What exactly are alcohol withdrawal symptoms? Typically, they are symptoms experienced by someone who has stopped drinking anywhere from just a few hours to several days prior. In some cases, withdrawal symptoms show up in his little as two hours. In other cases, it may take up to four days for symptoms to appear.
What Types of Symptoms Are Experienced During Withdrawal?
More often than not, the types of symptoms experienced during alcohol withdrawal involve both physical and mental symptoms. In some cases, there are also certain behavioral symptoms to look out for. It is worth noting that not every individual who suffers from alcohol withdrawal is going to experience all of the symptoms listed. More often than not, the individual in question will experience at least a few of the symptoms that will be discussed.
However, every person is different. Therefore, it’s important to realize that someone may not be experiencing all of the symptoms listed, yet they might still be going through alcohol withdrawal. This is important to recognize because in severe cases, alcohol withdrawal can be a life-threatening emergency that needs to be treated by medical professionals. No person should ever attempt to manage the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal on their own.
Physical Symptoms
The most common physical symptoms of someone who is experiencing alcohol withdrawal include nausea and vomiting, uncontrollable shaking, rapid heart rate, headache, and even seizures. The individual in question may also experience hallucinations. These might come in the form of visual or auditory hallucinations. In some cases, the person will experience both of these simultaneously. Frequently, a person going through alcohol withdrawal is also sweating profusely. Someone going through this type of event is likely to be frightened. It’s highly unlikely that the person will be able to maintain a high level of concentration. He or she may not even be able to answer basic questions.
Mental and Behavioral Symptoms
More often than not, one of the first symptoms that a person experiencing alcohol withdrawal has is extreme irritability. You might see a pronounced change in that person’s mood, where they are far more agitated than normal. Eventually, the person may lose their appetite and become unable to sleep. In some extreme cases, a person experiencing this type of withdrawal will go into fits of rage.
How Long Does it Take to Recover from Alcohol Withdrawal?
Unfortunately, there is no blanket answer. The sad truth of the matter is that the amount of time it takes to recover depends on several factors. For example, the severity of your alcoholism and the amount of time that you have been dependent on alcohol will factor heavily in the amount of time it takes to recover from withdrawal symptoms. By the same token, your overall health, age and weight also play important roles. In most cases, people are through the worst of the symptoms within anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks. That being said, it typically takes roughly a year for the body to fully recover from the damage that was done as a direct result of alcoholism. Remember, that does not mean that any individual is ever truly cured of alcoholism. This statement refers only to the internal processes within the body, specifically related to both liver and cellular damage.
Gaining a Better Understanding
This can feel like a lot of information to process all at once. Therefore, it’s important to recap some of the most important points.
- Alcohol withdrawal can be fatal and should only be attempted when done properly.
- Several different physical symptoms may be experienced.
- Physical symptoms are often accompanied by behavioral symptoms as well.
- The severity of your alcoholism will largely determine the length of withdrawal.
- Your age will also play a factor, as will your overall health and weight.
The good news is that you don’t have to suffer in silence. A good treatment facility can make all the difference between getting past the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal or continuing to suffer. If you’re tired of being a slave to your alcoholism, pick up the phone and call a treatment facility today. It just might be one of the best decisions you’ll ever make. To learn more, contact us today at 855-334-6120.
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