Author: Gary Jackson

Alcohol Withdrawal

Severe and complicated alcohol withdrawal requires treatment in a hospital — sometimes in the ICU. While receiving treatment, healthcare providers will want to monitor you continuously to make sure you don’t develop life-threatening complications. Alcohol withdrawal (alcohol withdrawal syndrome) is a range of symptoms that can happen if you stop or significantly reduce alcohol intake after long-term use. The prognosis often depends on the severity of alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Mortality is also greater in patients who progress to delirium tremens. Many individuals choose to complete their alcohol detox within an inpatient setting, such as a hospital or a freestanding treatment center designed for detoxification from substances.

They may be more noticeable when you wake up with less alcohol in your blood. Here’s some information to help you get ready for your appointment, and what to expect from your health care provider or mental health provider. You’re likely to start by seeing your primary health care provider.

How is alcohol withdrawal diagnosed?

AWS is more common in adults, but children and teenagers who drink excessively may also experience the symptoms. You’re also at risk for AWS if you’ve previously had withdrawal symptoms or needed medical detox for a drinking problem. Alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS can cause a range of symptoms, from mild anxiety and fatigue to severe hallucinations and seizures. In extreme cases, it can be life threatening. Your health care provider or mental health provider will ask additional questions based on your responses, symptoms and needs. Preparing and anticipating questions will help you make the most of your appointment time.

Some people may relapse, or drink alcohol again, to relieve the symptoms. Treatment providers can discuss options for free to help individuals struggling with alcohol use disorder. Contact a treatment provider today to determine what is the safest next step to take in the journey to recovery from alcohol use disorder. Eventually, the brain adapts to chronic alcohol use to the degree that alcohol no longer provides it the same effect without more and more alcohol being used. When someone develops a high tolerance for alcohol, they must drink increasingly more for the same effect. However, this eventually becomes impossible to maintain as dopamine, serotonin, and GABA all begin to deplete from constant overstimulation.

Causes of Alcohol Withdrawal

Tap into your social network to help support you through alcohol withdrawal. Find a supportive friend or family member to be with you while you withdraw and support your new non-drinking lifestyle. If your symptoms are more severe, you may need to stay in the hospital.

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 be managed both as an inpatient or outpatient. In each case, close monitoring is essential as the symptoms can suddenly become severe. Other common household substances can also contain a significant amount of alcohol if ingested in large quantities, including mouthwash and cough syrup.

Alcohol Withdrawal: How to Get Through It

Keep a list of emergency phone numbers on hand that includes contact info for your doctor, the police, a nearby hospital, and someone you trust. Dietary guidelines recommend that if you drink, men limit daily drinking to two drinks or less per day and women limit their drinking to one drink or less per day. Consuming more than that can lead to liver damage and heart disease, and increase your risk for some cancers. By Sarah Bence, OTR/L

Sarah Bence, OTR/L, is an occupational therapist and freelance writer. She specializes in a variety of health topics including mental health, dementia, celiac disease, and endometriosis.

  • If you don’t already have a supportive network, you can make new connections by joining social media communities dedicated to alcohol-free living.
  • The most commonly used benzodiazepines are intravenous diazepam or intravenous lorazepam for management.
  • Medical supervision, behavioral health treatment, and mutual-aid groups can help you through alcohol withdrawal and stay stopped.

About 50% of patients who have had a withdrawal seizure will progress to delirium tremens. The alcohol withdrawal timeline varies, but the worst of the symptoms typically wear off after 72 hours. People who are daily or heavy drinkers may need medical support to quit. Stopping drinking abruptly can lead to seizures and can even be fatal. For most people, alcohol withdrawal symptoms will begin to subside after 72 hours. If you are still experiencing withdrawal symptoms after three days, talk to your healthcare provider.

Assessing Severity

For people at low risk of complications, an office visit to your primary care provider, along with at-home monitoring and virtual office visits, may suffice. People at high risk of complications should enter a short-term in-patient detox program. If your home environment is not supportive for staying sober, talk with your doctor. Your doctor may be able to connect you with shelter programs for people recovering from alcohol addiction.

  • Alcoholics tend to have nutritional deficiencies and thus should be provided with folic and thiamine supplements.
  • For people at low risk of complications, an office visit to your primary care provider, along with at-home monitoring and virtual office visits, may suffice.
  • Patients with mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms without additional risk factors for developing severe or complicated withdrawal should be treated as outpatients when possible.
  • In the United States, most states have low-cost or free rehabilitation programs for those who are uninsured.
  • People who have an addiction to alcohol or who drink heavily on a regular basis and are not able to gradually cut down are at high risk of AWS.