The duration of alcohol withdrawal or the alcohol withdrawal timeline along with the process of detox can start within some hours of discontinuation of drinking. Mainly, symptoms of alcohol withdrawal occur in those who are heavy drinkers.
However, not all will experience the same withdrawal symptoms as some people can experience symptoms with less severity as compared to others. You will experience severe symptoms if you.
- Are you a heavy drinker
- Drinking for a long period
- Had withdrawals before
- Have other kind of health conditions
Alcohol withdrawal initiation
Alcohol withdrawal starts when the level of alcohol in your bloodstream comes down below the normal level. Mild symptoms begin as early as six hours after your last drink for many people. The alcohol withdrawal timeline depends on some factors like age, gender, and overall health and use history of alcohol.
Withdrawal symptoms also start when the use of alcohol is decreased but is not completely stopped. The initiation of alcohol withdrawal symptoms might be long and less obvious in such situations.
Alcohol withdrawal timeline
How long alcohol withdrawal will last is different for different people and it is mainly based on how heavily and how frequently you are using. Some of the physical symptoms of alcohol withdrawal normally peak around 48-72 hours after your last drink and can last 7-10 days, but can sometimes last as long as two weeks. Symptoms that appear post two weeks are mainly psychological and can last up to several months in many cases.
Even if your symptoms might not follow this timeline, most people recover within a week. For those whose symptoms last longer, there is a great chance that they experience the fourth stage of alcohol withdrawal. The withdrawal symptoms of alcohol withdrawal vary from person to person, but in general, the timeline can be divided into four different stages:
- Stage 1: In the first 6-12 hours, people might experience headaches, stomach pains, poor appetite, and nausea including anxiety. Sometimes there is a change in blood pressure, insomnia and other kinds of sleep issues as well. Maximum people will recover from withdrawal after they go through these symptoms and typically the first stage lasts for about 7 days.
- Stage 2: In the next 12-48 hours, withdrawal escalates including symptoms such as hallucinations and seizures. More than 5% of the people who go through alcohol withdrawal without any treatment have the possibility of entering this stage and having seizures. If in case, there are no severe symptoms after 48 hours, then there is very little chance that you will get it. But still, there is the possibility that they will develop alcohol withdrawal seizures later on in life. Go for medical assistance. The second stage of alcohol withdrawal usually reaches a peak between 24-72 hours after the last drink of the person.
- Stage 3: Then in 48-72 hours, withdrawal symptoms include fever, confusion, quick heart rate, delirium tremens which is a fatal condition. This stage is often marked by some severe symptoms that have an impact on major body systems. People entering this stage eventually develop delirium tremens also called DTs. Some of the symptoms of DT are
- Audio and visual hallucinations
- Mood changes
- Severe sweating
- Burst of energy
- Mental confusion
- Fever
- Agitation
- Sleeplessness
Maximum people who get DT because of alcohol do so in 48-72 hours post they stop drinking. This makes their first initial days after quitting drinking the most important and dangerous time of the period of withdrawal. You need to get medical care in this phase, especially when you have symptoms of DTs. The third stage mainly lasts for 2-3 days, but sometimes it lingers up to a week.
- Stage 4: Withdrawal symptoms start improving after 72 hours and slowly start dissipating in the next four to seven days. Many people get alcohol withdrawal symptoms for a long period after quitting drinking. This is known as post-acute withdrawal syndrome and its symptoms include trouble sleeping and mood issues. The fourth stage usually lasts anywhere between 6 months to 2 years.
Cause of alcohol withdrawal
People who drink alcohol in substantial amounts or who drink regularly can develop a chemical dependency on the substance. So, when they stop drinking suddenly, the body and neurotransmitters along the brain go into a state of shock. Alcohol consumption heavily suppresses the neurotransmitters of the brain, so when alcohol use is stopped, the neurotransmitters get readjusted to gain the sensitivity required for functioning correctly.
Here are some of the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal:
- Irritation
- Depression
- Fatigue
- Vomiting
- Sweating
- Depression
- Rapid heart rate
- Dehydration
- Nausea
- Tremors
- Seizures
- Mood swings
Factors that influence alcohol withdrawal timeline
The alcohol withdrawal timeline is not the same for all people and it greatly depends on various factors such as:
- Weight
- Frequency of drinking
- Amount of alcohol intake
- When alcohol is taken with other substances
- Mental health conditions
Conclusion
It is important to seek medical attention for managing alcohol withdrawal symptoms and treatment highly depends on the extent of damage to the organ. It also depends on whether or not the person continues drinking after rehabilitation. Months after treatment, patients might experience disturbance in sleep, mood changes along low energy levels. Complete recovery is possible but if again the patient returns to drinking, they are at risk of getting some serious health conditions.
