Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms and Alcohol Detox

You may have underlying health conditions that affect your treatment options. The best way to go through alcohol detox safely is within a detox clinic and rehab facility like the ones we work daily with. They will guide you smoothly through the worst of the alcohol withdrawal symptoms so you can recover from addiction in comfort and safety.

This page will guide you through the alcohol withdrawal symptoms for mild, moderate, and severe alcohol addictions. If you have already decided you would like to detox from alcohol at a residential rehab clinic, then call us now so we can discuss your options.

What Happens in your Body when you Give up Alcohol?

When you stop drinking alcohol, you should do it under medical supervision. This is because your body goes through a range of symptoms when you deprive it of alcohol. These symptoms worsen based on how long you have been drinking for, how often you drank, and how much alcohol intake you had in a session/day.

The longer you exposed your body to elevated levels of alcohol, the more symptoms you will experience when you try to quit drinking. Heavy alcohol intake affects the central nervous system, leading to dependence and withdrawal symptoms when consumption is reduced or stopped. We call these symptoms the alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Everyone with an alcohol addiction who quits drinking will go through these symptoms and about 5% of people will experience deadly alcohol withdrawal syndrome.

To protect yourself when you give up alcohol, you should do it in a detox clinic. You can find these in hospitals and in rehab clinics. Those who wish to quit drinking with our guidance can detox and receive rehab treatment like therapy in one building.

How Long do you Suffer Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms?

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms start a few hours after your last drink. How long withdrawal symptoms last can vary based on the extent of alcohol addiction. They are mild at first but will worsen within the next 48 hours. After 48 hours to 3 days, you will hit the peak of the withdrawal symptoms. After this, they will begin to ease off. Most people find they can join in rehab activities within 5 days of entering a detox clinic and rehab centres.

A week after your last drink, your symptoms will improve. However, you will still experience cravings for potentially months afterwards, or longer. A good rehab clinic guides you through these symptoms and arms you with the tools you need to tackle them alone in future. Once you have gone through the detox process and tackled the alcohol withdrawal symptoms the first time around, you do not want to have to do it again.

What are the Symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal?

There are many symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, so we have split them into mild, moderate, and severe, below. Certain patient characteristics may confer a risk of more severe or complicated withdrawal symptoms, including prolonged symptoms or withdrawal-specific complications such as DT's or seizures.

It is crucial to have medical support and specific prescription medication to avoid the danger of having a seizure during withdrawal for people with severe withdrawal symptoms.

Mild Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

Common mild alcohol withdrawal symptoms begin within a few hours of your last drink. They will progressively worsen for the first 12-24 hours. They include:

·        A mild shaking

·        Aches and pains

·        Sweating

·        Anxiety

·        Stomach upset

·        Irritability

·        Cravings

·        Rapid breathing

·        Insomnia

Moderate Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

There are moderate symptoms of alcohol withdrawal which you may experience from around 12 hours into your detox. They may persist until 48 or even 72 hours have passed. They may worsen over time. Moderate alcohol withdrawal symptoms include:

·        High blood pressure

·        Heart palpitations

·        Acute anxiety

·        A rapid pulse

·        Vomiting

·        Intense cravings

Severe Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

When you have severe alcohol dependence and you quit drinking, you can expect severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms. The worst symptoms begin from between 12-24 hours after you stop drinking and can last for a day or two before they lessen. The severe symptoms of alcohol withdrawal include:

·        Auditory and visual hallucinations

·        Loss of consciousness

·        Mental confusion or an altered mental state

·        Fever

·        Intense anxiety and extreme cravings

·        Inability to sleep

·        Soaking sweats

·        Dehydration

If you are experiencing a combination of these intense symptoms, you may have a condition called Delirium Tremens (or ‘DTs). It impacts around 5% of all those serious drinkers who abruptly quit. This condition can kill you. It is the reason we advise everyone to seek out a medical professional advice before they quit drinking. Delirium Tremens is the reason that a detox and rehab clinic are the safest places for you to recover from alcoholism.

Delirium Tremens

Delirium Tremens is when your body has a negative reaction to detoxing from alcohol. Your body goes into shock and can have a fir or a seizure. This can lead to a loss of consciousness. It might go the opposite way and lead to a system overdrive. This overdrive will eventually cause a cardio vascular collapse of your system. This ends in a heart attack and potential death.

If you are supervising someone who is quitting drinking alone at home, and you see a fever, experience their loss of mental awareness, they have an extreme tremor, and they are either experiencing rapid breathing or slipping into unconsciousness, this is the time to call an ambulance. Get them to a hospital. The DTs need treatment in the intensive care unit. Don’t waste time. Severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be a medical emergency, requiring immediate medical attention.

Where can I find a Detox Clinic to help me Quit Drinking?

Here at Findrehab.co.uk, we can refer you to rehab clinics in England to help UK residents get off drink and drugs as safely and as comfortably as possible. The Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment plays a crucial role in assessing the severity of withdrawal symptoms, ensuring that individuals receive the appropriate level of care. Contact us today to learn more about our residential rehab centres in the UK. Detox with us or stay for rehab. we would be more than happy to help you. For a list of some of the treatment options we can help with, click here