There are a lot of symptoms that may happen when a person suddenly stops drinking alcohol. These symptoms may take place after either chronic or prolonged ingestion of alcohol. While not everyone who stops drinking will experience withdrawal symptoms, most people who have been drinking heavily or for a long period of time will have some form of withdrawal symptoms.
It is hard to predict which symptoms an individual will experience. If you have been drinking for years or if you have been drinking alcohol in large amounts you may want to contact a professional before you stop drinking suddenly. Going cold turkey can be dangerous and may not be successful. Before you stop drinking there are some symptoms you should be aware of. There are both psychological and physical symptoms and they range from mild to moderate to severe. If you know about the symptoms before you quit you may have a better chance of managing them. You may have feelings of shakiness, nervousness or jumpiness. Your anxiety level may rise or you may be more irritable than usual. You also may become easily excited and have problems with fatigue or depression.
Other mild to moderate psychological symptoms include difficulty thinking clearly and bad dreams. You may experience emotional mood problems like emotional volatility or rapid emotional changes. Mild to moderate physical symptoms may include but are not limited to headaches, either pulsing or general, and sweating, especially the face or the palms of the hands. Your sleeping patterns may be disrupted and you may suffer from insomnia. You may experience nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite. Your heart may race and your skin may feel clammy. Other symptoms are hand tremors or abnormal and involuntary movements of the eyelids. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be severe.
People who stop drinking alcohol suddenly may suffer from convulsions and fever. They may also have problems with agitation and they may be confused. Delirium tremens can occur as well. There are times when a person who withdraws from the consumption of alcohol will have blackouts. This is when the person forgets what happened during a certain drinking episode. It is usually a good idea for someone who is struggling with an addiction to alcohol to get help rather than trying to stop drinking on their own. There are many trained professionals and excellent programs available. These people and programs know the best ways to handle alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
Before you try to stop drinking alcohol on your own, consider getting help. The withdrawal and recovery process can be easier if a person receives professional help. Support systems are available, too, and these are often extremely helpful. If you think alcohol has become a problem in your life, there are ways to handle the situation. Getting the help you need and the assistance to give up the addiction will lead to stop drinking surrounded by those who are trained to help.