It may feel hard to talk honestly to your doctor about your alcohol use. Remember that their goal is to help you get healthy, not Cure for Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms judge you. Once they understand your drinking history, they’ll be better able to suggest treatments that could help you. They may include hallucinations (seeing things that aren’t there). The main management for severe symptoms is long-acting benzodiazepines — typically IV diazepam or IV lorazepam. But treatment varies based on the severity of alcohol withdrawal and the likelihood that it could progress to severe or complicated withdrawal.
Alcohol Withdrawal: Symptoms, Treatment and Prevention
Professional guidance ensures a safer and more comfortable detox. Recognizing misuse patterns is often the first step toward addressing addiction and preventing severe withdrawal. By understanding the different drinking behaviors, people can seek help before alcohol dependence worsens. However, even mild symptoms can intensify if alcohol use continues or if medical supervision is not sought. Recognizing and responding to these symptoms early can prevent complications and ensure a smoother detox process. Those with severe symptoms need to remain in the hospital for part or all of the detox process.
- Alcohol consumption depletes thiamine (Vitamin B1), folate, and magnesium, leading to neurological and metabolic complications.
- Here are a few ways that people can care for withdrawal symptoms.
- Work with a healthcare provider if you are considering stopping medication for anxiety or depression.
- It’s also important to note that delirium tremens can be life-threatening.
- If you or your loved one shows any serious withdrawal symptoms, get medical help right away.
Anticonvulsive Medication
When we stop ingesting these substances, our bodies go into withdrawal and experience the painful symptoms of detoxifying the substance from the bloodstream. An everyday example of this is caffeine; many of us who are coffee-drinkers know what it feels like to miss our morning cup of joe and find ourselves with a headache during the day. If you have withdrawal symptoms from drinking, then you have consumed enough alcohol to damage other organs. Your doctor will want to evaluate you for alcohol-related damage to your liver, heart, the nerves in your feet, blood cell counts, and gastrointestinal tract. Your doctor will assess your nutritional status and check for vitamin deficiencies.
The Alcohol Withdrawal Timeline
The main ways to prevent alcohol withdrawal are to avoid alcohol altogether or to get professional help as soon as possible if you think you’re developing alcohol use disorder. Your healthcare provider will recommend and encourage treatment for alcohol use disorder. For mild alcohol withdrawal that’s not at risk of worsening, your provider may prescribe carbamazepine or gabapentin to help with symptoms. It affects about 50% of people with alcohol use disorder who stop or significantly decrease their alcohol intake. AUD is the most common substance use disorder in the U.S., affecting 28.8 million adults. Clear Recovery Center’s Virtual IOP provides clients with therapeutic support for burnout, depression, anxiety, chronic fatigue and stress.
What are the risk factors for alcohol withdrawal?
If you’re managing your withdrawal at home, you can take steps to help ease your recovery. Even so, it’s best to reach out to your doctor or loved ones for support and guidance. If you or your loved one shows any serious withdrawal symptoms, get medical help right away. But if symptoms worsen, seizures are most likely to strike 12 to 48 hours after you quit. There are many support options available that can help guide you through alcohol withdrawal, as well as abstaining from alcohol after withdrawal. People who drink daily or almost every day should not be left alone for the first few days after stopping alcohol.
- It’s important that you don’t try to go through the symptoms of the initial withdrawal period alone.
- Eating healthy foods, trying to get exercise, and getting enough sleep can help reduce some withdrawal symptoms, such as mood swings.
- If a person has alcohol use disorder, their body gets used to a certain amount of alcohol in their system.
- The symptoms of alcohol withdrawal include anxiety, tremors, sweating, nausea, and elevated heart rate, which appear within 6–24 hours after the last drink.
- The risk of withdrawal symptoms depends on the duration and quantity of alcohol consumption, with heavier and prolonged use increasing the likelihood of experiencing withdrawal.
These will depend on how much alcohol they drank, their body type, sex, age, and any underlying medical conditions. The most well-known example of a peer support program that helps people with alcohol addiction is Alcoholics Anonymous, or AA. This original 12-step program has helped many people get the support they need Twelve-step program to stay sober after they stop drinking alcohol.
- Individuals experiencing alcohol withdrawal or seeking to address their alcohol use can access a variety of support systems and resources.
- If you’re getting through alcohol withdrawal at home, here’s what can help.
- Individuals at risk should gradually reduce alcohol intake under medical supervision, using a tapering schedule and possibly medications to safely manage withdrawal symptoms.
- Symptom-triggered therapy with benzodiazepines remains the cornerstone of management.
- Delirium tremens (DTs), which can occur between 48–72 hours after the last drink, is the most dangerous stage.
Does Alcohol Detox and Rehab Really Work?
Treatment options for alcohol withdrawal syndrome typically involve supportive care to ease the effects of the symptoms. A doctor can often diagnose alcohol withdrawal syndrome by taking a person’s medical history and performing a physical exam. These homes aren’t considered treatment, exactly, but they do sometimes provide peer recovery support and coaching. Additionally, many people choose to attend a day treatment program and return “home” to a sober living facility so that they’re never without support. This is a fantastic option for people who don’t feel confident returning to where they previously lived while they were struggling with alcohol addiction. Luckily, there are treatment programs available that meet every need and budget.