The Most Common Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

Although it is legal for those over the age of twenty-one, alcohol is a dangerous drug that causes serious issues for millions of Americans. Alcohol abuse is one of the leading causes of car accidents and violent assaults, and is frequently at the heart of devastating personal issues. If you struggle with alcohol abuse you could lose your job, your family and perhaps even your life. The road to recovery starts by acknowledging you have a problem. But many people don’t actually know they have a problem, or are unwilling to admit the possibility. One way to determine if you have an issue with alcohol is if you experience withdrawal symptoms when you stop drinking. You’ll notice these if you’ve been drinking for quite a long time, if you drink heavily or more frequently than is healthy. Here are some of the most common alcohol withdrawal symptoms you could experience.

If you have a moderate or a mild alcohol issue, there will be some psychological symptoms when you stop drinking. Although more than fourteen million Americans struggle with alcohol addiction, many of them won’t know it, or believe they are dealing with some other sort of problem. You’ll notice an overall feeling of anxiety, or will simply be nervous or jumpy. You’ll feel mentally shaken up, and won’t be able to effectively pull your thoughts together. You could be irritable, emotionally volatile or easily excited. On the other end of the spectrum you could experience moderate fatigue or depression. You might even suffer from nightmares. In general you can expect some of these symptoms to be present, but you probably won’t experience them all at the same time.

The list of physical symptoms from mild to moderate alcohol withdrawal is extensive. Anyone who has had a night of binge drinking knows that a headache will probably be in the cards for the next day. But you’ll also experience sweating, usually confined to your face or your palms. In more severe cases you could experience nausea and bouts of vomiting. Your complexion will go pale, your heart will palpitate, and your pupils will be dilated. You might notice slight tremors in your hands, or general physical shakiness. Some people even move in an abnormal or involuntary manner. You could have trouble sleeping, and lose your appetite. In all, it’s not a pleasant experience.

Those moderate symptoms are difficult, but they’re a walk in the park compared to more severe symptoms. If you’ve been drinking heavily for an extended period of time and then quit cold turkey, you’ll experience severe agitation, and even some aggressive tendencies. Long time alcoholics report actual hallucinations and massive confusion. You’ve probably heard of this described as delirium tremens. A physical sickness will follow, including severe convulsions, fever and vomiting. Hopefully you’ll know someone with QLD first aid training, or at least have some sort of access to first aid resources. Withdrawal on this scale should not be attempted without medical oversight. In the most massive cases death can occur, so you should only attempt to clear your system of alcohol with professional supervision.