Stages of Alcohol Detox

By Web Dev | January 4, 2022 |

Everyone’s road to alcohol abuse is unique. This means the stages of alcohol detox will be personal, and treatment will be customized to give the best chance of recovery. That said, the alcohol withdrawal symptoms you will experience while in detox programs are similar. If you’re ready to get sober and restart your life, reach out to us online today or call 833.685.1700 to discuss how our detox programs can help put you on the path toward lifelong recovery. Alina Lodge is ready to help you find your way to recovery.

The Stages of Alcohol Detox

If you regularly drink alcohol to excess and attempt to stop suddenly, you will experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Your alcohol detox will start within a few hours or a few days of your last drink. There may well be some discomfort, depending on how long you have been abusing alcohol. Relatively short-term use may only result in mildly unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. However, if you have been abusing alcohol for many years, the impact of detox can be severe and life-threatening. Professional medical detox programs are an essential step to safely beginning down the road to a lifetime of sobriety.

The stages of alcohol detox in your specific situation will depend on several factors, including:

  • How much you drink
  • How long you’ve been drinking
  • Past experiences with alcohol detox

According to the Industrial Psychiatry Journal, there are general guidelines about when you can expect to experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms in several stages along the stages of alcohol detox timeline:

6 hours

Minor alcohol withdrawal symptoms will usually begin about six hours after your last drink. An individual who has a long history of drinking heavily could experience a seizure six hours after stopping drinking.

12 to 24 hours

A small percentage of people who experience alcohol withdrawal may have hallucinations at this point during the stages of alcohol detox. Hearing and seeing things that aren’t there may seem scary, but medical professionals do not consider this a serious complication or one of the worrying alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Still, receiving professional care can help you get through this stage safely as you work toward a sober life.

24 to 48 hours

Minor alcohol withdrawal symptoms usually continue during this stage of alcohol detox. Some of these symptoms may include:

  • Headaches
  • Tremors
  • Upset stomach

If you go through only minor withdrawal, your symptoms usually peak at 18 to 24 hours and start to decrease after four to five days.

48 hours to 72 hours

However, some individuals experiencing an alcohol detox will suffer a severe form of alcohol withdrawal that doctors call delirium tremens (DTs) or alcohol withdrawal delirium. Signs of this dangerous condition include:

  • High heart rate
  • Seizures
  • Increased body temperature

72 hours

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms are usually at their worst at this stage, after three days passing since your last drink. Receiving medical care in alcohol detox programs is crucial to staying safe and sober at this delicate stage of alcohol detox. Most people will see their detox symptoms cease roughly four to five days after their last drink. To manage all of these stages safely, seek help from our compassionate, skilled team at Alina Lodge.

The Withdrawal Symptoms During Alcohol Detox

Alcohol depresses the central nervous system, causing feelings of relaxation and extreme euphoria. Because the body usually works to maintain balance, it will signal the brain to make more neurotransmitter receptors that excite or stimulate the central nervous system.

When you stop drinking, you take away alcohol from those receptors and the additional receptors your body made. As a result, your nervous system becomes overactive, causing detox symptoms such as:

  • Anxiety
  • Irritability
  • Nausea
  • Rapid heart rate
  • Sweating
  • Tremors

Learn More at Alina Lodge

If your alcohol consumption makes you feel out of control and you are ready to seek help and get sober, contact Alina Lodge today at 833.685.1700 or by using our secure online form. Reach out to learn how we can be a positive part of your recovery from alcohol abuse.

Posted in Addiction Treatment, alcohol addiction, Alcohol Withdrawal, Detox Programs, substance abuse treatment

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