If you drink alcohol regularly and then suddenly stop, you may go through some physical and emotional problems while the alcohol clears out of your system. Clearing the alcohol from your body is called detoxification, or detox. Physical and emotional problems that may happen during detox are called withdrawal.
Symptoms of withdrawal can be uncomfortable. Mild symptoms include nausea and vomiting, sweating, shakiness, and intense worry. Severe symptoms include being confused and irritable, feeling things on your body that are not there, seeing or hearing things that are not there, and trembling. You may even have seizures. If your symptoms become severe, see a doctor right away. People who drink large amounts of alcohol should not try to detox at home. A person can die of severe alcohol withdrawal.
Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal may start a few hours after you stop drinking. Or they may not start until a few days after the last drink. They can last a few weeks.
It is hard to stop drinking. But when you have cleared the alcohol from your system, you will be able to start the next part of your life.
Call 911 anytime you think you may need emergency care. For example, call if:
If you are caring for someone who is going through detox, call if:
Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:
Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor if:
Where to get help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
If you or someone you know talks about suicide, self-harm, a mental health crisis, a substance use crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress, get help right away. You can:
Consider saving these numbers in your phone.
Go to 988lifeline.org for more information or to chat online.
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