Alcohol withdrawal symptoms are proportionally related to the person's level of alcohol consumption and the duration of a person's recent drinking habit. Stage 3 is considered severe alcohol withdrawal. In addition to experiencing stage 2 symptoms, people with severe alcohol withdrawal experience severe anxiety and moderate to severe tremors. Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal delirium include withdrawal seizures that can occur 8 to 28 hours after the last drink.
Signs of an impending seizure include tremors, increased blood pressure, overactive reflexes, and a high temperature and pulse. Having a history of seizures increases your risk of having withdrawal attacks. You'll likely start to feel better five to seven days after you stop drinking, although some symptoms, such as changes in sleep patterns, fatigue, and mood swings, can last for weeks or months. A person with moderate or severe symptoms of alcohol withdrawal may need inpatient treatment, or stay in a hospital or care facility.
Inpatient treatment allows healthcare professionals to monitor you for TD or hallucinations, monitor your vital signs, and administer intravenous fluids or medications if needed. A health care provider will also perform tests to rule out other medical conditions that have similar alcohol withdrawal symptoms or that occur with withdrawal. These conditions include gastrointestinal bleeding, infection, intracranial hemorrhage (acute bleeding in the brain), and liver failure. Not everyone who stops drinking alcohol experiences the same withdrawal symptoms, but many people who have been drinking for an extended period of time, drink frequently, or drink heavily, will experience some withdrawal if they suddenly stop using alcohol.
Not everyone who stops drinking alcohol experiences withdrawal symptoms, but many people who have been drinking for a long period of time, drink frequently, or drink heavily, will experience some withdrawal symptoms if they suddenly stop using alcohol. It's important to note that if you overdo it here and there, you're not likely to experience alcohol withdrawal syndrome (which occurs when a person who is physically dependent on alcohol suddenly stops drinking). Alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) is the name given to symptoms that occur when a heavy drinker suddenly stops or significantly reduces their alcohol consumption According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be life-threatening when someone who has been drinking a lot for an extended period of time suddenly stops drinking.
