribed a number of therapeutic measures.

First, the body is detoxified; it is necessary to remove all toxic substances from the blood - the breakdown products of ethanol. It is also necessary to normalize blood pressure, heart rate and breathing. The patient is intravenously injected with sodium hydroxybutyrate, Sibazon solution and other drugs that have an absorbent effect.
Teturam, Esperal, Antabuse, ProPro Ten-100 are used as medicinal drugs. These drugs are used only after the body has been completely cleansed of toxic substances. They reduce cravings for alcohol and cause aversion to it in the patient.
To calm the nervous system, depression and apathy, as well as for severe withdrawal symptoms, the drugs “Glycine” and “Phenibut” are used. These drugs have metabolic, sedative and anti-withdrawal effects.
For convulsive conditions and tremor, Carbamazepine or Hydantoin are prescribed.
To reduce symptoms such as fear, anxiety, and hallucinations, a person is prescribed Phenazepam, Diazepam, Seduxen or Elenium. These medications are relaxing and have a mild hypnotic effect.
The drug "Tiaprid" is used extremely rarely and only in cases of severe aggression on the part of the patient.

Treatment of a patient in an inpatient setting lasts about three weeks. During this time, the patient receives the necessary drug therapy, as well as the help of a psychologist. Conversations with a specialist help the patient recover faster and give up the addiction forever.

How to understand that a person has delirium tremens

Almost everyone knows what delirium tremens is, the treatment of which is carried out mainly with medication. But not every person will be able to recognize all its symptoms. It is worth noting the fact that before the onset of such an attack, the patient’s emotional state begins to change dramatically and sleep deteriorates. The patient no longer wants to drink alcohol and may experience chills. All this can only happen after a heavy binge. The main symptoms indicating the onset of alcoholic delirium include:

anxious state of a sick person;
the presence of visual and auditory hallucinations in an alcoholic;
a person can carry outright delirium, experience persecution mania;
the temperature rises and the heartbeat becomes faster;
the pulse quickens, the person may experience nausea;
the skin becomes very pale, almost unnatural, and it becomes difficult for a person to breathe.

If loved ones of a person who are confident in their abilities are observing this particular condition, then they may not call medical specialists. Treating delirium tremens at home can be done through the use of several methods, each of which should be looked at a little more closely. Elimination of delirium tremens after binge drinking should be done very carefully and this fact should be taken into account without fail.

What home treatment methods are most often used?

Treatment of delirium tremens at home is almost always carried out using traditional medicine techniques, but there are also people who always have the necessary medications on hand. Most often, to eliminate the problem of the present nature, which lasts a couple of days, it is done by using the following means:

Tinctures of bay leaf and lovage root.
Wormwood and Yarrow.
A decoction from a special herbal collection.
Phenobarbital tablets.
Medical alcohol.
Distilled water.

These remedies can be safely used at home to treat delirium tremens, but you should not expect a 100% result from them. Delirium tremens is the result of severe alcohol poisoning, and it is possible to efficiently remove all toxins from the body only if patients are in inpatient clinics. As a rule, most people end up in the hospital and only a small percentage of addicts undergo treatment at home.

Effective tincture based on bay leaf

Alcoholic delirium is well treated with homemade tinctures. If an addict has an attack of delirium, then relatives should give the person a tincture prepared according to the following recipe:

take one small lovage root and two large, dried bay leaves;
pour vodka over the herbs and leave for 7 days;
filter the homemade medicine and give the addicted person 2 drops daily.

Of course, at a certain moment the necessary home remedy may not be available, which means that delirium tremens will remain. The duration of this condition is several days, which means that in order to solve the problem it is necessary to find another way.

Uses of Wormwood and Yarrow

People try to discourage alcoholics from drinking alcoholic beverages with the help of Wormwood, because this herb is very bitter. Many experimenters do this quite well if they use the following recipe:

take a sufficient amount of Wormwood herb, as well as Yarrow;
pour vodka over the medicinal raw materials and leave in a dark place for 10 days to infuse;
give to the patient not only during delirium tremens, but also when symptoms of alcoholism are present.

If a person has delirium tremens, then such a remedy helps to quickly bring him to his senses and bring him out of such a state.

Herbal tea against delirium tremens

Herbal treatment is useful for delirium delirium, as well as for alcoholism. Treatment can be performed through the use of an herbal mixture, which includes the following herbs:

20 grams of Yarrow.
20 grams of Thyme.
20 grams of Wormwood.

