For example, a blood or saliva test can detect alcohol in the blood for up to 12 hours. A urine test can detect alcohol for hours and even more than 72 hours after excessive alcohol drinking. Follow-up care takes place after your release from inpatient rehab.

Although you might be tempted to tough out withdrawal symptoms by yourself, it’s not worth the risk. During alcohol detox, medication can ease your discomfort and prevent symptoms from worsening. One person may complete detox within a few days while another struggles and experiences symptoms for a week or more. However, how long it will take to detox is based on the severity of the addiction. Delirium tremens (DTs) is one of the most serious side effects of alcohol withdrawal.

Medical Professionals

People who experience severe withdrawal symptoms or DTs may require hospitalization or intensive care unit (ICU) treatment during alcohol. This article discusses alcohol withdrawal, its symptoms, and potential complications. It also provides an overview of the alcohol withdrawal timeline process and when to discuss your drinking with your healthcare provider. While minor alcohol withdrawal symptoms may not necessitate medical care, more severe symptoms may require medical detox and supervision. Minor symptoms of alcohol withdrawal can be overcome with rest and at-home remedies, and it is possible for some people to taper off alcohol without supervision. However, individuals who suffer from alcohol addiction require professional rehab.

The admissions process for alcohol detox includes a personal evaluation and intake exam, during which you may be asked about your alcohol consumption habits and your health history. Doctors may take blood or administer tests to evaluate your physical and mental health before beginning rehab. Symptoms can range from headache, elevated blood pressure, heart palpitations, and nausea and vomiting to tremors, hallucination and in severe cases death.

Behavioral Treatment

Behavioral therapies can help those struggling with alcohol abuse focus on avoiding old patterns and identify the root causes of addiction. We’ll be able to tell you if your insurance provider is in network with an American Addiction Centers treatment facility. We do not receive any commission or fee that is dependent upon which treatment provider a caller chooses. Alcohol detox side effects include both physical and psychological aspects.

• It’s different to ‘harmful drinking’ (another type of alcohol-use disorder) which is a pattern of heavy drinking which causes damage to your health, but without actual dependence.
• An intervention from loved ones can help some people recognize and accept that they need professional help.
• Quitting alcohol for good may feel less challenging when approached with a short-term goal, such as abstaining for a short period or a month.
• Withdrawal seizures are primary risk in DTs and patients who’ve gone through detox in the past are especially susceptible to.

In the years since I entered treatment, secured an AA sponsor, and forged friendships in sobriety that rival all the others in my life, I feel like a completely different person. I’m a married father of three young children who lives in Columbus, Ohio, along with a bossy cat named Dr. No. In some people, the symptoms may subside quickly within 5-7 days of manifesting.

Inpatient Treatment

Even just one bout of drinking too much may weaken your body’s germ-fighting power for up to 24 hours. Over time, large amounts of alcohol blunt your immune system and your body’s ability to repair itself. Counseling is usually recommended for someone experiencing alcohol withdrawal. A counselor can advise on ways to cope with the mental and emotional aspects of withdrawal. By Sarah Bence, OTR/L

Sarah Bence, OTR/L, is an occupational therapist and freelance writer.

A weakened immune system has a harder time protecting you from germs and viruses. That’s because drinking during pregnancy doesn’t just affect your health. Excessive drinking may affect your menstrual cycle and potentially increase alcohol detox side effects your risk for infertility. Over time, drinking can also damage your frontal lobe, the part of the brain responsible for executive functions, like abstract reasoning, decision making, social behavior, and performance.

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Individuals most at risk of delirium tremens have acute medical illness, a history of withdrawal seizures, abnormal liver function, or are of an older age. Another factor that can influence alcohol withdrawal symptoms is using other drugs and alcohol simultaneously. Some people are able to recover from mild alcohol use problems without experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms, while others have symptoms that could cause permanent disability or death. Make sure that you do not waste this chance because every failed shot at withdrawal makes the next attempt more difficult to pull off successfully. Ensure your health and safety by learning all you can about alcohol withdrawal timeline and symptoms.

• A small percentage of people going through alcohol withdrawal have hallucinations at this point.
• Common anticonvulsant drugs used to manage convulsions during withdrawal include carbamazepine, divalproex sodium, phenobarbital, levetiracetam, and clonazepam.
• Once detox is complete, you will likely begin the process of rehab.

Drinking alcohol can contribute to a variety of cognitive issues, including poor memory, slow reaction time, impaired impulse control, and poor concentration. Over time, drinking can also damage https://ecosoberhouse.com/ nerve cells and contribute to a loss of brain volume. “Furthermore, consistent use of alcohol to induce sleep only increases the need to use alcohol in the future to get to sleep,” he explains.