Alarming symptom that killed the Big Sur hiker after she stopped drinking

The death of Joanna Ruth Shields, the 37-year-old woman who was found along a remote Big Sur hiking trail in April, has cast a spotlight on a little-known but deadly affliction: alcohol withdrawal syndrome.According to an investigation by the the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, the Carlsbad native had died of “probable alcohol withdrawal seizures due to chronic alcohol use disorder.”For months, mystery had swirled surrounding the death of Shields, who was found on the near Sykes Hot Springs, naked except for a black bra, with a gash above her eye and suspicious marks on her neck.However, the autopsy determined that the facial laceration was a superficial wound that didn’t contribute to her death, while the neck markings were from “post-mortem” insect bites rather than evidence of strangulation or any criminal act.“Investigators found no evidence during the forensic examination or throughout the investigation to indicate that Ms.Shields was the victim of a crime,” they wrote.According to investigators, Shields had a history of bipolar disorder and alcoholism while her sister noted that she suffered alcohol withdrawal seizures before, but had previously not experienced one since becoming sober.How can quitting alcohol become life-threatening? Here’s what we know about the condition.While getting off the sauce is often considered a good thing, quitting cold turkey can prove problematic due to alcohol’s sedative effect on the brain.When someone drinks for a prolonged period, their brain chemistry adjusts to compensate for booze’s depressant effects.

Stopping abruptly can result in overstimulation that experts have compared to “accelerating vehicle that has lost its brakes,” according to Harvard Medical School.According to the Cleveland Clinic, withdrawal symptoms generally begin to appear between six and 12 hours of a chronic user’s last drink.The initial signs can include headache, mild anxiety, irritability, shaking, and insomnia.Withi...