Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

We offer a continuum of care that includes detoxification, medical stabilization, intensive residential treatment, outpatient treatment, and aftercare services. Alcohol withdrawal syndrome can range from mild to severe, depending on the person’s mental health, physical health, and the severity of the addiction. Here are helpful guidelines to follow while navigating this process toward sobriety and tips on the treatment of alcohol withdrawal. Factors that influence the timeline of alcohol withdrawal are age, weight, length of alcohol consumption, severity of alcohol abuse, and mental and physical health.

Treatment Services & Modalities

AW is a clinical syndrome that affects people accustomed to regular alcohol intake who either decrease their alcohol consumption or stop drinking completely. Consequently, when the alcohol level is suddenly lowered, the brain remains in a hyperactive, or hyperexcited, state, causing withdrawal syndrome. The alcohol withdrawal syndrome is a well‐known condition occurring after intentional or unintentional abrupt cessation of heavy/constant drinking in patients suffering from alcohol use disorders (AUDs). AUDs are common in neurological departments with patients admitted for coma, epileptic seizures, dementia, polyneuropathy, and gait disturbances. Nonetheless, diagnosis and treatment are often delayed until dramatic symptoms occur.

Causes and Contributing Factors

For now, it may be easier to skip meeting your “drinking buddies” and avoid gatherings that have a focus on drinking. You might also receive other medications along with benzodiazepines. Trained specialists will help you better understand your habits and patterns of behavior and how to commit to new ones. This could include everything from anger management classes to nutrition advice. Alcohol (ethanol) depresses (slows down) your central nervous system (CNS).

• The most intense part of the journey is over, yet the vessel still sways with the residual swell.
• But severe or complicated alcohol withdrawal can result in lengthy hospital stays and even time in the intensive care unit (ICU).
• However, if a person already has alcohol use disorder, they can help prevent some of the withdrawal symptoms by speaking with a doctor about safe withdrawal.

Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, and More

Severe symptoms, such as seizures, hallucinations, and delirium tremens (DTs), develop in a few cases and are life-threatening if untreated. In the days and weeks after you stop drinking or quit substance abuse, you may experience acute withdrawal symptoms. It is the second withdrawal stage, often called post-acute withdrawal symptoms (PAWS). Despite this current understanding of the mechanisms underlying AW syndrome, some controversies still exist regarding the risk, complications, and clinical management of withdrawal. These controversies likely arise from the varied clinical manifestations of the syndrome in alcoholic patients and from the diverse settings in which these patients are encountered. For example, some alcoholic patients who cut down or stop drinking may experience no withdrawal symptoms, whereas others experience severe manifestations.

Individuals with a history of delirium tremens, seizures, or long-term heavy alcohol use face a higher risk of severe or prolonged withdrawal symptoms. Older adults over 65 experience extended withdrawal due to slower metabolism and increased health risks. Dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, brain lesions, and liver dysfunction worsen symptoms by disrupting bodily systems. Co-occurring substance abuse and certain medications, like benzodiazepines, further complicate withdrawal, increasing its severity and risks.

What Factors Influence the Timeline of Alcohol Withdrawal?

It is important to go to a living situation that supports you in avoiding unhealthy alcohol use. Some areas have housing options that provide a supportive environment for those trying to stay sober. Because withdrawal from cocaine and amphetamine results in sedation and a state resembling adrenergic blockade, death occurs less often from this withdrawal than from acute intoxication.

Will my insurance cover addiction treatment?

Most people feel physically much better by days 5–7, but mental clarity, mood, and sleep can take several weeks to stabilise. Some people develop alcoholic hallucinosis in this window—seeing, hearing, or feeling things that aren’t there while remaining otherwise alert and oriented. This is distinct from delirium tremens but still a warning sign that withdrawal is more than “just” a hangover. AlcoholAwareness.org is dedicated to providing support and resources for individuals struggling with alcohol addiction.

Differential Diagnosis

In these cases, harm reduction programs often exist that can minimize damage through strategies like monitored drinking, nutritional support, or safe housing. Delirium tremens (DTs), which can occur between 48–72 hours after the last drink, is the alcohol withdrawal syndrome symptoms most dangerous stage. Characterized by confusion, agitation, hallucinations, and autonomic instability, DTs can be fatal if untreated. Ongoing support, whether through inpatient or outpatient programs, therapy, and peer support groups, helps address the underlying causes of addiction and maintain long-term sobriety. Alcohol use disorder can include periods of being drunk (alcohol intoxication) and symptoms of withdrawal.

The main complication of withdrawal is the somatic and behavioral complaints that lead to relapse and continued nicotine use. Gamma hydroxybutyrate is a GABAB agonist, and withdrawal can initially be treated with high doses of benzodiazepines; refractory cases have responded to pentobarbital, chloral hydrate, and baclofen. A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, for Health Content Provider (). URAC’s accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.’s editorial policy, editorial process, and privacy policy.

More on Substance Abuse and Addiction

PAWS can last weeks to months, with some symptoms persisting for a year or more. If you are actively addicted to alcohol, your brain will have higher levels of both norepinephrine and serotonin. If you suddenly remove alcohol from the equation, your brain will feel overstimulated. As this happens, your CNS struggles to cope what is alcoholism with the absence of alcohol.