What is Alcohol Withdrawal and Why Does it Happen?
When you have been engaging in heavy alcohol consumption or alcohol abuse behaviors, the impact that alcohol can have on your body can become serious, sometimes leading to alcohol use disorders. Individuals that engage in chronic alcohol consumption will find that their bodies become physically dependent on alcohol to function and feel normal. As your body develops a physical dependence to alcohol, if you were to attempt to quit drinking abruptly, you will find that you will experience negative side effects known as alcohol withdrawal syndrome.
When Does Alcohol Withdrawal Start?
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms will vary in severity depending on your specific history of alcohol abuse. When you engage in heavy drinking patterns or binge drinking behaviors, the onset of withdrawal symptoms can occur within the first 8 hours since your last alcoholic drink. Depending on the severity of your alcohol abuse, the withdrawal symptoms that you will experience can range from mild to severe symptoms.
Early Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms
Substance abusers that are engaging in alcohol abuse and are ready to quit drinking will have to first go through the alcohol detox process first. Depending on the severity of your alcohol use disorders, you will experience various signs and symptoms of alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Common withdrawal symptoms that individuals will experience in early alcohol detox and withdrawal are:
- Irritability
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Excessive sweating
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Drastic mood swings
- Rapid, increased heart rate
- Hand or body tremors
- Increased blood pressure
- Extreme fatigue
- Seizures
- Hallucinations
- In severe alcohol abuse cases, individuals may experience symptoms of delirium tremens which can cause serious and sometimes life threatening withdrawal symptoms
For individuals that are experiencing signs and symptoms of delirium tremens is one of the most extreme withdrawal symptoms that occurs after a person engages in serious, severe alcohol consumption. When a person has stopped drinking after long term significant alcohol consumption, your body has developed a severe chemical dependence to alcohol that can cause severe withdrawal symptoms that can be fatal in 5%-15% of the cases of individuals going through delirium tremens. If you are experiencing delirium tremens, it is important that you go through your alcohol detox within a medical detox program that has the supervision of health care professionals.
Are Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms a Sign of Addiction?
When a person is experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms, it is an indicator that your body has developed a physical addiction and dependence to alcohol. When your body becomes alcohol dependent is often one of the first indicators that your alcohol consumption has become worrisome and entering into an alcohol addiction. Individuals that are experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms are encouraged to enter into an alcohol detox program followed by an alcohol rehab program afterwards that will work with you to understand the underlying causes of alcohol addiction while learning the tools for living in sobriety.
Managing Withdrawal with Medical Detox at Serenity Oaks
At Serenity Oaks, we understand the nature of alcohol addiction and the impacts alcohol abuse can have on a person’s physical and mental health. Undergoing an alcohol detox process will bring about mild to moderate to severe withdrawal symptoms depending on the severity of your alcohol consumption. As withdrawal symptoms can have the potential of becoming life threatening, it is important that you detox from alcohol within a medical detox program. The medical team and addiction counselors at Serenity Oaks will ensure that you have the ongoing supervision throughout your alcohol detox to provide you with the medical treatments and addiction therapy support that will maintain your physical and mental health. Your safety and comfortability are our highest priority, and our team will be by your side every step of the way to ensure that your alcohol detox goes smoothly. Contact Serenity Oaks today at (833) 720-0708 to hear more about the individualized treatment that we provide our patients going through alcohol detox and get started on your alcohol addiction recovery process today.
