Withdrawal symptoms of alcohol dependence

The following four types of withdrawal reactions can occur in alcohol-dependent persons after stopping drinking or reducing the amount of alcohol: First, simple withdrawal reactions, which occur 6-24 hours after reducing drinking, with tremors, anxiety, excitement, insomnia, tachycardia, elevated blood pressure, profuse sweating, nausea, vomiting, etc., mostly relieved and self-resolved in 2-5 days. Second, alcoholic hallucination reaction, the patient is clearly conscious, disorientation is intact, mainly hallucinations, but also hallucinations, illusions and visual distortion, mostly delusions of victimization, usually lasting 3-4 days and then relieved. Third, withdrawal convulsive reactions, often occurring simultaneously with simple withdrawal reactions, may also be followed by grand mal seizures, mostly only 1-2 seizures of a few minutes each, or multiple seizures within a few days. Fourth, tremor and delirium reactions, which occur 24-72 hours after stopping alcohol consumption or 7-10 hours afterwards, the patient is confused and has coarse tremors in the muscles of the whole body. Delirium is a vivid and fearful hallucination in a blurred state of consciousness, and there may be sympathetic excitement such as profuse sweating, tachycardia and increased blood pressure.