People who are physically dependent on alcohol go through a period of withdrawal upon cessation or significantly lowered consumption. Generally, most cases of alcohol withdrawal require treatment of symptoms as they occur. However, in cases of heavy or long-term drinking, medical intervention may be required to prevent very serious conditions. So, how is alcohol withdrawal treated?
Alcohol Withdrawal Effects
You will usually feel alcohol withdrawal symptoms within 8 hours of the last drink, however the effects can last for many days. Symptoms peak 24 to 48 hours later, then diminish, but some symptoms can persist for weeks. These are known as protracted symptoms, like sleeping disorders or mood disorders. Alcohol withdrawal can be broken down into three stages:
Stage 1: Anxiety, insomnia, nausea, and abdominal pain characterize this stage, which begins 8 hours after the last drink.
Stage 2: High blood pressure, increased body temperature, unusual heart rate, and confusion come with this stage, which begins 24-72 hours after the last drink.
Stage 3: Hallucinations, fever, seizures, and agitation come with this stage, which tends to begin 72+ hours after the last drink.
Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms
Signals of alcohol withdrawal may include any combination of generalized hyperactivity, anxiety, tremor, sweating, nausea, retching, tachycardia, hypertension and mild pyrexia. The most common effects of withdrawal from alcohol include:agitation
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Difficulty in concentrating
- Disorientation
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Heightened sensitivity to light and sound
- Irritability
- Mood swings
- Nausea
Treatment for Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms
The primary goals of alcohol treatment are to reduce the intensity of withdrawal symptoms, to prevent the complications arising from alcohol abuse, and to provide therapy to help the person stop drinking. Anyone who goes through alcohol withdrawal should receive a physical examination to detect conditions such as irregular heartbeat, inadequate heart function, liver disease, pancreatic disease, infectious diseases, digestive system bleeding, and/or nervous system impairment.
Mild-to-moderate alcohol withdrawal symptoms can often be treated in an outpatient setting. You will need someone to commit to staying with you during this process and who can keep an eye on you. For serious cases of alcohol withdrawal you may need inpatient treatment at a hospital or other facility that can treat it.
Serenity Oaks Wellness is a 5-week long treatment program where clients regain their ability to live and restore their confidence in living without drugs and alcohol. We seek to adorn each client with the tools and foundation they need for living a beautiful life of recovery. Call us today for information: 844-720-6847
