What Causes Alcohol Withdrawal?
Alcohol withdrawal is caused by neurotransmitter rebound. When alcohol suppresses the action of a neurotransmitter system over a long period of time the neurotransmitter system adapts by working harder and harder to overcome the effect of the alcohol and to try and function at normal levels in spite of the presence of the alcohol. When the alcohol is suddenly removed from the body the neurotransmitter system still continues to function far in excess of normal levels. Since the alcohol is no longer present to suppress the effects of this hyperactivity, what we now see are effects which are precisely the opposite of those caused by alcohol. It is much like two people playing tug-of-war who are equally balanced–if one person suddenly lets go of the rope the other goes flying in the opposite direction. When alcohol is suddenly removed from a neurotransmitter system which has been fighting to overcome its effects –the neurotransmitter system goes flying off in the opposite direction. The