Read also: Will conspiracies and prayers help against drunkenness at home?

You need to brew tea with 200 milliliters of water. This tea practically brings the alcoholic back to life and quickly allows him to recover from the state of alcoholic delirium.

Many experts argue that cravings for alcoholic beverages are associated with a lack of potassium. Very often, natural honey is recommended for the treatment of delirium tremens, which is a good source of potassium. Use of honey: the patient should be given 6 tsp. honey, after 20 minutes - the same amount, and after 20 minutes another 6 tablespoons. So, within one hour the patient should receive 18 teaspoons of honey. Wait 2 hours. Give the alcoholic 3 times 6 tsp. honey every 20 minutes, after which the patient can sleep until the morning. In the morning you need to give 3 more doses of 6 teaspoons every 20 minutes. If you follow these instructions, the patient will no longer want to drink alcohol.

Treatment methods at home

After an acute attack of delirium tremens has been relieved, comprehensive measures are taken to prevent relapses and help avoid the negative consequences of alcohol (secondary diseases of the heart, gastrointestinal tract, excretory system). If the family prefers treatment at home to the clinic, they adhere to the following scheme:

Give medicine for high blood pressure and temperature.
For increased excitability and insomnia, give a sedative.
The first day a fast is useful (provided you drink plenty of fluids).
From the second day, dietary nutrition is introduced (the patient needs a lot of carbohydrates and vitamins; fatty foods are excluded).

An outdated method of dealing with fever: the addict was given alcohol to drink in a dose that did not cause severe intoxication. This reduced the severity of psychosis or stopped it completely. Every day the amount of alcohol was reduced, gradually eliminating it. Now doctors do not recommend treating delirium in this way - it helps against squirrels, but aggravates withdrawal symptoms and provokes complications of diseases caused by alcoholism.

Traditional methods

Honey is a folk remedy against fever. Due to the large amount of potassium in the composition, it helps relieve symptoms of somatic disorders and reduce cravings for alcohol. On the first day of delirium, the patient is given 2 tablespoons of honey every hour. Then, until the end of the week, it is enough to eat 1 spoon 3 times a day.

A patient with delirium tremens is helped by a decoction of oat and calendula seeds, which soothes and improves metabolism. To prepare a decoction at home, take 100 g of oats and 10 g of calendula flowers, add 2 liters of water and boil for 40 minutes. Drink the remedy for delirium 3 times a day before meals, half a glass.

Answer to the question: Quitting binge drinking in one day at home - is it possible?

Chamomile tea will help you calm down. An infusion with thyme is given at night to avoid insomnia. An alcohol tincture with St. John's wort and wormwood helps against hallucinations (no more than 3 teaspoons).

Medicines

For delirium, medications are prescribed that relieve excitability, restore metabolism, and normalize blood pressure and temperature. Names of common medications:

Sedatives – extract of Valerian, Motherwort, Glycine, Biotredin, Novo-passit.
Medicines for hyperthermia and high blood pressure - Paracetamol, Panadol, Theraflu, Papazol, Capoten.
Medicines that restore blood circulation and prevent thrombocytosis - Magnesia solution, Vinpocetine, Telektol, Felodipine.
Medicines to improve metabolic processes - Reopoliglucin, Panangin, sodium bicarbonate.

Attention: for delirium tremens, medications from the group of benzodiazepines (Tazepam, Phenazepam) and phenobarbitals (Corvalol, Valocordin, Valoserdin) are contraindicated. Medicines may trigger new episodes of hallucinations

The sedatives Afobazole and Phenibut do not cause complications, but they cannot cure delirium.

Delirium tremens develops after prolonged drinking and subsequent abrupt cessation of alcohol. If you quit binge drinking gradually, the risk of developing squirrel disease is reduced. To completely reduce the risk of delirium to zero, it is better to remove an alcoholic from binge drinking not at home, but in a clinic. Detoxification, restoration of pH, electrolyte balance help normalize the functioning of internal organs, metabolic processes and prevent the development of post-alcohol psychosis.

Taking pharmaceutical tablets

Phenobarbital or Luminal tablets are used to relieve a person from delirium tremens. You need to take the tablets, mix them with medical alcohol and distilled water. If you give this mixture to a patient to drink, he will quickly come to his senses. It will not be possible to completely overcome alcoholism in this way, but it is quite possible to quickly recover from alcoholic delirium.

