Alcohol withdrawal syndrome includes a range of symptoms experienced by individuals with a history of alcoholism upon cessation of drinking. Symptoms can vary from mild, such as insomnia and irritability, to severe, including fever and hallucinations, requiring medical attention to prevent complications. Support from family and treatment programs is crucial in overcoming the urges to drink during withdrawal.

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Fitango Education
Health Topics
Withdrawal

2. 1
Overview
Alcohol withdrawal syndrome is a set of symptoms
that people who have a history of alcoholism
experience when they stop drinking. People who
are casual drinkers rarely have withdrawal
symptoms.
People who have gone through withdrawal before
are more likely to have withdrawal symptoms each
time they quit drinking.

3. 2
Overview
Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal can range from
severe to mild, and can include:
-- Insomnia
-- Nightmares
-- Irritability
-- Fatigue

4. 3
Overview
-- Shakes
-- Sweats
-- Anxiety
-- Depression
-- Headaches
-- Decreased appetite

5. 4
Overview
Severe withdrawal symptoms include fever,
convulsions and delirium tremens (DTs). Those
who experience DTs may become confused,
anxious and even have hallucinations. DTs can be
very serious if they are not treated by a doctor.

6. 5
Medical attention for
withdrawal
Yes. A doctor needs to know you're going through
withdrawal so they can make sure it doesn't lead
to more serious problems. If you go through
withdrawal many times without getting treatment,
your next set of symptoms may be worse each
time. So even if your withdrawal symptoms are not
terrible, it's essential to consult a doctor. This is
especially true for those who have have
experienced severe withdrawal symptoms before
and people who have other health concerns, like
heart disease, lung disease

7. 6
Medical attention for
withdrawal
Those who quit using other drugs (tobacco,
injected drugs or cocaine) at the same time might
have severe withdrawal problems. They should see
a doctor before they quit.
**How can a doctor help me if I’m in
withdrawal?**

8. 7
Medical attention for
withdrawal
A doctor can provide the medical support you
need to succeed in your efforts to defeat
alcoholism. They can keep track of your symptoms
to help avoid any serious health problems.
A doctor can also prescribe medication to treat the
anxiety, shakes and confusion that can come with
alcohol withdrawal. If you are given these
medicines at the early stages of withdrawal, they
prevent your symptoms from getting worse.

9. 8
Medical attention for
withdrawal**What can my family and friends do to help me
while I'm through withdrawal?**The urge to drink during withdrawal can be very
strong. A support system built from your family
and friends can help you resist the urge to drink.
After the withdrawal symptoms go away, it's
important to join a treatment or sobriety program,
such as Alcoholics Anonymous. These programs
can provide the support to avoid relapse.

10. 9
Symptoms
Hippocrates, writing around 400 B.C., gave us our
first written clinical picture of alcohol withdrawal
when he wrote that if the patient is “in the prime
of life and if from drinking he has trembling
hands,” it may well be the case that the patient is
showing withdrawal signs and symptoms. To this
day, alcohol withdrawal remains underrecognized
and undertreated. The signs and symptoms of
acute alcohol withdrawal generally start 6 to 24
hours after the patient takes his last drink. Alcohol
wi

11. 10
Symptoms
Restlessness, irritability, anxiety, agitation
Anorexia (lack of appetite), nausea, vomiting
Tremor (shakiness), elevated heart rate, increased
blood pressure
Insomnia, intense dreaming, nightmares

12. 11
Symptoms
Poor concentration, impaired memory and
judgment
Increased sensitivity to sound, light, and tactile
sensations
Hallucinations (auditory, visual, or tactile)
Delusions, usually of paranoid or persecutory
varieties

13. 12
Symptoms
Grand mal seizures (grand mal seizures represent a
severe, generalized, abnormal electrical discharge
of the major portions of the brain, resulting in loss
of consciousness, brief cessation of breathing, and
muscle rigidity followed by muscle jerking; a brief
period of sleep, awakening later with some mild to
even severe confusion, generally occurs)
Hyperthermia (high fever)

14. 13
Symptoms
Delirium with disorientation with regard to time,
place, person, and situation; fluctuation in level of
consciousness

15. 14
Symptoms
Mild alcohol withdrawal generally consists of
anxiety, irritability, difficulty sleeping, and
decreased appetite. Severe alcohol withdrawal
usually is characterized by obvious trembling of the
hands and arms, sweating, elevation of pulse
(above 100) and blood pressure (greater than
140/90), nausea (sometimes with vomiting), and
hypersensitivity to noises (which seem louder than
usual) and light (which appears brighter than
usual). Brief periods of hearing and seeing things
that are not present (