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The Recovery Village Kansas City offers comprehensive addiction treatment for drug and alcohol addictions and co-occurring mental health conditions. When people stop drinking, their body struggles to function properly, resulting in unpleasant side effects. They know alcohol will relieve these symptoms and often go back to drinking before they become fully sober. According to the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use & Health, alcohol use disorder is a condition impacting over 27.9 million people 12 and over. It causes issues with relationships, finances, employment, and health.
The first 48 hours
- A person can reverse the effects of heavy drinking with abstinence.
- This means your body becomes better at regulating blood sugar, which affects energy levels and long-term health.
- Furthermore, chronic alcohol use has been known to weaken the immune system, making you susceptible to illnesses.
- In severe cases, a condition known as delirium tremens (DTs) may begin.
- I’ve spent the last seven years researching and understanding alcoholism, addiction, and how people get sober.
Alcohol can impair brain function, affecting areas like memory, concentration, and attention. Once alcohol is out of the system, the brain can begin to repair itself, improving these cognitive functions. When someone stops drinking alcohol, several changes happen to their digestive system. But treatment varies based on the severity of alcohol withdrawal and the likelihood that it could progress to severe or complicated withdrawal. It’s difficult to predict who will and who won’t experience alcohol withdrawal — and how severe it will be.
Quitting Alcohol: A Practical Guide to What Happens When You Stop Drinking
Learn about alcohol use patterns from social drinking to alcohol use disorder. Understand where you fall on the spectrum and what options exist at each level. It doesn’t cause unpleasant reactions if you drink, and it doesn’t require complete abstinence to be effective. Many people use naltrexone while gradually reducing their drinking rather than stopping all at once. • You experience severe symptoms like hallucinations, confusion, or extremely high blood pressure.
Tips for Quitting Drinking
Many people report less intense alcohol cravings during this what is alcoholism timeframe. However, it’s worth mentioning that alcohol cravings can be replaced with cravings for sugar. Many alcoholic beverages are high in sugar, and your body is still in recovery mode. While turning to sugar instead of alcohol is okay in the short term for most, you should work with your physician and therapist to identify healthier ways to cope with cravings. By day 6, you’re likely to have experienced some fluctuation in your mood and motivation.
Phase 5: Months 6+ – Consolidation & Growth
Whether it’s a little added stress relief or an attempt to add a little fun to alcoholism symptoms your evenings, many of us are adding another cocktail, beer, or glass of wine at night. By this time, it’s likely you’ve seen a few of the people closest to you (friends, family, coworkers). Without the influence of alcohol, you might notice that you’re arguing less, and can have more authentic conversations. If you’re still feeling irritable, or if you’re not on the same page as your loved ones, that’s okay too!
The Quit Alcohol Timeline: From Hours to Years
By the end of this first month, your recovery will be well underway, and your struggle with alcohol will begin to become more of a distant memory than a recent struggle. When you quit alcohol after using it consistently, your body spends about a week to a week and a half adjusting to its absence. This can create dangerous withdrawal symptoms but will typically fully resolve within two weeks. Enjoying alcohol socially in reasonable amounts can boost your mood and help you bond with others. But if you drink alone, or down multiple drinks a day, it could turn into an unhealthy habit.
- These range from withdrawal symptoms to the need for professional support to manage potential complications effectively.
- Your mood and concentration should improve, because when your brain is well hydrated, it functions better.
- Physical symptoms may include pronounced tremors, increased sweating, elevated heart rate, and higher blood pressure.
- It’s possible that you may experience a setback somewhere throughout your journey, whether it’s a few weeks in, or a few months down the road.
These include thoughts like, “One drink won’t hurt,” or “everyone else is doing it,” he explains, which minimise the perceived harm of drinking. In a month’s time, says Alhabbal, inflammation will decrease significantly, and damage can be reversed. The ethanol in alcohol inflames your liver cells and causes the liver to swell, says Mohammad Alhabbal, the medical director at AdCare Hospital in Worcester, Massachusetts. Continual inflammation of the organs, he warns, can eventually lead to them shutting down and then shutting off.
Cognitive Function
Individuals with severe dependence may experience serious symptoms, including significant tremors, hallucinations, or seizures requiring immediate medical attention. People who consumed alcohol heavily or for extended periods typically experience more pronounced changes than those with lighter drinking patterns. Seizures most commonly occur in this period, particularly in those with long-term heavy use, a history of withdrawal seizures, or concurrent use of sedative medications. Anyone who has a seizure, loses consciousness, or develops chest pain in this window needs emergency medical care. Alcohol causes a “steady depletion of the vitamins and minerals that our body needs to feel our best,” explains Brooke Scheller, DCN, CNS, doctor of clinical nutrition.