On MyEpilepsyTeam, the social network and online support group for people with epilepsy and their loved ones, members have discussed alcohol, epilepsy, and seizure triggers. Completely avoiding alcohol and eating a balanced diet can help minimize damage. Your chances for recovery depend on how early the disease is diagnosed and how much damage has already occurred. This is a severe and short-term neurologic disease that can be life threatening.
A report from 2021 also found that alcohol-related deaths were five times more likely in people with epilepsy than those without the condition. Symptoms are generally mild during the first 12–24 hours of withdrawal but increase in intensity around the third day without alcohol. Epilepsy and alcohol have often been seen as a dangerous mix and people who have seizures may be warned to avoid drinking. However if you are an adult, you should be able to make an informed decision about what’s right for you.
Some AEDs have side effects that include lowering tolerance for alcohol. This means a person will become intoxicated faster than they used to before they were on the medication. This rapid intoxication can surprise a person and cause them embarrassment, stress, and anxiety — which can, in turn, trigger seizures. Binge drinking and alcohol withdrawal together can cause seizures, even in people not previously diagnosed with epilepsy.
Causes of Epilepsy
However, other people with epilepsy find they can drink moderately without triggering a seizure. In fact, research shows that a drink or two does not increase seizure activity. Electroencephalogram (EEG) tests show brain activity remains the same, as long as the amount of alcohol ingested is small.
A 2017 review found that a history of alcohol misuse increased the risk of post-traumatic epilepsy in people with traumatic brain injury. Alcohol-related seizures in those with epilepsy mostly occur due celebrities drinking alcohol to alcohol withdrawal rather than the act of drinking itself. Alcohol can also cause seizures in a person who doesn’t have epilepsy. Tell the person you’ll help them find the right treatment program for alcohol abuse. And explain how you’ll be an active part of the recovery process. Together, you can address this issue properly and help the person build a happier and healthier life in recovery.
An alcohol withdrawal seizure may feel like a loss of consciousness which you are slow to wake up from. If you are conscious during an alcohol withdrawal seizure, you may yellow eyes after drinking experience repetitive, uncontrolled movements of part or all of your body. Prior to the seizure, you may also experience an “aura,” consisting of an unusual visual change, smell, taste, or sound caused by abnormal brain activity.
Service Animals and Epilepsy
When you consume alcohol, it’s absorbed into your bloodstream from the stomach and the small intestine. Risks for the baby can include brain damage and developmental, cognitive, and behavioral issues. No amount of alcohol is safe to drink while pregnant, according to the CDC. Since alcohol-induced seizures often repeat, consider this a medical emergency.
How can alcohol-related neurologic disease be prevented?
According to the Epilepsy Foundation, some studies have linked chronic alcohol misuse to the development of epilepsy. Heavy alcohol consumption is a common trigger for seizures in those who already have epilepsy. Even if alcohol itself doesn’t trigger your or your loved one’s seizures, it’s important to understand whether your antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are compatible with alcohol. The answer to whether alcohol can trigger seizures is more complex than you might think. Clearly, people diagnosed with epilepsy have different answers to the question, “Does alcohol affect epilepsy? ” This can be confusing — especially if you or someone you love has been newly diagnosed with epilepsy and is deciding whether or not to drink.
Binge drinking refers to a scenario where you drink a lot in a short period of time, and the seizures related to binge drinking can stem from withdrawal. Even if you’re not a chronic drinker, in some cases, you may also experience withdrawal seizures after binge drinking. The most direct how to wean off alcohol way alcoholism can cause seizures is during withdrawal, which is when an alcoholic stops drinking. To simplify, alcohol relaxes your brain, which makes seizures less likely.
Drinking alcohol in small amounts generally does not trigger seizures, but seizures can result from alcohol withdrawal. In the end you are an adult and you can make the best choices for yourself. For many people with epilepsy it is perfectly fine to drink small quantities of alcohol from time to time without having a higher risk than usual of seizures. By making sensible choices about epilepsy and alcohol, you could possibly enjoy a drink without worrying about the consequences.
Alcohol may negatively affect sleep, and sleep disruptions may trigger seizures. For people with epilepsy, alcohol may interact with epilepsy medications and worsen their side effects or make the medications less effective in preventing seizures. Alcohol-related neurologic disease refers to a range of conditions caused by alcohol intake that affect the nerves and nervous system. Neurologic disorders can include fetal alcohol syndrome, dementia, and alcoholic neuropathy. Long-term alcohol use can increase your risk of developing epilepsy, a condition where you are prone to having seizures.
Call our hotline at today to speak to an admissions navigator about your treatment options. If you think someone is experiencing an alcohol overdose, call 911 immediately. Since 1956, we have been serving the province as a registered health charity incorporated under the statutes of Ontario as a non-profit and non-governmental organization. We aim to raise public awareness and improve education through publications, conferences, outreach initiatives and our website.
- To simplify, alcohol relaxes your brain, which makes seizures less likely.
- No amount of alcohol is safe to drink while pregnant, according to the CDC.
- A 2017 review found that a history of alcohol misuse increased the risk of post-traumatic epilepsy in people with traumatic brain injury.
- Join the conversation today to share your experiences and connect with others on MyEpilepsyTeam.
Can Alcohol Trigger a Seizure?
Alcohol detox isn’t easy and not everyone can do it on their own. That is why alcohol detox and alcohol withdrawal treatment is administered by medical professionals. Someone with epilepsy should not drink alcohol without first discussing the potential risks with a doctor who is familiar with their specific condition.
