Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms | Alcoholism

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When people are drinking heavily, they're often concerned that if they stop drinking, will they have withdrawal symptoms from alcohol. It's not necessarily predictable if they'll have symptoms and if so, what those symptoms will be and what the severity will be. However, alcohol withdrawal can be very serious and potentially life threatening. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can start five to 10 hours after stopping drinking but it can also not start for up to 48 hours after stopping so just because you don't experience any symptoms right away, it doesn't mean you won't have them. A lot of it depends on the person's constitution, their metabolism and of course, the amount of alcohol they've been consuming. So alcohol withdrawal symptoms can range from a mild tremor, just shaking, feeling shaky and literally their hands shaking but also that could progress and people can also have along with that, feel a lot of anxiety, which is they don't often think of as a withdrawal symptom but actually, is. But the more severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be actual seizures from the withdrawal of alcohol that the brain reacts and people will have seizures. Seizures can be very life threatening, even mild seizures can be dangerous because one doesn't know when they're going to come on. They come on very quickly, often within just seconds where people may have a slightly weird feeling and suddenly seize and when one seizes, one is not conscious and you fall so that can be very dangerous because people can be driving, they can be walking on the street, they can be in situations where a seizure can cause other kinds of dangerous situations. Again, if someone's driving and has a seizure, they can get into an accident. They can hurt themselves. They can hurt other people. And also seizures in and of themselves can be life threatening. The other more severe withdrawal symptom is called DTs, delirium tremens. The rate of death from DTs is actually very very high but DTs are fortunately, are quite uncommon. Seizures are much more common so when people are going to stop drinking, if they've been drinking heavily, I highly recommend that they do so under the care of a physician, that they consult a physician, they speak to the physician and have someone evaluate how much they've been drinking and what they often require is a medication taper, where they're given a medication that will help them avoid those withdrawal symptoms that's tapered down in the dose over a few days until they're off that medication. And then they can be guaranteed that they're not going to have serious withdrawal symptoms. So that is what to look for and what to look careful for when stopping alcohol.

[RobertGonzalez-jgnr]

today is my 3rd day with out drinking. only slept like 5 hours in those 3 days. having night mares that wake me up all sweaty. having bad thoughts. hating everyone. anxiety all day. i soo sleepy but cant ughhh

[mickwhelan]

It's my 9th day no alchol, done it at home, myself the withdrawals were awrfull, felt like bugs crawling under my skin, seeing things no sleep, starting to feel better now, it's an awrfull illness, my thoughts are with everyone going through this be strong, and keep trying never give up.

[ghostcin]

5 days sober. It starts somewhere right? I have made a decision to not let alcohol control me anymore. I gave it 22 years of my life. I am ready to experience something different, something new. What do I have to loose? Alcohol has already took a lot from me. Maybe I will gain something being sober? Maybe what I gain is a better understanding of the things and feelings that drove me to drink my pain away. Because at the end of the day, once one is an alcoholic, we don't drink to have fun anymore we drink to drink or make it another day. But I do remember when it was all fun, At first. Anyways anytime I say something so powerful as to say I quit ruining my life, the devil always seems to take that as a challenge. Yall pray for me. And in the name of Jesus Christ, this too shall pass. No weapon against me shall prosper. Amen! God bless you all!

[hartleyhare]

2 week dry. Got through absolute hell yet again. Never again.

[gc]

I got headaches and depression. It went away after a couple months but I always have cravings.

[nwcoastlife]

Nightmares never bothered me, but Having been through alcohol withdrawals a few times before eventually quitting: for me it’s that first week of not being able to sleep, at least for the first few days. Benadryl helps a *little*, meaning I might get an hour or two, but otherwise prepare for 72 hours of insomnia. The first week for me, I was on a regimen of several cups of detox tea during the day, lots of water, then large doses of Benadryl every night along with 2-3 cups of bedtime + kava root tea just before bed. It didn’t matter what I did the first 48 hours though: As soon as I was about to fall asleep, my brain would send me a big shot of adrenaline my heart would start racing.

[thabanglucas]

The only way to stop drinking is to reduce and reduce until you drink a little. Stoping completely is hard and effective but when you drink a bit you might end up taking more. That's why every addiction is hard

[mattstocks]

I only find the withdrawals scary if I’m drinking all day. If I can keep my drinking to evenings only, I don’t tend to get them. Some difficulty sleeping is it. But when I was drinking all dayC, the withdrawals were absolutely brutal. Worst thing I’ve ever been through in my life

[dbackstrgaming]

Reason for anxiety: when you drink alcohol it makes you feel high and more dopamine is produced and dopamine receptors becomes less sensitive which is why people increase the amount they drink. After withdrawal the dopamine receptors recover and less dopamine is produced which leads to anxiety fear etc but apparently only lasts 3 days after 3 days the worst is officially over.

[honey-ssru]

I drink around 8 shots of whiskey 40% a day, sometimes double that amount for the last 5 years. I’m turning 21 this month, and in 2019 I remember stopping for 6 months cold turkey due to really bad acid reflux i physically couldn’t eat or drink for awhile. Eventually the fear made me not want to drink. I remember the first month was absolutely horrible, BUT i was in pain from GERD. I remember waking up in the middle of the night in sweats but the anxiety came from the blocked feeling in my throat. I started drinking a little over a year ago and it’s right back to my old ways. I’m scared to go through what I did before, the only difference is I quit right now because I WANT to. My last drink was friday June 4th at night and right now it’s Sunday June 6th same time. So far I’ve felt nauseous, anxiety, some stomach pain and loss of appetite. My sleep is a little better but I’m afraid it will get worse because so far I’m only on the two day mark. Sorry for the long paragraph, but rly need the motivation to get through it.

[kirbysonicfun]

I'm never drinking again this has helped me. Having a hard time wanting to drink wine.

[spekter]

I'm currently trying to give up alcohol, wish me luck.

[ripozipo]

Can't get to sleep but when I do I can't wake up. Never been late to work or school and since I've stopped I've been late everyday. If your stopping drinking be prepared to have a messed up sleep schedule. Only day 4 hope it gets better.

[Jhart]

God awful anxiety the next day. The shakes, sweating, dizziness
Been clean for 2 years

[hartleyhare]

Day 1 again after a 5 day binge😢I just never learn. Feel utterly shite😂Then again, what did i expect? Alcohol does not discriminate.

[totalowwnage]

Exercise helps a lot for withdrawals. Especially running

[cedarpoplar]

Society is very selfish. Some people value profit and pleasure more than the lives of many. Broken families, jail time, loss of jobs, homelessness. And alcohol still remains so readily available practically in every corner.
The bad consequences of drinking outweighs whatever benefits if there are any.

[kristoffliftoff]

symptoms:
mild-tremors, anxiety
Serious
-seizures which can be followed by coma or death
DT’s

[e.t]

Night sweats and strange feeling in my head...

[rielstamp]

Nightmares cold sweats and weirdest dreams 50 a night last time I tried be sober for two nights smh