The Alcohol Withdrawal Timeline

March 5th, 2021

To those of us who have experienced addiction
in any form – from sugar to caffeine to drugs – you know that there is
something called withdrawal. Withdrawal can look different for everyone and for
every addiction. Even something as simple as a caffeine addiction can cause
people to experience withdrawal if they suddenly decide to take a break from
caffeine. These withdrawal symptoms can be anything from headaches to
crankiness. The harder the drug we’re talking about, the more difficult and
even dangerous these withdrawal symptoms become.

Alcohol is one of the most common addiction in
the world. There are many individuals who recognize that they have a problem
and think they can simply tackle the issue on their own. Many of these
individuals don’t even realize how intense their withdrawal symptoms can be.
Once they begin experiencing them and they get tougher and tougher – it is easy
for them to simply have a drink in order to stop the withdrawal symptoms
altogether, creating a terrible cycle and/or fear of getting sober.

In this blog, we want to educate you on what
some of the most common withdrawal symptoms are and what the timeline looks
like specifically when withdrawing from alcohol.

Ultimately, the more heavily you drink, the
more severe your alcohol withdrawal symtoms will be. Withdrawal symptoms can be
both mental and physical. When a person with significant alcohol dependence
suddenly stops drinking the brain and the nervous system can tend to become
hyperexcitable – leading to issues like:

• Anxiety
• Insomnia
• Irritability
• Tremors
• Agitation
• Seizures
• And more

In more severe cases, people can even develop
high fevers and even experience hallucinations. In these cases, it is very
important that people don’t try to go through this withdrawal process on their
own. Some individuals with more severe addictions will need close medical
monitoring and often medical intervention to assist them in the process of
detoxification from alcohol. As the liver metabolizes ethanol and moves the drug
through a person’s system, withdrawal symptoms will begin.

Process wise, alcohol withdrawal can be broken
up into three stages:

• Stage 1 (mild) symptoms may include headache,
  insomnia, anxiety, hand tremor, gastrointestinal disturbances, and heart
  palpitations. These symptoms will usually begin within six to twelve hours of
  your last drink.
• Stage 2 (moderate): symptoms may include the same
  mild symptoms as in Stage 1 in addition to increased blood pressure or heart
  rate, confusion, mild hyperthermia, and rapid abnormal breathing.
• Stage 3
  (severe): symptoms may include the same symptoms from Stage 2 moderate symptoms
  in addition to visual or auditory hallucinations, seizures, disorientation, and
  impaired attention.

Typically, Stage 1 tends to last for only a
few hours. Stage 2 can last up to a few days, while Stage 3 can last from one
week or longer depending on the severity of the addiction and the overall
symptoms. Of course, every person is different and will experience their own
combination of symptoms and within their own timeline. The standard length of
time for a full detoxification from alcohol is typically 7-10 days. A person’s
preexisting mental and physical health conditions may influence the withdrawal
syndrome.

Some individuals who are
struggling with alcohol addiction that go through withdrawal may experience a
dangerous set of symptoms called Delirium tremens. Delirium tremens is a
potentially fatal medical emergency that most commonly occurs in those who
drink in excess daily for months or even years. Research shows 5% of the
roughly 2 million Americans who look to alcohol addiction treatment each year
experience delirium tremens. The mortality rate for delirium tremens can range
from 3–15% each year. This is a big reason why it is important to not go through
the detoxification process on your own if you are a historically heavy drinker.

No matter what, the road to sobriety may be a
bumpy one, but it is worth the hard work. If you or someone you know is looking
to get sober, consult our team of confidential admissions specialists today and
we can help you. Especially if you believe yourself or your loved one will be
in need of an assisted detox, our team can help.