Alcohol and distilled water

Many people are firmly convinced that it is possible to cope with delirium tremens with the help of pharmaceutical alcohol. If you give 30 grams of medical alcohol to a person who is at the stage of delirium tremens, it can return him to feeling. Of course, this does not guarantee that binge drinking will not happen again, but it can save you in a critical situation. Distilled water is used together with alcohol and tablets, because only then will the home treatment method be effective. If the problem lasts for a longer time, then it is better to place the patient in a hospital, since specialists have already dealt with the disease.

General recommendations regarding treatment at home

Many people treat delirium tremens syndrome at home. At the same time, very often a person is offered to drink alcohol, although it is given in minimal doses. To treat delirium tremens at home, people need to know the following facts:

if the patient has become too aggressive, no home treatment will help him;
when using traditional medicine recipes, all dosages should be clearly taken into account;
do not use any questionable medications;
think about further hospitalization of the patient in order to remove all toxins from his body.

Everyone should know what to do at home, but one should not neglect the competent assistance of qualified doctors.

Treating delirium tremens at home will be quite difficult. If a person is not sure that he will be able to do this at home, then it is worth calling the hospital and still spending several days in a hospital setting. Only in this way will it be possible to solve the problem as quickly as possible and insure yourself against many complications. Of course, to completely stop drinking alcoholic beverages, a person will need a lot of time and a lot of willpower, but drug treatment also means a lot.

At home, qualitatively, you can only get rid of the vivid symptoms of delirium tremens, but it is still better to treat the consequences of alcoholism in a hospital setting. Under the supervision of medical specialists, the patient will be given all necessary medications. Here we should not forget that an alcoholic will require competent psychological rehabilitation. This type of rehabilitation is also actively practiced in specialized medical institutions.

Treating delirium tremens at home is not advisable, but many people do not want to send their loved ones to the hospital. If home treatment methods are already used, then they should be used very carefully. Dealing with a patient suffering from delirium tremens is very difficult, so it is best to leave this task to qualified medical professionals.

Treatment of delirium tremens and removal of toxins from the body is quite lengthy, but the result is worth it. A couple of days before delirium tremens, you can notice certain symptoms in an alcoholic, with which you can prevent such a condition or prepare for it. All the necessary means for therapy should always be at hand, but no one knows whether it will be possible to force the patient to take the drugs. That is why it is better to solve such problems in the hospital, rather than try to do something about it yourself. Treatment must be carried out as correctly as possible, because only then can you get the desired result.

What to do if you have a seizure at home

Who to call for assistance

We must remember that a person with delirium delirium is truly dangerous. If you suspect a disease, you should call an ambulance. If necessary, call the police. If the diagnosis is confirmed, the patient is taken to a drug treatment facility.

Delirium tremens is a serious mental disorder; the disease does not go away on its own. If you suspect delirium, there is no need to delay calling a doctor.

Why is it worth calling a narcologist to your home?

In some cases, it is important to start timely treatment at home. For this, they call a narcologist. Experienced specialists develop special treatment methods for certain forms of the disease. Doctors will be able to determine what kind of help a person needs for a particular type of illness. Therefore, calling a narcologist to your home is the right decision.

It is worth calling the narcology department for another reason that not every ambulance team will undertake to stop an attack of delirium. She can take the patient to a narcology clinic.

Help at home with medications

Once the acute episode of delirium has been relieved, treatment can begin. As for the disease delirium tremens, its treatment at home is complex. The goal of treatment is to prevent the consequences of alcohol addiction (heart disease, excretory system, etc.). How is delirium treated:

The patient is given medicine for blood pressure and temperature.
If a person continues to have problems sleeping, a sedative or tablets should be given.
At first (about 24 hours), a person needs to drink a lot. And it's better to fast.
From the second day, dietary nutrition is recommended.

We must remember that the disease delirium delirium can become a catalyst for diseases such as heart attack and stroke. Therefore, if you see that home treatment methods do not help, to save the life of the victim you need to undergo therapy in a hospital.

Treatment of delirium tremens at home

With delirium tremens, the patient's mental state is depleted. The brain suffers from intoxication and oxygen starvation. Other internal organs are also subject to heavy load. When this condition occurs, it is important to understand how to treat delirium tremens.

