How Long Does It Take to Detox from Alcohol? Timeline and More

It helps to keep busy with activities you find enjoyable and that promote health and well-being. Many people stop experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms four to five days after their last drink. The more your physical and mental health improves, the less likely you are to experience tremors or other residual withdrawal symptoms, and the greater quality of life you will enjoy.

Acute alcohol tremors are dangerous and can expose a person to various health risks such as seizures and mental complications (Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome). Uncontrollable shaking, usually in the hands, is a common sign of alcohol withdrawal. The shakes also called tremors can begin 6-10 hours after the last drink, and tend to be the most pronounced from the last alcohol consumption. Your primary care provider can advise you on where to seek care for the physical and mental symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.

Symptoms of Alcoholism

Cerebellar tremors result from damage to the brain area known as the cerebellum, and its connections to other brain areas. When a person drinks alcohol, the liver prioritizes processing that alcohol and may temporarily pause other liver functions, such as gluconeogenesis, the production of glucose for transport into the bloodstream. There are several reasons a person might experience tremors with a hangover. This type of tremor typically involves rhythmic shaking in the hands, trouble writing or drawing, difficulty using utensils, a shaky voice, and more symptoms. But before you proceed, it’s important to know how to detox from alcohol properly and safely with the guidance of experts.

If you are experiencing a shaking that’s somewhere between moderate and severe, it’s imperative that you quit drinking. Being that the shakiness is a sign that the central nervous system is impaired—and given the nature of withdrawal symptoms from alcohol—detox will be executed under strict medical supervision. These experts will work to ease the mental and physical symptoms brought about by withdrawal, lessening their severity and comforting the patient as their body acclimates to the lack of alcohol. To that end, alcohol shakes—also known as “tremors”—can take many different forms, and it often occurs during the alcohol detox process. Typically, people tend to label someone with the shakes as an “extreme” AUD sufferer, most likely in their later years of alcoholism. While this can certainly be the case (due to delirium tremens, which we’ll talk about further down), it is paramount that people understand how alcohol shakes manifest.

Does Experiencing Alcohol Shakes Make You an Alcoholic?

We offer customized care to treat the needs of every patient, such as dual diagnosis treatment for those struggling with alcohol abuse and mental illness simultaneously. Most addiction treatment programs for alcohol use disorder will begin with an alcohol detox, where your system will flush out the alcohol over several days. Detox programs may also include medications to help with more extreme shaking and other symptoms. However, having withdrawals is a strong indication that you’ve been drinking heavily for a prolonged period, and that there is a higher chance of developing or having AUD.

• Enjoyable activities relieve stress and cravings, which in turn helps to reduce alcohol shakes.
• These groups include those who have had drinking problems in the past and now offer support to people wishing to overcome their drinking habits.
• Tremors are caused by a problem in the areas of the brain that control the body’s muscles.
• Minor withdrawal symptoms usually begin about six hours after your last drink.

So, when you stop drinking alcohol, the GABA receptors can’t do their job, and the central nervous system can become overactive.3 That’s when the shaking begins. The person that drinks once a year can awake the following morning with an unpleasant tremor in their hand, and the alcoholic can shake daily. By design, alcohol affects our sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for our motor function.

Addictions

Talk to our recovery specialists today and learn about our integrated treatment programs. Seven to nine hours of quality sleep is one of the most powerful tools to help you avoid alcohol shakes. Eating healthy plays a significant role in a person’s successful recovery. When your body receives the nutrients it needs, it feels better, and you’re less tempted to drink.

Alcohol-induced tremors, or “shakes,” are neurological conditions caused by the substance’s effect on the nervous system. Whether it’s social drinking, binge drinking, or chronic alcoholism, excessive consumption can lead to these tremors. They can appear as early as 6 hours after drinking and might last for days.

What’s more, because tremors are a visible symptom, they can sometimes lead to feelings of embarrassment or anxiety. The FHE Health team is committed to providing accurate information that adheres to the highest standards of writing. This is part of our ongoing commitment to ensure FHE Health is trusted as a leader in mental health and addiction care. For more information about the alcohol treatment programs we shaking from alcohol offer and how we can help you end your battle with alcohol and get back to a healthy life, contact FHE Health today. The earlier you can recognize drinking as a problematic behavior, the better the chances are of stopping an addiction before it starts or getting the help you need to move toward sobriety. If you suspect you or someone else may be experiencing withdrawal, seek medical attention immediately.

Engaging in appropriate lifestyle habits can also help improve alcohol shakes. Exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet, and managing stress with yoga, meditation, or other relaxation techniques can play an important role in reducing tremor frequency. Alcohol is a depressant, which is a substance that reduces activity in the brain and interferes with its communication pathways. Drinking alcoholic beverages slows down brain functions and inhibits certain chemicals that help regulate mood. Many people experience shakes and tremors when they’re hungover, but they’re unlikely to be the same from one person to the next. Alcohol shakes aren’t just a personal struggle; they affect families, jobs, and more.

An individual needs to meet two of eleven criteria outlined by the American Psychiatric Association to be diagnosed with AUD, which may or may not include withdrawal symptoms. Another question I’m often asked by my patients is ‘are withdrawal symptoms a sign of alcohol use disorder or alcohol dependence? ’ Many people use the terms alcohol dependence and alcohol use disorder interchangeably, but they are not the same. Tremors are caused by a problem in the areas of the brain that control the body’s muscles. Shaking that occurs when you go without a drink for several hours can mean you have a physical dependence on alcohol and are suffering from withdrawal.