Drinking Timeline: How Long Does Alcohol Withdrawal Last?
Dec 22, 2022
How Long Does Alcohol Withdrawal Last?
Alcohol withdrawal can sometimes be equally as harmful as alcohol addiction - but it's important to know that does not apply for all or even most drinkers.
For full blown alcoholics withdrawal can in some cases be deadly for many, and the immediate risks frequently surpass the advantages of aiming for sobriety.
It may appear odd to propose that hard drinkers avoid stopping to reduce their threat of withdrawal, but, clinical experts do suggest alcoholics need a hospital stay.
However, the vast majority of functioning problem drinkers are not 'alcoholics' and by that, I mean that they are not physically dependant on the drug.
You are most probably not an alcoholic!
Most people who find this website are not alcoholics at all but simply in a loop with their drinking and they can't seem to break it. Most members of the Stop Drinking Expert website are entirely functioning in other areas of their life. They are in a relationship, probably parents or grandparents and holding down a job.
They are not being constantly issued DUI tickets or thrown in the drunk tank. However, the alcohol industry keeps telling these sorts of drinkers that it is dangerous for them to quit drinking, it may even be fatal.
The reason Big Alcohol keeps doing this is that it stresses out the problem drinkers - and what do drinkers do when they feel stressed?
That's right they drink!
For most functioning problem drinkers the only withdrawal sensations they will experience is a general feeling of mild anxiety - and that's it.
So, if you believe you find that category then click here now and join today's free quit drinking webinar - the solution to your problem is a lot easier than you expect!
If you want to find out what full-blown alcoholics have to deal with, read on. However, do not scare yourself too much - this applies only to people who have become physically dependant on the drug.
Withdrawal lasts anywhere from a few days to a number of weeks depending upon the seriousness of its signs and symptoms.
Alcohol Withdrawal Phases - Does Everybody Experience Withdrawal?
Recognizing withdrawal is testing and tricky. It's not often identical for everyone who goes through it. There are 3 phases to alcoholic withdrawal, however, not everybody experiences every one of them, all of them, or even a mix of them when they stop drinking alcohol. There are several variables that collaborate to establish whether a person who is physically addicted to alcohol will suffer from any indicators of alcoholic withdrawal when stopping.
These variables consist of:
- Genealogy of alcoholic abuse
- The length of time an individual has been addicted to alcohol
- Quantity of alcohol being used
- Existence of other healthcare challenges
- The amount of stress and anxiety the person is under
- Personal case history
If you have been a full-blown alcoholic for a decade you are going to have more issues than someone who only reached this level of drinking a short time ago. Somebody with psychological health problems has more chance to go through withdrawal than somebody with no other health issues.
The Initial Stage of Withdrawal
Withdrawal starts when a non-functioning heavy drinker goes cold turkey. It may start anywhere from 2 hours to 24 hours after a person drinks that last alcoholic drink. Usually, a chronic non-functioning drinker will start presenting indicators of withdrawal around 8-9 hours after their last drink. The initial phase is often pretty mild, but signs and symptoms differ from one person to another.
They could include:
- Stress and anxiety
- Tiredness
- Stomach discomfort
- Nausea
- Sleeping disorders
- Fuzzy thinking
- Mood fluctuations
Shakes are not so common
Although not all alcoholics experience the initial stage, lots of hardened drinkers go through least some level of withdrawal (even if it is pretty mild). Some drinkers experience extremely small problems, while others have to suffer them at their most severe. Anticipating what may take place when an alcoholic takes that final drink is difficult, however, here are the most common signs:
Booze is a sedative, so all individuals who stop drinking suddenly may have feelings of low mood or unhappiness. Almost everybody who quits drinking alcohol feels fatigued and washed out at some point. Emotions can swing wildly and that is quite typical as alcohol slowly leaves the system.
The 'shakes' may not be as common as you would think, but chronic alcohol addicts have a tendency to get them.
The initial stage frequently consists of nausea, which can end up causing dehydration. If a recovering alcoholic is throwing up and failing to hold water down, it's essential they get professional clinical care ASAP. Organ breakdown and failure usually starts with dehydration.
Phase one typically lasts about 24 hours once it starts.
The 2nd Phase of Alcohol Withdrawal
When phase one symptoms start to decrease, a reprieve is still somewhere in the distance for the most heavily addicted drinkers. The 2nd phase of withdrawal can be more severe. It typically starts a day after you quit drinking, however, not always so quick.
Signs and symptoms consist of:
- An upsurge in body temp
- Hypertension
- Mental confusion
- Irregular heart rhythm
- Hot and cold sweats
- Anger
- Respiration complications
- Emotional state fluctuations
Once a person starts experiencing phase 2, manifestations of withdrawal may endure 2 to 3 days. Much like the 'throwing up' that is a common part of phase 1, the heavy perspiration that takes place during this portion of alcohol detoxification can trigger dehydration. It's something that needs watching because it can result in more severe physical health problems.
The Last Phase - How Long Do Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms Last?
At this point, we enter the riskiest phase of alcoholic withdrawal. It's the phase that generates the most severe signs and symptoms for true alcoholics. It's the one that may end in loss of life (but remember this scary statement only applies to alcoholics and normally not problem drinkers).
Signs of the last phase start roughly 3 days after the final alcoholic beverage, and they can go on for several weeks.
Signs consist of:
- Elevated temperature and fever
- Apparitions
- Seizures or fits
Each and every one of these manifestations need clinical care. Elevated temperatures are life-threatening on their own, however, they become much more harmful when they are joined by aberrations, fits, and seizures. Generally, it's the negative effects of fitting that trigger the most harm. It's the falling, the prospective head traumas and damage, and the choking that may happen during a fit that presents the most significant danger to an alcoholic's health.
"How long does alcohol withdrawal last?"
It's tough to explain for sure, as everyone and situation is different, even though signs and symptoms generally start to diminish after a few days, yet they can sometimes last in limited cases for numerous weeks.
Alcohol Detoxification
Clinical experts advise expert alcohol detoxification for anybody wanting to stop drinking. It's less common for withdrawal to take place when an alcoholic gradually quits drinking. It's most usual to undergo this when somebody stops consuming alcohol all at once. Because the adverse effects of withdrawal are so harmful to an individual's help, expert oversight throughout detoxification is essential.
Weaning an individual gradually from drinking delivers fewer traumas to the alcoholic's system. It's one way to stay clear of undergoing withdrawal, but it's not always the solution. Many do not have the capacity to moderate their drinking without assistance, which is why cold-turkey quitting is the route a lot of alcoholics take.
Locating an appropriate detoxification center increases an individual's chances of reducing the withdrawal symptoms that generally take place in the days following the end. Monitored therapy makes dealing with chronic alcohol addiction safer, and it increases the possibility the person will stay dry in the long run.
Problem Drinking Solution
Over 95% of the people who look to the Stop Drinking Expert course for help do not fit the 'alcoholic' criteria and will not have to worry about all these horrible side-effects of quitting.
However, it is advisable to always seek the advice of a medical professional before you quit drinking or make any other significant changes to your lifestyle.
If you believe you fit the 'problem drinker' category more than the 'full-blown alcoholic' category then click here to secure your place on our next free quit drinking webinar.
You will even get a free copy of the bestselling book 'Alcohol Lied To Me' as a free gift, just for turning up at the online coaching session.
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