This state is expressed by hallucinations, motor agitation, disorientation, etc. If timely help is not provided to an alcoholic, there is a risk of self-harm and suicide.

Dangers of psychosis

An attack of delirium (delirium tremens) is an acute form of alcoholic psychosis. More than 30% of all alcohol addicts experience it. The manifestation of this condition is more common in people with stages II and III of addiction. This consequence of alcoholism leads to mental disorders of varying severity. In delirium, the sufferer can show aggression, experience fear, become hysterical, etc. This condition is dangerous not only for the patient himself, but also for those around him.

In alcoholic delirium, a person is capable of any unpredictable actions. He can injure himself, burn down his home, throw out things and furniture. The thinking center suffers from intoxication and lack of oxygen. The cardiovascular system, liver and other organs are in a negative state. Without timely assistance, a person may die.

According to doctors, death from delirium tremens occurs in 10-15% of cases. There is no such risk when providing specialized care. You can get rid of the pathology at home, but only with mild symptoms. It is also possible to get rid of delirium tremens at home if the patient himself understands his condition (controls himself) and strives to get out of it. In case of acute manifestations, treatment can only be carried out in a hospital setting.

In humans, delirium tremens most often begins after a long binge. It appears 2-3 days after stopping drinking alcohol. According to experts, alcohol addicts stop producing certain hormones. Alcohol becomes the only means of maintaining life. A sharp refusal of it is perceived by the body as stress, the strength of which can vary. In acute forms, after passing through a dangerous recovery period (4-7 days), pathological processes of the nervous system may develop, which in their manifestation are delirium tremens.

Read also: Help for alcohol poisoning at home

There may also be other reasons for the development of this pathological condition:

excessive alcohol consumption;
previous head injuries;
chronic pathologies of internal organs and systems.

The pathogenesis of delirium tremens is poorly understood. Today, experts are of the opinion that in addition to the signs of intoxication of the body, disturbances in the connections of neurotransmitters of the central nervous system are added.

Symptoms and primary signs

Clinical signs of alcoholic delirium develop 72 hours after the last dose of alcohol consumed. If sudden withdrawal occurred against the background of previous operations or injuries, the first symptoms may appear already on the first day.

Characteristic signs develop depending on the stage of the disease.

The first stage of delirium tremens is threatening delirium

This phase is identical in most symptoms to withdrawal syndrome . In the morning hours, the illness is reflected in the mental state and physiology:

Loss of orientation in familiar places, loss of sense of temporal perception.
Hyperthermia. Body temperature can increase up to 39-40 degrees.
Frequent intermittent breathing, tachycardia.
Sudden, paroxysmal headaches.
Diarrhea.
Systematic vomiting.
Neurological disorders – slurred speech, etc.
Cramps.
Redness of the face and eyes.

Read also: Alcoholism treatment with folk remedies without the knowledge of the patient

In the evening the following may appear:

Tremor (shaking) of hands.
Growing excitement.
Hallucinations.
Nightmares, insomnia.

If a person resumes drinking alcohol during this phase of the disease, he returns to his normal state.

Second stage: acute alcoholic delirium

This stage is characterized by rapid development of symptoms. Spontaneous healing is considered impossible. This is a characteristic syndrome of delirium tremens (delirium tremens).

Signs of the second stage:

Hallucinations increasing in strength and duration. A person hears the movement of shadows, slamming doors, footsteps, and bells.
Intensification of delusional states, delirium becomes obsessive. The person thinks that he is being persecuted, that they want to harm him, kill him, etc.
Body temperature rises to 39 degrees and above.
The patient experiences irritation in relation to bright light, sound and other factors.
Increasing autonomic hyperactivity.
Aggressive states are sharply replaced by general excitement and vice versa.
Breathing becomes frequent and intermittent (up to 26/min.).
There is deterioration in sleep. Dreams become nightmarish and difficult.

If the patient does not receive appropriate medical care , he is doomed to develop delirium tremens into the third and final phase.

Third stage: Delirium (life-threatening)

The extreme degree of the disease is characterized by the following symptoms:

Aggressive states are replaced by complete and deep attacks of apathy.
The person experiences weakness and mental and physical inhibition.
All reactions are sluggish.
An extreme degree of delusional states is observed - a quiet voice, awkward and incoherent speech.
Tremor spreading throughout the body.
Convulsive attacks, epileptic states.
Tachycardia, shortness of breath.
Insomnia is accompanied by illusions and hallucinations that are profound in their strength and brightness.

