"Hummer?"

Dear Dr. Bob,
I was at a meeting where I heard an old timer talking about getting a "hummer" on the way to treatment. Is that what I think it is?
Dani, Orinda


Dear Dani,
I'm not sure what you're thinking or the "old timer" meant by a "hummer", but I've heard the term before and I'm not referring to the ice cream drink. It has to do with the detox experience. Alcohol enhances or increases the amount of the neurotransmitter, GABA (gama-Aminobutryic acid) in the brain. GABA is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter that regulates or depresses excitability. When a chronic drinker removes alcohol from the body and brain, there is less GABA, or less enhanced GABA. The brain becomes unregulated, hyper excited, resulting in muscle spasms (DTs), hallucinations, seizures, and other alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Depending on the severity of the symptoms, hospitals often times treat alcohol withdrawal with quick acting tranquilizers or other GABAergic medications, which increases GABA, and has a calming effect on withdrawal symptoms. Years ago, when residential treatment programs were not associated with physicians or medical programs, alcohol was given to clients to increase GABA, which decreased the withdrawal experience and prevented seizures. How a few drinks on the way to a program got the name "hummer',  I don't know.
Dr. Bob