Spotting the Signs of Alcohol Withdrawal: How to Recognize When Someone Is Struggling with Self-Detox

You may also receive other medications or treatments for related health issues, like IV fluids for dehydration and electrolyte imbalances or antinausea medicines if you experience vomiting. Over time, if you regularly drink heavily, the central nervous system gets used to the suppressing effect of the alcohol, which means your brain is affected if the alcohol level suddenly drops. You can go straight into ‘fight or flight’ mode as the alcohol leaves your ​​system, ​​even when there’s no danger present. In addition to eliminating alcohol, certain lifestyle strategies — such as avoiding tobacco and nicotine, eating a nutritious diet, and staying hydrated — can help keep your liver healthy.

Preventing alcohol withdrawal

If throwing everything away feels too hard, give it away to a friend or family member. Instead, try to occupy yourself with short activities, such as watching a movie, going for a walk, playing a video game, or window shopping. You might also receive other medications along with https://suitegengineering.com/2025/10/24/addiction-and-health-national-institute-on-drug-8/ benzodiazepines. It slows down your brain function and changes the way your nerves send messages back and forth. Our Find a Provider tool makes it easy to search Cleveland Clinic’s trusted network.

• Your doctor will assess your nutritional status and check for vitamin deficiencies.
• You’ll work with counselors to understand the underlying causes of your alcohol use and develop strategies for handling triggers and stress.
• For example, a patient with a CIWA-Ar score of 20 might require benzodiazepines, such as diazepam 10 mg every 1–2 hours, titrated to symptom relief.
• But severe or complicated alcohol withdrawal can result in lengthy hospital stays and even time in the intensive care unit (ICU).

What is alcohol withdrawal?

After you stop drinking heavy, regular amounts of alcohol, your nervous system needs time to adjust. That can cause uncomfortable physical and mental symptoms, which can sometimes be life-threatening. Get support alcohol withdrawal from your doctor, friends, and family when you’re ready to stop drinking. That way, they can help you manage the discomfort and respond quickly in case of a medical emergency. It also serves a lot of other important functions, such as keeping your nervous system healthy.

Between 3 and 7 days after you stop drinking

• By this point, if you’d previously been drinking six 175ml glasses of wine a week, you would have lost 2,880 calories over 3 weeks.
• Sometimes, hospitalization may be necessary, especially if your symptoms are severe.
• Healthcare providers can assess your risk and ensure you receive appropriate monitoring and medication to prevent DTs from developing.

For ideal withdrawal management, you’ll likely receive thiamine supplements and Drug rehabilitation potentially anticonvulsants if you’re at high seizure risk. In severe cases, you’ll need hospitalization where medication effectiveness can be closely monitored. Don’t attempt to manage withdrawal without medical supervision, as it can be life-threatening. The first step of substance use disorder treatment is withdrawal management. This is where you stop taking the substance, allowing it to leave your body.

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As withdrawal progresses, symptoms may become more disruptive and affect daily functioning. Moderate symptoms often emerge within the first one to two days and may fluctuate in intensity, similar to effects described in the short-term effects of alcohol. Several genes that may increase an individual’s susceptibility to AUD by affecting alcohol metabolism, brain chemistry, and reward systems. Numerous other genes influence the brain’s sensitivity to alcohol’s effects (e.g., DRD2, OPRM1 genes).

While withdrawal can be uncomfortable and even dangerous without proper medical care, it’s also temporary. Understanding the typical timeline and what to expect during each phase can help you plan for a safe detox and give you hope that relief is on the horizon. Maintain hydration by sipping water throughout the day and consider oral rehydration solutions to restore electrolyte balance.