In the absence of proper qualified medical care, the third phase of fever, against the background of excessive depression of consciousness, flows into a coma . This can lead to permanent brain damage, hemorrhage, brain swelling and death. No one can predict the extent of the defeat.

Clinical picture

Symptoms of delirium tremens often do not appear until 70-72 hours after drinking alcohol. In traumatic circumstances, the time can be reduced to a day. Manifestations of delirium tremens can be both hallucinations and ordinary signs of intoxication (stomach upset, nausea, vomiting, elevated body temperature, etc.).

It is important to promptly notice the initial signs of this condition in order to avoid its further manifestation. In total, doctors distinguish 3 main stages of the development of delirium tremens, which correspond to their own clinical pictures.

Threatening stage

The first stage of delirium tremens has many similar symptoms to withdrawal syndrome. The patient's temperature rises (up to 40°C), headache and dizziness appear. Other symptoms may also be present:

increased heart rate;
disorientation in space;
nausea and vomiting;
convulsive attacks.

Often in the first stage, a person experiences problems with speech, suffers from trembling limbs and insomnia. There is a risk of developing hallucinations.

Acute stage

The second stage is characterized by a complete loss of control over one’s own condition. At such moments, the sufferer should be helped by his relatives, since the severity of the symptoms is constantly progressing. Added to the previous signs:

nightmares that seem real to a person;
increased hyperactivity;
aggressiveness when exposed to external stimuli (bright light, loud sounds, etc.);
acute manifestation of hallucinations (they become more real);
panic attacks.

Often, those suffering from fever feel that someone is watching them or that they are being followed. Panic attacks can increase physical symptoms. With timely treatment, the severity of the clinical picture gradually decreases. If there is no action, a transition to the third stage of the disease is not excluded.

Dangerous stage

Without assistance, the transition to the third stage can put a person into a coma. The clinical picture of this condition is dangerous and unstable. It is characterized by:

epileptic seizures;
heavy, uneven breathing;
severe trembling in the muscles;
sudden attacks of aggression;
inhibition of reactions.

At this stage there are hallucinations: visual, auditory and tactile. A person completely loses control over himself and does not feel the line between reality and illusions. Those phenomena or beings that the patient was wary of in a normal state will seem real in delirium.

In most cases, fictional mystical creatures want to kill a person. The terrible picture is complemented by the fact that the sufferer can not only see them, but also hear them, and also feel them with his own skin. In such a state, any methods and means will be useful. It is necessary to immobilize the patient as much as possible (tied, shackled to a bed, etc.), eliminating the risk of self-injury. At this stage, it is impossible to cure delirium tremens at home. It is necessary to hospitalize the patient.

Forms of the disease

Typical

The clinical picture develops gradually. The disease progresses smoothly.

Lucid

In this case, acute psychosis occurs. Fear, anxiety, and lack of coordination of movements are characteristic of this form of the disease. However, the person does not have hallucinations.

Abortive

This form is characterized by increased anxiety in the person suffering from delirium delirium. Hallucinations appear in the form of fragments, delusional ideas appear in the form of fragments.

Professional

A severe form of the disease in which amnesia occurs. Patients can only perform normal movements that they often do.

First aid

If a person develops delirium tremens, doctors should be called to the home and provided with medical assistance before they arrive. The main thing is to protect the patient and his relatives from possible manifestations of aggression.

A person in delirium tremens is unpredictable. Therefore, the most effective first aid for delirium tremens is necessary. It comes down to the following actions:

it is necessary to put the person to bed (if attacks of aggression or hallucinations are observed, he should be tied up);
if the body temperature is elevated, the person can be given antipyretic medications;
The patient should be provided with plenty of fluids, as dehydration may occur due to intoxication;
If there are signs of psycho-emotional disorder, the associated person should be given sedatives or sedatives.

Until the doctors arrive, it is important to stay close to the sufferer, trying to talk to him quietly. The main task is to establish trusting contact. A person must realize that close people can help him.

Sometimes relatives refuse medical care, trying to prevent further development of the disease on their own. Doctors do not approve of such actions, but they cannot resist the wishes of the patient’s loved ones. The only recommendation is to monitor the person’s condition and, if it worsens, seek help.

