The Symptoms of Withdrawing From Alcohol

Written By Chouhab on mardi 6 janvier 2009 | 06:20

By Ed Philips

When you stop drinking your body needs time to readjust. This section contains information about what to expect.

Most people can come off alcohol quite safely at home. However, if you are ever worried about what is happening or have had a bad experience in the past, you should contact your doctor or local community alcohol team. There is no virtue in punishing yourself with bad withdrawals.

The first three days will probably be the worst. You can expect to feel anxious, irritable and restless and may have flu-like symptoms. Do not give up; in a week to ten days you will feel much better.

It is important to drink fruit juice during the first few days as alcohol has a high sugar content and it is helpful to replace this.

Natural sleep patterns are disrupted through the abuse of alcohol; if you find you can't sleep or wake up after just a few hours, don't panic - this is a normal occurrence and will right itself after a few weeks. A good tip would be to try to learn some relaxation exercises.

As time goes by, you should find a renewed interest in old habits. It is important to allow yourself to enjoy them. You might find you want to watch TV, do as much as you like and try to get some exercise. Also, give yourself some small objectives that you know you can achieve. If your goal is to also quit smoking this is not the time for it - do something about it at a later date - one thing at a time.

You may want to explain to people close to you what you are feeling. Don't be upset if they appear to lack faith in you - they need time to adjust just like you.

Stopping drinking will not solve all the problems that caused you to drink in the first place. Do not fall in to the trap of trying to tackle them all right away. After a while you will be in a better position to put your problems in to the proper perspective and can then begin to talk to someone like a counselor.

Beware of setting yourself up to drink again. Prepare in your mind what you will say if someone offers you a drink. And don't forget, one drink will always lead to another. It is best to simply stop altogether.

Giving up alcohol is not easy, but by taking things slowly - one day at a time as AA puts it - and being realistic, you will succeed.

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