A process known as detoxification is an essential part of alcohol and drug rehabilitation treatment. It is the process of letting your body get rid of the drugs and alcohol that have long been poisoning it. Because your body has become used to functioning with those substances on board, and has become dependent on them, the withdrawal process can be unpleasant.

In this Rehabilitation Guide article we will discuss what you can expect when going through withdrawal and how long the symptoms will last.

Alcohol Withdrawal: Symptoms and Time Frame

The severity of the symptoms will vary from person to person, depending in part on how much they are accustomed to drinking on a daily basis. If you stop drinking, the symptoms might begin in as little as 6 hours or it might be 24 hours or more until they begin.

Depending on the level of addiction and other factors in your body’s chemical makeup, the symptoms you might experience include anxiety, depression, loss of appetite, mood imbalance, shakes and tremors, nausea, sweating, headaches and cravings. In severe cases, delirium tremens (DTs) might occur. When they do, the alcohol addict might experience hallucinations, fever and seizures.

The severity of some of these symptoms is why it is important to go through detoxification in a rehabilitation center where the effects of withdrawal can be minimized and where medical professionals are on hand to care for you.

The most severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms should clear in 3-4 days. Once you are through them, you’ll have true sense of the grip alcohol had on you and this realization will help to encourage in your battle against addiction.

Drug Withdrawal: Symptoms and Time Frame

There is a wide variety of symptoms depending on what type of drugs you are addicted to. The severity of the drug addiction will also determine how harsh the symptoms are. General symptoms include anxiety, sweating, diarrhea, joint pain, tremors and depression. The symptoms usually begin within 24 hours and the worst of them are usually over within 4-5 days. As with alcohol detox, the symptoms serve as a stark testimony to the power drugs have to harm the body. The symptoms of withdrawal often serve to motivate addicts to get clean and stay clean.

Going through detoxification and withdrawal on your own can be a scary thing, and it is often unsuccessful. Going through the process in a supportive setting at a treatment center with trained medical and psychological staff available to help greatly increases your chances of success while decreasing the fear and trauma that can be associated with drug and alcohol withdrawal.