Delirium tremens
Delirium tremens in Latin means insanity or insanity. This disease is an acute alcohol syndrome with a disorder of consciousness, orientation and the occurrence of causeless aggression.
This condition occurs a few days after the end of the binge, but in some cases it is also noted during the binge period.
CAUSES OF DELIRIUM TREMENS
The main, and perhaps the only reason for the occurrence of such a condition is the prolonged and systematic use of alcoholic beverages. Often, a difficult life experience, a stressful situation leads to such use. In such cases, alcoholic delirium only increases.
COMPLICATED FORMS OF DELIRIUM TREMENS (DELIRIUM)
Professional delirium
A patient during delirium tremens imitates work activity, because he is firmly convinced that he is at his workplace. His movements with his hands and feet correspond to the workplace.
Mussitating delirium
A complicated case of alcoholic psychosis, in which the patient, lying in bed, mumbles something, making movements in the form of smoothing and wiping. These symptoms, accompanied by a characteristic mumbling, can become harbingers of an imminent lethal end.
SYMPTOMS OF DELIRIUM TREMENS
The disease manifests itself in the form of various hallucinations (tactile, auditory, visual) and in disorders of facial expressions and movement of the patient.
Visual hallucinations. They manifest themselves with the onset of darkness and are characterized by a progressive character. Visual images that arise in the patient’s mind can take the most bizarre forms. For their occurrence, an ordinary shadow from any object is enough. Hallucinations are of the most diverse nature, they can be fantastic monsters or terrible killers. In some cases, hallucinations are perceived by the patient as a movie, where the storyline periodically changes.
Auditory hallucinations. As a rule, they occur simultaneously with visual images and have a thematic connection with visions. The patient sees a variety of sounds that frighten him, because they pose a direct threat to him or his loved ones.
Facial expressions, speech and movements. The movements and facial expressions of the patient fully correspond to the hallucinations in the power of which he is. Horror, fear and confusion are reflected on the person’s face. Patients try to shake off insects that they see, try to escape from monsters, etc. Tactile hallucinations are expressed in the fact that the patient feels pain or a foreign body in his mouth and tries to get rid of it. The characteristic behavior of the patient with such hallucinations is active movement of the arms, legs and attempts to escape.
The speech of an alcoholic is short phrases or shouts. A person can conduct a polemic with an imaginary interlocutor.
Uncontrolled behavior of the patient poses a serious threat to the people around him, because he can suddenly rush at someone or jump out of the window.
Suicide in delirium tremens is a passionate desire of the patient to get rid of the images that his upset consciousness creates. In some cases, the alcoholic simply does not see any other way to get rid of the painful visions.
Disorientation in time and place. The patient cannot understand where he is, determine the time of day, does not recognize relatives and acquaintances, but at the same time fully retains his personal orientation and remembers not only his first name, but also his last name.
Diagnosis of delirium tremens
The diagnosis of alcoholic delirium is not difficult and is based on the clinical picture and alcohol history.
TREATMENT OF DELIRIUM TREMENS
As a rule, delirium tremens lasts from 2 to 5 days, but in some cases it can last up to several weeks. If the fever drags on, then the patient has a concomitant disease that makes it difficult to get out of the general psychosis.
This disease requires emergency hospitalization in a narcological clinic or a narcological department, where it is possible to conduct drug therapy. In particularly difficult cases, resuscitation may be provided. Without medical support, a fatal outcome of the disease may occur.
For the most effective removal of the patient from the state of delirium tremens, a full-fledged normal sleep is required, which will clarify the patient’s consciousness and return him to normal. After a period of acute psychosis, the patient feels general depression and weakness. He remembers the events of the past vaguely or does not remember at all.
Delirium tremens is a serious complication of alcohol addiction, which is impossible to get rid of without the help of specialists.
