At some point in your past, you probably shook your head when someone told you about their worst alcohol withdrawal symptoms. You may have secretly wondered how they got themselves so far down the road of drinking that they suffered the hallucinations and seizures they explained to you in detail—until you found yourself on that same path, that is.
No one thinks of alcohol withdrawal symptoms until they cannot lift their head from their pillow the next morning. You may never consider the effects of extreme drinking (and stopping suddenly) until you see something that does not exist staring at you from the corner of the room.
If you experience alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) after a period of heavy drinking, you need to watch out for severe symptoms like these, and you need to get help fast.
Severe Withdrawal Symptoms That Can Lead to Hospitalization
Alcohol is the most commonly used intoxicant in the U.S. Over 75% of people aged 12 and older have been drinking alcohol throughout their lives. Worldwide, around 237 million men and 46 million women suffer from an alcohol use disorder.
While some stay on the low-risk end of the alcohol use spectrum, others develop a condition known as severe alcohol use disorder (AUD). The more they drink alcohol, the higher the risk of severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
Fortunately, most cases of AWS are mild. However, severe symptoms do occur and can cause life-threatening complications. When this happens, hospitalization and treatment centre care are necessary.
The worst of alcohol withdrawal symptoms include hallucinations, delirium tremens (DTs), and seizures.
Delerium Tremens
Delerium tremens happens in around 5% of severe withdrawal syndrome cases. If you suffer from DTs, you will feel irritable and confused. You will experience tremors, feel nauseous, and vomit.
As your symptoms progress over five days, you may experience hallucinations and seizures. You may feel anxious or agitated and suffer psychosis symptoms. DTs often cause heavy sweating and a high body temperature.
Hallucinations
If you do not seek help, your withdrawal symptoms may escalate to visual hallucinations. Those who experience this symptom become terrified, and their reaction resembles that of a schizophrenic patient. This is mainly because both visual and auditory hallucinations are threatening.
For many who go through alcohol withdrawal, it seems as though the hallucinations will harm them.
Hallucinations can take on the form of monsters, vicious animals, insects, or even visions. They cause delusion and fear, especially when accompanied by sounds only you can hear. Unfortunately, hallucinations may also escalate into seizures.
Seizures
Alcoholic or withdrawal seizures result from withdrawal after heavy drinking or alcohol poisoning. If you suffer from a seizure during withdrawal, you will experience convulsions, muscle contractions, vomiting, and difficulty breathing.
If someone is with you while you experience a seizure, they must call emergency services immediately. Withdrawal seizures and DTs are a medical emergency and need prompt treatment.
What to Do Before Withdrawal Symptoms Arise
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms will start around four days after your last drink. The worst alcohol withdrawal symptoms tend to happen on day three.
Support during this time is crucial, especially from nearby loved ones and a medical professional on standby. If your symptoms remain mild, you may also want to join a support group.
Your support strategy should form part of a crisis plan, which allows you to anticipate what will happen and what to expect.
However, if you begin to experience severe symptoms at any point, you must seek help. Do not wait for them to get worse.
Alcohol Withdrawal Does Not Only Happen to Other People
It is also important to realize that severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms are not a horror story that only happens to others. If you suddenly stop drinking after a period of binge drinking, your body will react in a way you are unprepared for.
You should not attempt to ‘wait it out’ or ‘see what happens.’ Without the appropriate treatment, the mortality rate of DTs alone is 37%. This is why it is so crucial to identify the early symptoms of withdrawal before they escalate to the point where they become fatal.
Getting the Help and Care You Need
The stark reality is that not everyone seeks help when they experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms. You may have a group of friends who encourage you to keep drinking even though your drinking often gets out of hand.
You may already realize you cannot stop drinking even though you want to, but feelings of shame and embarrassment prevent you from getting the help you need.
Deciding to stop drinking is the first step. You can only do it on your own. However, you do not have to go through the rest of the process on your own.
Your crisis plan should include attending a facility where your well-being and health are top priorities. It should be a place where you can still enjoy the comforts you are used to and experience the outdoors while you heal.
The facility should help you overcome the fear of stigma and find the source of your reliance on alcohol. You should be able to work on your physical and mental health as you work towards recovery.
Most importantly, you should not lose contact with your loved ones. Having their support and speaking to them whenever you need to will make the process of healing that much easier.
Overcome the Worst With HARP
The qualified clinicians at the Hills & Ranges Private luxury rehabilitation centre offer all this and more. They also know how hard it is to ask for help when needed. At the same time, they also know how important it is that people realize what may happen if they do not seek treatment for alcoholism and alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
Located in gorgeous settings, the HARP facility balances clinical, educational, and therapeutic therapies to help clients through the worst. This program can help you through your worst experiences, too.
HARP offers superior care and an approach to overcoming alcohol use that is aimed at long-term recovery.
If you are ready to take the first step toward sustainable rehabilitation, get a treatment appointment now, and a member of the HARP team will contact you. It is the best thing you can do for your future.
