I don't think that withdrawal symptoms are a given - when my AH was hospitalised he said they were watching him for symptoms, but he never displayed any (and I guess I would have seen had he suffered them as I was in daily). This is a guy who drinks maybe a dozen stubbies or more a night (not that I count ) (not sure of the US equivalent - a stubby is a 375ml bottle, and his beer of choice is 4.9% alcohol)