Study, Feb./17: "The emergency medicine management of severe alcohol withdrawal"

"DISCUSSION: The underlying pathophysiology of alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) is central nervous system hyperexcitation. Stages of withdrawal include initial withdrawal symptoms, hallucinations, seizures, and delirium tremens. Management focuses on early diagnosis, resuscitation, and providing medications with gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor activity."

While I understand the reasoning behind the use of benzodiazepines for alcohol withdrawal, I've long wondered why it's okay to switch one addiction/dependency for another. Perhaps the full study might speak to the issue of weaning these people off benzos at some future point.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28188055