Jim V.
If you have been drinking alcohol for a long time and have developed an alcohol addiction, alcohol withdrawal happens when you begin to cut down or significantly reduce your alcohol intake. As your brain and body will have adjusted to alcohol, alcohol withdrawal symptoms may arise.
Alcohol withdrawal presents physical and psychological symptoms. However, the severity of alcohol withdrawal depends on several factors, including how long you have been drinking, the frequency at which you drink, and the volume of alcohol you drink.
As alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, it slows down brain functions. When you drink regularly, you build up a physical alcohol dependence, and the body adapts to the effects of the substance. The central nervous system becomes overstimulated when you decrease alcohol intake or stop drinking altogether, which causes alcohol withdrawal symptoms to arise.
If you are withdrawing from alcohol or are considering treatment, it is common to ask the question, “can you die from alcohol withdrawal?”
This blog outlines what alcohol withdrawal symptoms are and how treatment can mitigate them.
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Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal vary. Some people will experience mild withdrawal, while other people can experience potentially dangerous or even life-threatening symptoms.
Generally, the longer you have been consuming alcohol, the more severe your withdrawal symptoms will be. Typically symptoms will improve after around one week, although they may persist for longer for some people.
The first symptoms can appear within a few hours of your last drink, and they typically last for one day. These could include:
In people with mild alcohol dependence, symptoms may not progress from here. However, for people who have been living with an alcohol use disorder for some time, symptoms will generally increase.
Within one day of your last drink, you may begin to experience some additional unpleasant symptoms. However, this entirely depends on the severity of your relationships with alcohol. Usually, stage two symptoms can include:
In very rare cases, some people may experience seizures called status epilepticus. If these symptoms arise, medical treatment should be sought.
Not everybody who goes through withdrawal will develop stage three symptoms. However, some people will develop symptoms two to seven days after consuming alcohol. These particular symptoms include:
Delirium tremens is the most serious symptom of alcohol withdrawal. Usually, somebody will experience these symptoms within two or three days after stopping drinking. Typical symptoms of DTs include:
With medical supervision and early intervention, it is rare for withdrawal symptoms to be fatal.
While there aren’t any specific tests to determine if you are experiencing withdrawal symptoms, medical professionals will look at your medical history and the severity of your addiction before conducting physical examinations to understand the intensity of symptoms you may experience.
They may also ask you the following questions to build a picture of your situation:
If you are currently going through withdrawal, it is essential to be open and honest with medical professionals. Doing so enables them to understand your unique condition and build an appropriate treatment program, which is crucial to your recovery.
Prolonged, excessive drinking can adversely affect your brain, body, and mind. Heavy drinking can have a permanent impact, particularly on your heart, liver, and nervous system. The earlier you seek help, the more likely you are to make a complete, long-term recovery.
Alcohol withdrawal treatment usually involves a combination of treatment options, including comprehensive care and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved medication.
A medically supervised detox program should include:
The FDA has approved three medications to treat alcohol dependence.
These drugs are used partly because they are not addictive and because they don’t replace alcohol in the body. Instead, they are designed as long-term medication for chronic conditions.
These three drugs are:
In addition, benzodiazepines are regularly used for treating withdrawal as they can successfully ease symptoms and prevent severe withdrawal symptoms. Examples include:
Alcohol withdrawal can be troublesome, especially for those recovering from a severe level of alcohol dependency. Having safety precautions in place alongside the supervision of expert medical staff is crucial to keeping you and those around you safe.
At many rehab centers, such as our own, personalized treatment plans are available. Choosing an option, such as medical detox, with medical supervision is the safest.
Those with mild cases of alcohol abuse can choose to detox in an outpatient setting, with regular, possibly daily, check-ins. However, those with more severe or long-term alcohol addictions should be treated in an inpatient setting. Here, round-the-clock care and continuous monitoring are available.
If you are physically dependent on alcohol, you will likely experience some form of alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
However, if you are currently experiencing a form of alcohol abuse but aren’t dependent on the substance, there are some steps you can take to reduce your intake and decrease the chances of severe withdrawal symptoms.
If you or someone you love is considering an alcohol detox program in Orange County, seeking medical help is the best step you can take, especially as it’s important to have clinical professionals monitor any symptoms.
During detox, remaining in a calm and safe environment can prevent mild symptoms from progressing into hallucinations or delirium tremens.
When you discuss detoxing with your doctor, they will explain that it’s the first step of a comprehensive treatment plan. Following detox, you can access therapy for any mental health disorders you are experiencing, join a support group with others in recovery from alcohol abuse, and secure treatment for any co-occurring substance abuse disorders.
If you are contemplating recovery, get in touch with us today. We can help you every step of the way, and together we can assess your situation and find a treatment plan that works for you.
If you have any questions about what withdrawal will be like, one of our clinical experts can talk you through the common symptoms, our therapy options, and the medications they might prescribe to ease your symptoms and treat alcohol withdrawal.
Stepping onto the path of recovery from alcohol can be a difficult first step. Still, by arming yourself with the right information and choosing a recovery plan that suits your needs, you can find your way to lifelong recovery.
