Alcohol Withdrawal

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What Is Alcohol Withdrawal?

If you drink alcohol heavily for weeks, months, or years, you may have both mental and physical problems when you stop or seriously cut back on how much you drink. This is called alcohol withdrawal. Symptoms can range from mild to serious.

If you drink only once in a while, it’s unlikely that you’ll have withdrawal symptoms when you stop. But if you’ve gone through alcohol withdrawal once, you’re more likely to go through it again the next time you call it quits.

Causes of Alcohol Withdrawal

Alcohol has what doctors call a depressive effect on your system. It slows down brain function and changes the way your nerves send messages back and forth.

Over time, your central nervous system adjusts to having alcohol around all the time. Your body works hard to keep your brain in a more awake state and to keep your nerves talking to one another.

When the alcohol level suddenly drops, your brain stays in this keyed up state. That’s what causes withdrawal.

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Timeline of Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

The symptoms of alcohol withdrawal can range from mild to serious. What yours are depends on how much you drank and for how long.

6 hours after you stop drinking: Mild symptoms can start as early as 6 hours after you put down your glass. They can include:

Anxiety

Shaky hands

Headache

Nausea

Vomiting

Insomnia

Sweating

12-48 hours after your last drink: More serious problems, including hallucinations, can start in this timeframe and may include hallucinations (about 12-24 hours after you stop drinking) and seizures within the first 2 days after you stop. You can see, feel, or hear things that aren’t there.  Learn more about the timeline of alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

48-72 hours after you stop drinking: Delirium tremens, or DTs as you’re likely to hear them called, usually start in this timeframe. These are severe symptoms that include vivid hallucinations and delusions. Only about 5% of people with alcohol withdrawal have them. Those that do may also have:

Confusion

Racing heart

High blood pressure

Fever

Heavy sweating

Diagnosing Alcohol Withdrawal

If your doctor thinks you might be going through alcohol withdrawal, they’ll ask you questions about your drinking history and how recently you stopped. They’ll want to know if you’ve ever gone through withdrawal before.

They’ll also discuss your symptoms. During an exam, they’ll look for other medical conditions to see if they could be to blame.

Treatments for Alcohol Withdrawal

Unless you have a serious health condition or you’ve had severe withdrawals in the past, you probably won’t need more than a supportive environment to help you through. That includes:

A quiet place

Soft lighting

Limited contact with people

A positive, supportive atmosphere

Healthy food and lots of fluids

If you decide to get treatment, your doctor can recommend the type of care that you need.

If your blood pressure, pulse, or body temperature rises, or if you have more serious symptoms like seizures and hallucinations, seek medical care immediately (dial 911). Your doctor could suggest inpatient care and drug treatment.

Common medications include benzodiazepines to help treat symptoms like anxiety, insomnia, and seizures. You might also take anti-seizure meds and antipsychotics, along with other drugs.

Can You Prevent It?

Treating alcohol withdrawal is a short-term fix that doesn’t help the core problem. When you talk to your doctor about symptom relief, it’s a good idea to discuss treatment for alcohol abuse or dependence. The doctor can give you advice to help you stop drinking.

Medications Used During Alcohol Detox

When alcohol detox is treated in an inpatient rehab facility, different medications may be used to help reduce uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. Medications can also help keep a person’s body chemicals in balance, lowering the risk for serious complications. In rehab, a medical professional will administer the medication and monitor its effects. If the medication begins to cause unwanted side effects or interferes with the detox process, another remedy can be used.

Several medications commonly administered during the detox phase are:

Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines (benzos) are most frequently used to treat withdrawal symptoms during the alcohol detox phase. They are used to help calm your central nervous system and may also be prescribed to treat insomnia, anxiety and muscle spasms. The medication comes in 2 forms: short-acting and long-acting. Usually, long-acting benzos are administered for three days or taken as needed. Chlordiazepoxide (Librium) and diazepam (Valium) are 2 types of benzos prescribed most often in an inpatient rehab setting.

Naltrexone

Naltrexone helps reduce alcohol cravings during the detox stage. In the event of a relapse, naltrexone works by inhibiting the high feeling that alcohol may cause. Since the medication can stimulate withdrawal symptoms, it is recommended that you wait 7-10 days before taking naltrexone. It comes in 2 forms: a tablet and injectable. The pill form of naltrexone is sold under the brand names ReVia and Depade, while the injectable form is known as Vivitrol.

Acamprosate

Years of heavy drinking can significantly alter how the brain looks and works. Acamprosate, sold under the name Campral, is prescribed to help your brain begin to function normally again after you quit drinking. Research studies have also started to look into whether or not acamprosate helps reduce the symptoms of PAWS including insomnia, anxiety and restlessness. It also works to reduce alcohol cravings; however, it will not produce an unwanted effect if alcohol is consumed.

Disulfiram

Another medication used in the treatment of alcoholism is disulfiram. Unlike other medications, disulfiram works by producing severe reactions if alcohol is consumed. For instance, if you drink while on disulfiram, you will experience unwanted effects like facial flushing, nausea, headache, weakness and low blood pressure. The negative effects are meant to deter you from continuing your drinking pattern. Disulfiram is not meant to reduce your alcohol cravings or restore brain functions like some other medications.

The Time For Help Is Now

Seeking help for alcohol use is a huge step toward sobriety. That’s why the decision on where to get treatment should not be taken lightly.