Alcohol Withdrawal: Symptoms + Timeline
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be dangerous when you don’t seek professional treatment. Get help today with Creekside Recovery Group.
The effects of untreated alcohol abuse and addiction can be devastating. For example, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has estimated that alcohol abuse is responsible for about 140,000 deaths in the United States every year.
One of the reasons why many people continue to compulsively abuse alcohol is that the alcohol withdrawal timeline can include a variety of painful and potentially dangerous symptoms. Thankfully, when people receive appropriate care from a reputable provider, they can safely complete the alcohol withdrawal timeline and make the lifestyle changes that will support successful long-term recovery.
At Creekside Recovery Group, we partner with local detox programs to help facilitate alcohol detox before coming to our programs.
What is Alcohol Withdrawal?
When a person has been abusing alcohol for an extended period of time, their body will adapt to the presence of this substance. When they abruptly stop drinking, or when they are unable to acquire and use alcohol, their body will react with a variety of distressing physical and psychological symptoms. This experience is known as withdrawal.
The onset of withdrawal symptoms is a classic sign that a person has become addicted to alcohol. The types of symptoms a person experiences, the severity of these symptoms, and the duration of the alcohol withdrawal timeline can vary depending on factors such as how much alcohol a person typically drinks and how long they have been engaging in this behavior.
Symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal
When someone who is addicted to alcohol tries to stop drinking, they may develop the following symptoms of alcohol withdrawal:
- Powerful cravings for alcohol
- Headaches
- Excessive perspiration
- Nausea and vomiting
- Tics and tremors
- Inability to sleep (insomnia)
- Exhaustion
- Anxiety
- Dramatic mood swings
About Delirium Tremens (DTs)
Delirium tremens, which is also referred to as alcohol withdrawal delirium or the DTs, is a set of particularly severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Experts estimate that 3%-5% of people who go through alcohol withdrawal will experience the DTs.
On the alcohol withdrawal timeline, delirium tremens symptoms typically begin to occur within 48-72 hours after a person has stopped drinking. These symptoms may persist for five days.
People who develop delirium tremens during alcohol withdrawal will experience the following types of symptoms:
- Visual hallucinations (seeing people, objects, or light patterns that don’t actually exist)
- Auditory hallucinations (hearing voices or other sounds that aren’t real)
- Tactile hallucinations (feeling unpleasant sensations such as bugs crawling over or under the skin, even though this is not occurring)
- Extreme confusion and disorientation
- Rapid heart rate and increased blood pressure
- Dangerously high body temperature
- Respiratory depression (slowed breathing, which can cause oxygen deprivation)
- Paranoia
- Uncontrollable shaking
- Seizure
In addition to being highly distressing, the symptoms of delirium tremens can also be extremely dangerous, and even deadly. According to an August 2022 StatPearls article on the website of the National Library of Medicine, untreated delirium tremens has a mortality rate of about 37%. Among people who receive timely professional care for the DTs, the death rate is below 5%.
Causes of Withdrawal
Many experts believe that alcohol withdrawal symptoms are related to alcohol’s effect on the production and functioning of certain neurotransmitters in the body’s central nervous system.
For example, alcohol affects the balance of two important neurotransmitters, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate. According to a July 2012 study in the journal Alcohol and Alcoholism, an elevated concentration of glutamate during early alcohol withdrawal is associated with the immediate onset of more severe symptoms.
This study also reported that patients who were hospitalized for delirium during the alcohol withdrawal timeline had higher serum values for glutamate and lower values for GABA than did subjects who didn’t have the DTs or who weren’t addicted to alcohol.
About Alcohol Addiction
The clinical term for alcohol addiction is alcohol use disorder. The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) characterizes alcohol use disorder as “a problematic pattern of alcohol use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress.”
When someone becomes addicted to alcohol, they lose the ability to control how much and how often they drink. This overwhelming compulsion to drink can have a profound negative impact on a person’s physical, psychological, and social well-being.
The potential negative effects of untreated alcohol addiction include organ damage, cognitive impairments, ruined relationships, job loss, financial difficulties, the onset or worsening of co-occurring mental health disorders, and an increased risk of suicide.
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), nearly 15 million Americans ages 12 and above meet the clinical criteria for a diagnosis of alcohol use disorder. The NIAAA has also reported that less than 10% of people who developed an addiction to alcohol received treatment in the past 12 months.
