When you consume a lot of alcohol on a regular basis, your brain chemistry changes over time to compensate for its sleepy effects. Whenever you give up drinking, your brain might become overstimulated, resulting in anxiety and depression. This is known as drug withdrawal.
Alcohol differs from other substances in terms of the risks involved with withdrawal. While not everyone has severe symptoms Timeline & Stages of Alcohol Withdrawal, others may experience potentially fatal seizures or other severe side effects.
Although alcohol withdrawal may be harmful for certain people that try to cleanse on their own without medical supervision, it’s critical to consult with your doctor before stopping drinking.
Timeline for Drug Withdrawal
According to Harvard Medical School, if your brain has accustomed to severe, long-term alcohol consumption, here’s what you could feel after you quit drinking. Symptoms and intensity differ from person to person, and you may require hospitalisation.
5 to 10 minutes after your previous alcoholic beverage: Tremors, a rise or drop in blood pressure, fast breathing, sweating, vomiting, irritability, difficulty sleeping, anxiety, and a rapid pulse are all possible symptoms.
These initial symptoms peak between 24 and 48 hours. You may notice symptoms, in which you see, hear, or feel things that aren’t actually there. This can persist up to two days, and in some cases much longer.
It frequently need treatment in an emergency department. Dehydration, fast heartbeat, elevated blood pressure, and decreased blood supply to the brain can all result from this disease.
Confusion, loss of consciousness, aggressive or anxious behaviour, hallucinations, drenching sweats, and disrupted sleep are among symptoms. Psychotic symptoms tremens occurs in just around 5% of persons who experience alcohol withdrawal, but it kills up to 1 in every 20 people developing it.