Stages of the disease

Many people believe that delirium can begin in a person after drinking a large dose of alcohol, since the person is already behaving inappropriately. But this behavior is not delirium tremens.

According to narcologists, alcoholic delirium does not develop immediately, but after several years of stable consumption of strong drinks, and manifests itself only in a sober state.

In modern medicine, there are three stages of alcoholic delirium.

Korsakovsky psychosis. This is the case when the disease does not fully manifest itself. With such delirium tremens, a person experiences sudden mood swings. With Korsakov's psychosis, memory lapses are possible, although the patient clearly remembers all events and his habits, only some hours or days are forgotten.
Delirium. It is common to many drunkards. With such alcoholic delirium, there are no hallucinations, but the person becomes very aggressive and constantly suspects everyone of something. There are cases when, with such delirium tremens, people commit suicide.
A severe form of delirium appears several days after the drunkard stops drinking. Symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, severe headaches, convulsions and speech impairment indicate that delirium tremens has begun.

Features of home treatment

The most effective method of treating delirium tremens at home is to take anti-intoxication medications, as well as sedatives. It is best not to choose medications yourself, but to use the doctor’s recommendations.

Drug treatment for delirium tremens at home should be aimed at relieving symptoms. It is important to normalize the nervous system and protect the patient from the effects of mental disorder. Doctors do not recommend starting therapy on your own. This pathological condition is unstable and dangerous. Home remedies may not be effective.

Pavlov's method

To stop the progression of symptoms during delirium tremens, you should use only proven, reliable methods. One of these is Professor Pavlov’s method of relieving symptoms. Its recipe looks like this:

100 ml distilled water;
3 tablets of “Luminal” (you can use analogues of “Phenobarbital”, “Frisium”, etc.);
20 ml medical alcohol.

All components must be thoroughly mixed and given to a person suffering from delirium tremens to drink. This medicine will help relieve some of the symptoms of the disease and give the body the necessary rest.

Traditional methods

Traditional methods of treating delirium tremens can also be used. The following recipes are most often used at home.

Infusion of bay leaves. It is necessary to chop several bay leaves and lovage leaves, pour 30 ml of vodka into them. The product is infused for one week. Drink it with water, adding 3-4 drops of medicine to 50 mg of water.
Infusion of wormwood and millennium. 25 grams of crushed raw materials are poured with 100 ml of vodka. Infuse for 7-8 days, filter and give the patient a teaspoon for 10-12 days.
A decoction of thyme, wormwood and millennium. Use 20 grams of each component. The herbal mixture is poured with 100 ml of boiling water, infused for 1-2 hours, filtered and taken whole.

According to experts, most of the means used are ineffective. They cannot cope with acute symptoms, and are effective only at the initial stage of the body’s pathological reaction. The most effective option remains the help of a psychiatrist and other doctors.

Treatment methods at home

Give medicine for high blood pressure and temperature.
For increased excitability and insomnia, give a sedative.
The first day a fast is useful (provided you drink plenty of fluids).
From the second day, dietary nutrition is introduced (the patient needs a lot of carbohydrates and vitamins; fatty foods are excluded).

Traditional methods

Medicines

For delirium, medications are prescribed that relieve excitability, restore metabolism, and normalize blood pressure and temperature. Names of common medications:

Sedatives – extract of Valerian, Motherwort, Glycine, Biotredin, Novo-passit.
Medicines for hyperthermia and high blood pressure - Paracetamol, Panadol, Theraflu, Papazol, Capoten.
Medicines that restore blood circulation and prevent thrombocytosis - Magnesia solution, Vinpocetine, Telektol, Felodipine.
Medicines to improve metabolic processes - Reopoliglucin, Panangin, sodium bicarbonate.

The sedatives Afobazole and Phenibut do not cause complications, but they cannot cure delirium.

Alcoholism in our country occupies one of the most pressing and acute positions. Every year a huge number of people face this problem. Moreover, alcohol addiction affects not only people of the middle age category; even young people have to become closely acquainted with it. In addition to the fact that these patients drink a lot and often, they periodically “get stuck” in binge drinking, the exit from which is accompanied by painful consequences and extremely unpleasant symptoms.

One of the most common post-alcohol conditions is delirium delirium syndrome. Or delirium tremens (squirrel), as this pathology is popularly called. How to cope with such a manifestation, is it possible to treat delirium tremens at home? Let's look at this pressing issue in more detail.