Everyone is different, but generally speaking, mild symptoms often start 6-12 hours after your last drink. Delirium tremens (DTs) can also happen when you stop drinking large amounts of alcohol. That’s what causes withdrawal symptoms. For men, heavy drinking is defined as five or more alcoholic drinks in a day or 15 or more per week. If you have alcohol use disorder and want help, a healthcare provider can guide you to resources and rehabilitation programs to help you quit. This overload of activity results in withdrawal symptoms.
Alcohol withdrawal is a potentially serious complication of alcohol use disorder. You’ll likely need other treatments for related health issues. The main management for severe symptoms is long-acting benzodiazepines — typically IV diazepam or IV lorazepam. It’s important to be honest about your alcohol use — and any other substance use — so your provider can give you the best care. The NIAAA’s definitions of heavy drinking are just general guidelines. Your CNS must work harder to overcome the depressant effects of alcohol to keep your body functioning.
Medications to Ease Withdrawal Symptoms
This is called alcohol withdrawal. The prognosis (outlook) for someone with alcohol withdrawal depends greatly on its severity. Your healthcare provider will recommend and encourage treatment for alcohol use disorder.
There are also more severe symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. If you have ever had a hangover, you have experienced mild symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. Many people who go through alcohol withdrawal no longer have enough thiamine in their body. A severe case of alcohol withdrawal can lead to complications, some of which can be life-threatening. But severe or complicated alcohol withdrawal can result in lengthy hospital stays and even time in the intensive care unit (ICU). Most people with mild to moderate alcohol withdrawal don’t need treatment in a hospital.
Do I really need medical supervision for alcohol withdrawal? Can’t I just detox at home with my family watching me?
You may experience bradycardia, a dangerously low heart rate, or develop various arrhythmias that require immediate medical attention. Medical supervision is recommended during withdrawal to monitor these and other potentially serious symptoms. Your autonomic nervous system becomes overactive during withdrawal, disrupting your body’s temperature regulation and perspiration control. This symptom typically begins within 6-48 hours after your last drink and can persist for several days.
Types of Withdrawal Headaches
- The localized shaking often starts in your hands before potentially spreading throughout your body, with tremor severity peaking between hours into withdrawal.
- There are also more severe symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.
- Satisfaction with aftercare quality predicts treatment success—when people perceive their continuing care as valuable and responsive, they remain engaged and maintain abstinence (Braig et al., 2008).
- Since dehydration worsens withdrawal, maintaining proper fluid balance is crucial for symptom management.
- This is precisely why Wish Recovery specializes in medically supervised IV detox with 24/7 clinical oversight.
Avoid people who may encourage you to drink. While it’s easier said than done, keeping your stress under control can reduce your symptoms and curb any alcohol cravings. These medications aren’t for everyone but could help lessen severe DT symptoms, such as hallucinations and aggression. Benzodiazepines can also reduce your risk of delirium tremens.
“My hands won’t stop shaking. My family says I need detox. But what if I’m not that bad yet?” Calls to the general hotline found on this website may be answered by our treatment providers. The information provided is intended to encourage, not replace, direct patient-health professional relationships. Our dedicated team offers compassionate support, ensuring you have the guidance and resources needed to navigate your journey to sobriety and wellness. You should note that about 20% of alcohol-dependent patients may face serious manifestations like seizures and hallucinations.
- During alcohol withdrawal, you’ll likely experience both tension-type headaches with band-like pressure and throbbing migraine-like episodes that include sensitivity to light and sound.
- Advertising on our site helps support our mission.
- Multiple prior detoxifications, significant medical or psychiatric conditions, or lack of reliable support all elevate risk substantially (McKeon et al., 2008; Ramos, 2013).
- Each of these symptoms can increase in intensity depending on the severity of the withdrawal.
Alcohol Withdrawal Complications
Some milder symptoms—residual tremors, sleep disturbances, lingering anxiety—may persist as your system continues adjusting (Wetterling et al., 1997). The critical window opens around 72 hours. Tachycardia, sweating, heightened reactivity—your nervous system adjusting to functioning without alcohol’s dampening effect (Schuckit, 2014; Wetterling et al., 1997).
If you or someone you know shows signs of delirium tremens, go to the emergency room immediately. Delirium tremens is a medical emergency that can result in death. Meanwhile, your brain produces more neurotransmitters, further disrupting balance. Contact your state’s mental health/substance use agency for more guidance on how to afford rehab. That way, they can help you manage the discomfort and respond quickly in case of a medical emergency. That can cause uncomfortable physical and mental symptoms, which can sometimes be life-threatening.
Anxiety and Nervousness: The First Warning Signs
Alcohol treatment programs are important because they improve your chances of successfully staying off of alcohol. If you have severe vomiting, seizures, or delirium tremens, the safest place for you to be treated is in a hospital. If you are concerned about your drinking, speak with your doctor. The body’s vital signs such as heart rate or blood pressure can change dramatically or unpredictably, creating a risk of heart attack, stroke, or death. If the alcohol is withdrawn suddenly, the brain is like an accelerating vehicle that has lost its brakes.
In severe cases, this confusion occurs alongside delirium tremens, which can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical intervention. You’ll typically notice these symptoms emerging 2-3 days after stopping alcohol use, often progressing from initial anxiety and tremors to more severe manifestations. Depressive episodes often intensify due to physical withdrawal symptoms and sleep disturbances. These mood swings stem from disrupted brain chemistry as your body adjusts to functioning without alcohol. You’ll likely experience improved heart rate variability over time as your body recovers, but the initial withdrawal period remains critical. These symptoms occur because your body is adjusting to functioning without alcohol, leading to temporary dysregulation of temperature control and fluid balance.
Can Medications Help Reduce Withdrawal Symptoms?
Get rid of all beer, wine, and liquor, as well as any products that contain alcohol, such as rubbing alcohol and vanilla extract. Remove all alcohol from your home. You could also join a support group, such as Alcoholics Anonymous. Identify a family member or friend who you can reach out to for emotional support. Be prepared.Talk to your doctor or a drug treatment specialist about what to expect. Sometimes, your nutrition levels will improve once you start eating healthy foods again.
Nausea and Stomach Discomfort
When the alcohol level in your system suddenly drops, your brain stays in this overactive state. Your body works hard to keep your brain in a more awake state and your nerves talking to one another. For women, heavy drinking means four or more drinks on any day or eight or more drinks per week. About half of all people with alcohol use disorder go through it.
Excessive Sweating and Clammy Skin
For ideal withdrawal management, you’ll likely receive thiamine supplements and potentially anticonvulsants if you’re at high seizure risk. While your liver typically processes one standard drink per hour, the complete withdrawal timeline extends beyond initial alcohol clearance. Your body’s alcohol metabolism during withdrawal varies based on several factors. The frequency of vomiting varies based on your drinking history and overall health status. You’ll experience peak nausea triggers during the alcohol withdrawal first hours of withdrawal, often accompanied by sweating and tremors that can intensify your discomfort.
Mild to moderate alcohol withdrawal treatment
But if you’ve gone through alcohol withdrawal once, you’re more likely to go through it again. If you drink only once in a while, you’re unlikely to have withdrawal symptoms. Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal can range from mild to serious and can sometimes be life-threatening.
