The primary goal of treatment for alcohol withdrawal is to counter act the neurobiologic abnormalities caused by long term alcohol exposure until homeostatic mechanisms can restore normal balanced functioning. Since during withdrawal the major problem is increased nervous system excitability due to increased NMDA mediated glutamatergic function, and down regulated inhibitory GABA function, the use of GABA agonists or NMDA antagonists would reduce the increased excitability. GABA agonists particularly benzodiazepines effectively increase GABA function and are the main treatments for alcohol withdrawal. NMDA antagonists, although effective in animal studies, produce many serious side effects and are not used clinically. Anticonvulsant drugs, some of which augment GABA function, are effective in preventing seizures and reducing withdrawal symptoms. There are a number of benzodiazepines and anticonvulsants available for clinical use, and they are listed below.