If you drink a lot for a long time, you may have problems stopping drinking or reducing the amount of alcohol you drink. The duration of alcohol withdrawal will be different for each person, and depends mainly on the amount and frequency with which alcohol has been consumed. Those who suffer from alcohol abuse may also face a number of other problems as a result of alcoholism, including legal problems, relationship concerns, financial problems, and deteriorating health. Many doctors use the severity of alcohol withdrawal to determine the intensity of alcohol dependence.
Psychologists and counselors often use the severity of withdrawal to help determine the importance of alcohol dependence or alcohol use disorders. Many people who experience symptoms associated with alcohol withdrawal syndrome are likely to recover with appropriate treatment. Currently, health experts don't know if any factors influence the chronology of alcohol withdrawal syndrome, other than the amount of alcohol a person normally consumes. Long-term alcohol use for weeks, months, or years can cause alcohol withdrawal to become so severe that brain damage and death can result.
People with alcohol withdrawal syndrome should be treated according to the severity of their condition. When talking to your doctor about symptom relief, it's a good idea to talk about treatment for alcohol abuse or dependence. Alcohol withdrawal is thought to arise as a function of several changes in brain activity caused by prolonged and excessive alcohol consumption. Outpatient treatment may be available for mild to moderate alcohol withdrawal symptoms; however, if symptoms worsen, hospital care may be required.
So when does a few drinks with friends turn into a full-blown alcohol addiction? How do you know if you're an alcoholic? The amount of time it takes for alcohol to completely leave the bloodstream depends on several factors, including age, gender, health, genetic makeup, and a history of alcohol use.
