Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome – Side Effects, Symptoms, and Treatment

A heavy drinker can suffer from various ailments in different stages of his life. It can affect both physical and mental health subsequently. When these heavy drinkers stop consuming alcohol suddenly, they may experience a disorder, namely Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome (AWS).

A person may develop mild to serious symptoms depending on their drinking habits. An individual who is an occasional drinker may be relieved of such disorder.

AWS relays to the symptoms and behavioural changes that a heavy drinker may suffer from after stopping or significantly reducing alcohol intake. A person may develop both physical and mental symptoms. Anxiety attacks, fatigue, nausea, and hallucination, are some of the most common signs that one may experience in most cases. In extreme cases, it can cause death as well.

Signs and symptoms of alcohol withdrawal occur in stages depending on how long and how much a person drinks. Here are the intervals in which AWS can occur after one’s last drink period –

1. Signs and Symptoms after 6 Hours to 2 Days

• Increased heart rate
• Anxiety
• Vomiting
• High blood pressure
• Headache
• Sweating
• Nightmares
• Irritability
• Nausea
• Confusion
• Insomnia

2. Signs and Symptoms after a Day or Two

• Hallucinations
• Seizures
• Feel, or hear things that don't exist near them.

3. Signs and Symptoms after Two to Three Days

• Confusion
• Racing heart
• High blood pressure
• Fever
• Heavy sweating

AWS is caused when one’s central nervous system no longer adapts to the body’s nil alcohol content. If an individual inhibits excessive drinking habits, it can excite and irritate the nervous system causing various signs and symptoms. The sudden stop or reduction in drinking habits is the leading cause of AWS.

People with a strong addiction to alcohol, who have maintained this habit regularly are at a high risk of developing AWS. Though it is more prevalent in adults, teenagers and children also indulge in binge drinking habits and develop withdrawal syndrome due to various scenarios.

A physician reviews the medical history and conducts a physical test. They will look for the following signs –

• Hand tremors
• Dehydration
• Irregular heart rate
• Fever

The physician may perform a toxicology screen to test the amount of alcohol content in one’s body. Further, inspection is done to know how severe the following symptoms are and graded on a scale of 1 to 10 –

• Auditory hallucination
• Agitation
• Anxiety
• Inability in thinking clearly
• Uncontrollable or sudden sweating
• Headache
• Visual disturbances
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Tactile disturbances
• Tremor

Treatment for Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome is based on the severity of symptoms an individual inhibits. Following are the ways of treatment –

1. Home care

A family member or friend can monitor the symptoms and act upon them while staying at home. The person responsible for caring for the patient should create a supportive environment and remain attentive while keeping tabs on regular checkups and counselling appointments.

2. Hospitalisation

In cases of supervised monitoring where symptoms are more apparent, a person has to be hospitalised. Upon complications, intravenous fluids and medicines are prescribed for the same.

3. Medications

Some sedatives are prescribed to curb anxiety attacks and relax the nerve muscles. It includes medicines like –

• Chlordiazepoxide
• Alprazolam (Xanax)
• Lorazepam (Ativan)

The best way is to avoid regular or excessive drinking. A person who suffers from this disorder should be monitored attentively to curb future mishaps. Upon any complications, one should consult a physician for expert advice and further examine the symptoms' severity.

It is clear now that alcohol withdrawal syndrome is a dangerous disorder that can happen to anyone at any stage of life if one indulges in binge drinking habits. Apart from anxiety, hallucinations, and fatigue, it can also cause severe damage to the body's liver and other internal organs. Though there are treatment plans for rehab and medication, there are no full-proof solutions. As “prevention is better than cure”, one must change their habits of regular drinking to prevent the occurrence of such disorder and lead a happy and healthy lifestyle thereafter.