Alcoholic hallucinosis: symptoms, characteristics, causes and treatment

The chronic consumption of certain addictive substances, or the suspension of said consumption, can cause different alterations or mental disorders. These are organic disorders, which also appear due to organic diseases or the consumption of certain medicines or drugs.

In this article we will learn about an organic disorder caused by the suspension of alcohol intake in alcoholic patients (originated by the syndrome of abstinence to the substance). It's about alcoholic hallucinosis. We will know what it consists of, its symptoms, characteristics (how it manifests, how long it lasts...), causes and treatment.

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Alcoholic hallucinosis: what is it?

Alcoholic hallucinosis is an organic disorder that produces psychotic symptoms, and which is caused by a sudden cessation or reduction of alcohol consumption in alcoholic patients who used to drink large amounts of alcohol, and for a long time. That is, it is a typical disorder of withdrawal syndrome in alcoholics (although it can also appear due to alcoholic intoxication).

This type of disturbance is considered an acute alcohol-induced disorder, and is actually part of another more global disorder, the so-called uncomplicated (alcohol) withdrawal syndrome. This syndrome includes, in addition to alcoholic hallucinosis, other symptoms, such as: seizures, delirium, occupational delirium, and an organic hallucinosis (different from the one we deal with in this article).

Symptoms

The typical symptoms of alcoholic hallucinosis are hallucinations, which are usually persistent, auditory and vivid in nature.. These generally appear within 48 hours of the patient's last drink of alcohol.

Let's see what exactly they consist of next.

The hallucinations of alcoholic hallucinosis are threatening in nature. They appear in the first moments of the alteration (let's remember: this type of disorder usually appears in the first 48 hours after having stopped drinking alcohol). These hallucinations are usually auditory, made up of basic or elementary sounds (that is, little elaborated)..

These sounds include buzzing, clicking, crackling, etc., and are related by the patient to himself. However, as alcoholic hallucinosis progresses, the sounds can become increasingly elaborate and complex, translating into threatening words or phrases, for example.

Visual hallucinations may also appear in alcoholic hallucinosis, although they are less frequent than auditory hallucinations.

But what is the content of the hallucinations of this disorder? It is usually a vivid content that greatly worries the patient, causing high levels of anxiety and anguish.

2. delusions

On the other hand, depending on the content of the hallucinations caused by alcoholic hallucinosis, the patient can elaborate delusional interpretations or delusions themselves, in order to "justify" or "understand" the presence or logic of the hallucinations.

These delusions often translate into intense persecutory ideas, as well as influence. The patient may react to them by running away or attacking others, for example. This often requires hospitalization of the patient to contain and compensate him because he is in a psychotic break.

This is so because it may happen that the patient tries to harm himself (self-aggression) or others (heteroaggression), or even attempts suicide, as a result of hallucinations and previous delusions, which he interprets and experiences as if they were real.

3. Other symptoms: anxiety and irritability

There are two other typical symptoms that accompany hallucinations typical of alcoholic hallucinosis: It's about anguish and irritability. Thus, the patient can be irritable and irascible, annoyed by anything, and even manifest aggressive behavior easily.

To this is added the aforementioned anguish, produced especially by threatening hallucinations and by the uncertainty and restlessness that these generate.

Another characteristic of alcoholic hallucinosis is that there is no clouding of the patient's consciousness; that is, it maintains the state of consciousness intact. In addition, there is also no loss or decrease in their intellectual capacity.

Characteristics

Regarding the general characteristics of alcoholic hallucinosis, This usually appears at 40 years of age, approximately. However, it can also appear earlier, at 20 or 30 years of age.

On the other hand, patients with alcoholic hallucinosis usually have a history of alcohol consumption of at least 10 years. That is, there is a previous excessive consumption of the substance, of long duration.

Start

In relation to its onset, this is usually sudden (abrupt). The typical symptoms in the initial phase of an alcoholic hallucinosis are: irritability, anguish and auditory hallucinations of a threatening nature.

Duration

Alcoholic hallucinosis usually lasts from days to weeks (acute forms of the disorder), depending on the amount of alcohol that was used to ingest and other variables, as we will see in the section on the causes of same. When it lasts several months, we talk about forming subacute. This disorder can become chronic.

Causes

As we have seen, alcoholic hallucinosis is caused by a suspension of alcohol intake. That is, it is a disorder induced by substances, specifically by alcohol (its reduction or cessation). This is a characteristic symptom of alcohol withdrawal syndrome.

Alcoholic hallucinosis can last days or even several weeks, and although initially it is an acute disorder, it can become chronic; All of this depends on the usual dose that the alcoholic patient took, his previous history of addiction, personal and genetic characteristics, etc.

Treatment

Regarding the treatment of alcoholic hallucinosis, when it appears, hospitalization of the patient is recommended so that he can stabilize. It will also be important to treat the underlying addiction (alcoholism), through specific drugs that promote the detoxification of the patient, to prevent the reappearance of alcoholic hallucinosis.

Although treatment is important, so is prevention in this disorder. Some preventive guidelines include drinking alcoholic beverages only in small doses and accompanied by food intake. Ideally, they should eat protein-rich foods, since these delay the absorption of alcohol. This will help prevent alcohol from irritating the central nervous system so much and therefore health.

On the other hand, remission of alcoholic hallucinosis occurs with long-term alcohol abstinence. If the underlying alcohol addiction that is causing this disorder is not adequately treated, recurrences (relapses) can occur.

In this sense, complications can occur, and it is known that if the hallucinosis lasts up to 6 months or more, it can end up leading to organic dementia, a delirium tremens or even in a paranoid-type schizophrenic disorder.

Bibliographic references

• Berrios, G. Organic disorders in psychiatry. In Fuentenebro, F., Vázquez, C. (1990). Medical psychology, psychopathology and psychiatry. Interamericana McGraw-Hill, Madrid.

• Grau, A. Exogenous or organic disorders. In Vallejo, J. (1991). Introduction to psychopathology and psychiatry. 3rd edition. Masson-Salvat, Madrid.

• Ruiz, Mario Martinez; Ros, Antonio Aguilar; Valladolid, Gabriel Rubio (2002-04). Drug addiction manual for nursing. Editions Diaz de Santos.