Ask friends or family to check on you throughout the detox process. Aside from providing emotional support, they can also call medical professionals if something goes wrong. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be painful and potentially life-threatening, so it’s important to have people you can rely on. The initial symptoms of alcohol detox are mild, but can quickly begin to worsen as time goes on.

Treating Alcoholism

It’s very important to seek help if you struggle with alcohol use disorder. It is possible to get treatment and live a healthier life with a better relationship with alcohol. Alcohol consumption spans a spectrum ranging from low risk to severe alcohol use disorder (AUD).

Risks and Complications

If you’re otherwise healthy and can stop drinking and get treatment, the outlook is usually good. However, sleep disturbances, irritability, and fatigue may continue for months. A high fever, hallucinations, and heart disturbances are all reasons to seek immediate help.

Take some time to explore your relationship with alcohol

• Moderately severe AWS causes moderate anxiety, sweating, insomnia, and mild tremor.
• Self-detox is an individualized approach without professional or medical support.
• Following successful completion of detox, an inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation program may be recommended to allow further work toward recovery and relapse prevention.
• Depending on the severity of your symptoms, your doctor may recommend monitoring a medical setting or at home.

They may also need to give medications to help reduce the severity of the symptoms. Although uncommon, the most serious effect from Alcohol Detox alcohol withdrawal is delirium tremens. It can start within two to five days after your last drink and can be life-threatening.

• Patients who have had prior complicated withdrawals should not attempt to decrease their alcohol intake without consultation with their healthcare team.
• Crystal Raypole has previously worked as a writer and editor for GoodTherapy.
• This article discusses alcohol withdrawal, its symptoms, and potential complications.
• They also note that a person can experience alcohol withdrawal syndrome whether they have been drinking for weeks, months, or years.
• A night of drinking can “fragment,” or interrupt, these patterns, experts say, and you may wake up several times as you ricochet through the usual stages of sleep.
• A rare but very serious syndrome called delirium tremens can occur during alcohol withdrawal.

The likelihood of developing alcohol withdrawal increases with the amount and frequency of your alcohol intake. Seizures often occur in the early stages of withdrawal, and they may happen in the absence of other AWS. More than 90% of acute seizures occur in the first 48 hours after your last drink. Still, people experiencing these withdrawal symptoms are generally fully conscious and can think clearly.

• This means that if you complete 90 consecutive days at an AAC facility and experience a relapse after graduation, you are welcome back for a complimentary 30 days of treatment.
• However, even a mild disorder can escalate and lead to serious problems, so early treatment is important.
• If alcohol is interfering with your health or your personal, financial, or professional life, consider quitting.
• Exercise can reduce stress, improve mood, and bolster your immune system.
• Setting aside time to focus on the detox can help you prepare for withdrawal.

When to seek help

The main ways to prevent alcohol withdrawal are to avoid alcohol altogether or to get professional help as soon as possible if you think you’re developing alcohol use disorder. It affects about 50% of people with alcohol use disorder who stop or significantly decrease their alcohol intake. AUD is the most common substance use disorder in the U.S., affecting 28.8 million adults. Alcohol withdrawal can range from very mild symptoms to a severe form, known as delirium tremens.

Recognizing Patients at Risk for AUD

Timeline of Alcohol Withdrawal