Anyone who has ever experienced a hangover has experienced a very mild case of alcohol withdrawal. But when a person regularly uses alcohol for extended periods of time, the body becomes more dependent on alcohol. When that happens, withdrawal symptoms can become much more difficult to manage.
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can feel like they take over your life. Fatigue, headache, and irritability occur very commonly. Nausea and vomiting can be present as well, although it is a common misconception that you only throw up when your body is trying to get rid of excess alcohol. Mood swings and cloudy thinking make it difficult to get along with others, while anxiety, nervousness and depression can make it difficult to get along with yourself. Clamminess, tremors and nightmares can all be caused by alcohol withdrawal as well.
Any "hangover" after drinking is usually a mild case of alcohol withdrawal, but after extended periods of time these symptoms can evolve into more complicated related illnesses. Tremors may become persistent, along with elevated heart rates and blood pressure. These problems lead to more problems until seeking help for alcohol withdrawal becomes seeking help for long-term alcohol dependence.
As a person become more and more addicted to alcohol, "hangover" withdrawal symptoms no longer disappear after a few hours. When withdrawal symptoms are persistent enough to last more than 36 hours after the last drink, they begin to become more serious and effect the patient's daily life.
Untreated, alcohol withdrawal and the problems associated with alcohol abuse can lead to death. If a long term alcoholic develops health conditions related to alcohol and is hospitalized, the withdrawal in the hospital can be severe enough to put the patient into danger.
The symptoms of alcohol withdrawal are pretty commonly known; yet many people do not take these symptoms seriously. Brushing off these symptoms as harmless is a mistake if it leads to an increase in alcohol use. In as little as a few months, heavy regular drinking can lead to moderate to severe alcohol withdrawal. Talk to your doctor about any alcohol withdrawal symptoms that you are experiencing.
