Physical Symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal

Up to 2 million people each year in the United States experience the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. Alcoholism is a significant problem: the rate of American men who qualify as alcoholics at some time in their lives is as high as 20 percent. For women, this number is up to 10 percent. Recognizing the physical signs of alcohol withdrawal is crucial to knowing when treatment is needed.

Types

Sudden withdrawal from alcohol can cause nausea---with or without vomiting---insomnia, tremors and, in extreme cases, seizures and hallucinations.

Effects

Heavy alcohol consumption inhibits brain neuroreceptors. When consumption is stopped, these receptors are then uninhibited, which causes hyperexcitability.

Detoxification

Night sweats are common when going through alcohol withdrawal because the body is ridding itself of built-up toxins.

Sleep

Alcohol withdrawal has marked effects on sleep, manifesting as temporary insomnia or hypersomnia, nightmares and night sickness.

Warning

Pay attention to your body's signals when you quit drinking alcohol. Blood pressure can skyrocket, and the body's electrolyte balance may become severely skewed, requiring medical treatment.

Resources

• Withdrawal Symptoms of Alcohol
• Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome
• Prevalence of Alcoholism