Symptoms:

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms usually occur within 5 - 10 hours after the last drink, but can occur days later. Symptoms get worse in 48 - 72 hours, and may persist for weeks.

Common symptoms include:

• Anxiety or nervousness
• Depression
• Not thinking clearly
• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Jumpiness or shakiness
• Mood swings
• Nightmares

Other symptoms may include:

• Clammy skin
• Enlarged (dilated) pupils
• Headache
• Insomnia (sleeping difficulty)
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Pallor
• Rapid heart rate
• Sweating
• Tremor of the hands or other body parts

A severe form of alcohol withdrawal called delirium tremens can cause:

• Agitation
• Severe confusion
• Seeing or feeling things that aren't there (hallucinations)
• Fever
• Seizures

For more information on this severe form of alcohol withdrawal, see: Delirium tremens

Signs and tests:

Your health care provider will perform a physical exam. This may reveal:

• Abnormal eye movements
• Abnormal heart rhythms
• Not enough fluids in the body (dehydration)
• Fever
• Rapid breathing
• Rapid heart rate
• Shaky hands

Blood and urine tests, including a toxicology screen, may be done.