Signs and Symptoms of Alcohol Addiction
The following are common signs and symptoms of alcohol addiction:
- Feeling the urge to drink every day or nearly every day
- Using alcohol to feel happiness or deal with stress
- Becoming agitated or irritable if you can’t acquire or use alcohol
- Frequently missing school or work because of your alcohol use
- Failing to meet personal responsibilities because you’ve been drinking
- Lying or being otherwise deceptive about the amount and frequency of your alcohol use
- Consuming alcohol in ways that are clearly hazardous, such as combining it with other drugs or driving while under the influence of alcohol
- Continuing to drink after incurring physical, occupational, or social harm as a direct result of prior alcohol abuse
- Needing to consume larger amounts of alcohol to experience the effects that you used to feel after just a few drinks
- Trying to stop drinking, but being unable to quit
Alcohol Withdrawal Timeline
Factors such as how much and how long a person has been drinking can influence the duration of the alcohol withdrawal timeline. In general, though, alcohol withdrawal progresses in the following manner:
- The first symptoms of alcohol withdrawal may occur as soon as six hours after your last drink.
- These initial symptoms may last for about a week. For many people, this is the extent of the alcohol withdrawal timeline.
- About 48 hours after their last drink, some people begin to develop symptoms of the DTs, which may include seizures, uncontrolled shaking, and hallucinations.
- If a person receives proper treatment, the DTs usually subside in three to five days.
- For most people, the alcohol withdrawal timeline ends within a week or two. However, some people experience long-term physical and mental distress. This experience, which is known as post-acute withdrawal syndrome, or PAWS, can last for a year or more.
Find Help Now.
At Creekside Recovery Group, we believe that long-term recovery is possible. Our practical programs can help you and a loved one
Treatment Options for Alcohol Addiction
If you’re seeking alcohol addiction treatment for yourself or a loved one, it can be valuable to take the time to fully research your options. There is no single path to recovery that is ideal for every person. Instead, what’s most important is finding the provider whose services and approach to alcohol addiction treatment seem to align most closely with your needs and preferences (or those of your loved one).
When you are evaluating treatment providers, one of the first features to consider is which levels of care they provide. Depending on how you have been impacted by alcohol addiction, you may need to receive treatment at one or more of the following levels:
Detoxification
Commonly referred to as detox, detoxification is a short-term program that can help people progress through the alcohol withdrawal timeline as safely and comfortably as possible. Detox can be especially important for people who are at risk for developing delirium tremens.
Residential Treatment
In residential rehab, you will live at the facility where you’re receiving treatment. Features of residential care include full days of treatment, multiple forms of therapy, nutritious meals, and round-the-clock supervision.
Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
Treatment in a Partial Hospitalization Program usually includes full days of care without a residential requirement. When the treatment day is done, you can return to your home or to a supported sober living environment.
Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
Intensive Outpatient Programs typically offer partial days of treatment, three to five days per week. When the IOP is not in session, you may work part-time, attend classes, participate in volunteer activities, or otherwise engage in a healthy independent life.
Outpatient Rehab
Traditional outpatient rehab services offer the greatest degree of flexibility. You may participate in treatment once or twice a week, or at a different frequency if that’s best for you.
Some people step down to PHPs, IOPs, or traditional outpatient rehabs for additional support after they have completed detox and/or residential programming. Others enter treatment directly at one of the outpatient levels.
Therapies Utilized For Alcohol Addiction
Depending on which level of care you are in, your treatment may include elements such as the following:
Medication
Both during and after your time in detox, you may benefit from having certain prescription medications incorporated into your alcohol addiction treatment plan.
Individual Therapy
One-on-one conversations with an experienced professional can be ideal opportunities to process your experiences and discuss personal matters that you may be hesitant to bring up in a group setting.
Group Therapy
During group sessions, you can gain vital insights into addiction and recovery, practice relapse-prevention skills, and share support with others who have had similar challenges and who are working toward a common goal.
Family Therapy
Family therapy sessions can help your loved ones address how they have been impacted by your struggles with addiction. During family therapy, you and your loved ones can begin to mend your relationships and learn how to better support each other.
Trauma Treatment
Many people who become addicted to alcohol have a history of untreated trauma. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy and other appropriate trauma services can be an essential component of treatment for alcoholism.
Medically Reviewed
Erika Dalton, LMSW
Erika Dalton, LMSW is a Licensed Master Social Worker and Director of Quality Control at Creekside Recovery Group
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Find Help for Alcohol Withdrawal Today
The Creekside Recovery Network is a trusted source of quality care for adults whose lives have been disrupted by alcohol abuse and addiction. At facilities within our network, patients receive personalized treatment and compassionate support from teams of skilled professionals. We offer multiple levels of care, a customizable array of therapies and support services, and detailed discharge planning to promote long-term success.
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