Alcohol withdrawal: symptoms, timeline and when it’s dangerous
Please read this first
Don’t stop suddenly if you drink heavily every day, or if you’ve had withdrawal symptoms before. The NHS warns it can be very dangerous to stop drinking suddenly if you’re dependent on alcohol. Speak to your GP first, or call Drinkline free and in confidence on 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am to 8pm, weekends 11am to 4pm).
Call 999 or go to A and E if you or someone else has severe symptoms after stopping or cutting down, such as visible shaking, confusion, seeing or hearing things that aren’t there, or a fit. Don’t drive yourself there. Ask someone to take you, or call an ambulance.
If you’re feeling hopeless or thinking about ending your life, call Samaritans free on 116 123, day or night.
Perhaps you went a couple of days without a drink and woke up with shaking hands, a racing heart and a sense of dread. Or you’ve decided to stop and want to know what the next week will bring. Alcohol withdrawal ranges from a few rough days to a medical emergency, so it helps to know which is which.
This page isn’t a detox plan. If you’re dependent, the safest way to stop is with medical support, which the NHS provides for free. If you’re unsure, take the drinking check on my alcohol page, then speak to your GP. If you’re not dependent and simply want to drink less, my guides to cutting down, wine every night and binge drinking are a better place to start.
How long does alcohol withdrawal last? The timeline
How you feel depends on how much and how long you’ve been drinking, so treat these times as a rough guide, not a fixed schedule.
| When | What you might notice |
|---|---|
| 6 to 12 hours after your last drink | Symptoms usually begin. Anxiety, sweating, shaking, feeling sick, a fast heartbeat and trouble sleeping are common. |
| 12 to 24 hours | Some people start seeing or hearing things that aren’t there. This needs urgent medical help. |
| 24 to 48 hours | Withdrawal fits (seizures) can happen in this window. Drinkaware says the first 48 hours are likely to be the worst. |
| 24 to 72 hours | Symptoms often peak. Delirium tremens, the most severe form of withdrawal, usually begins in this window if it’s going to happen. |
| 3 to 7 days | Symptoms usually ease. Drinkaware says most people feel better within a week of stopping. |
| Weeks to months | Some symptoms can last for a few months, especially if you drank heavily. |
Timeline from NHS, Alcohol-use disorder, 2026, Drinkaware, Alcohol withdrawal, 2025 and Patient.info, Acute alcohol withdrawal and delirium tremens, 2026.
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms
The NHS and Drinkaware list these among the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal:
- Shaking, often in the hands, which many people call the shakes
- Sweating, a fast heartbeat, and feeling or being sick
- Anxiety, irritability and restlessness
- Trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep
- Headaches, loss of appetite and low mood
- In severe cases, confusion, hallucinations and seizures
Shaking after drinking. Shaky hands the morning after, especially if a drink settles them, is a classic sign that your body has got used to alcohol. The NHS also counts needing a drink when you wake up as a sign of alcohol-use disorder. If that’s you, don’t stop overnight. Speak to your GP, who can help you come off it safely.
Delirium tremens, seizures and when to get medical help
The UK clinical guidelines for alcohol treatment say people who are mildly dependent may get sweating, nausea and mild shaking, and usually don’t need medical treatment. Moderate or severe dependence can bring a more serious withdrawal syndrome.
Delirium tremens, or the DTs, is the most severe form. The guidelines describe severe shaking, agitation, fever, a racing heart, profound confusion and hallucinations. Drinkaware says about 1 in 10 people with alcohol withdrawal syndrome have seizures, and that, left untreated, up to 1 in 3 of them go on to develop delirium tremens. Severe withdrawal can be life threatening. NICE, which sets clinical guidance in England, advises hospital admission for people who have, or are at high risk of, withdrawal seizures or delirium tremens.
Call 999 or go to A and E if you or someone else has any of these after stopping drinking:
- Visible shaking
- Unusual restlessness, irritability or distress
- Confusion, such as not knowing what day it is
- Seeing, hearing or feeling things that aren’t there
- A seizure (fit)
For milder symptoms, such as anxiety when you wake, sweating, slight shaking or feeling sick in the morning, see your GP or an alcohol service soon. The NHS says those symptoms may mean you need medicine to stop safely.
Home detox: can you stop drinking at home?
Often, yes, but with medical support. The NHS says most people get support to stop drinking in the community, and that if you need medicine to help you stop, it can often be taken at home or when you attend a local service each day. Some people need a short stay in an NHS inpatient unit or a medically supported residential service, depending on their situation.
So a home detox still starts with an assessment from your GP or alcohol service. It isn’t the same as stopping on your own and hoping for the best.
- Your GP. They can check your health, decide whether you need medicine and refer you on.
- Drinkline. Free and confidential on 0300 123 1110, weekdays 9am to 8pm and weekends 11am to 4pm, for your own drinking or someone else’s.
- Local NHS alcohol services. Support to stop drinking, counselling and group work. Find a service near you (the page also links to services in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland).
- Support groups. Alcoholics Anonymous has a free helpline on 0800 917 7650, and SMART Recovery runs meetings too.
- For family and friends. Al-Anon UK runs a free helpline on 0800 0086 811, and Adfam supports families affected by drinking.
How long do alcohol cravings last?
There’s no fixed answer. The shakes and sweats usually settle within a week, but the pull towards a drink at your usual time can carry on well after that. The NHS says medicines called acamprosate and naltrexone can reduce cravings, and are usually offered once you’ve stopped drinking, so ask your GP or service whether they’d suit you.
Day to day, these can help once you’re medically safe to stop:
- Know your danger hours. Often it’s a set time, like six o’clock. Have something planned for that slot.
- Keep company that helps. Drinkaware suggests spending time with friends and family who aren’t heavy drinkers.
- Eat and drink regularly. Drinkaware advises plenty of non-alcoholic drinks, avoiding caffeine, and eating regularly.
- Take any medicine as prescribed. If you’ve been given medicine for withdrawal, follow the instructions exactly and don’t mix it with alcohol.
Sleep after you stop drinking
Poor sleep is one of the most common withdrawal symptoms. Drinkaware says it’s really important to resist the urge to start drinking again to help you get off to sleep. The NHS says alcohol disrupts your sleep and can stop you sleeping deeply, and that cutting down should leave you feeling more rested when you wake up.
While it settles, keep regular bed and wake times and build a wind-down routine that doesn’t involve a glass. My podcast, The Hypnotist, has free hypnosis sessions, including some for sleep, that you can listen to in bed. If you’re still struggling after a few weeks, tell your GP.
Where hypnotherapy fits
Hypnotherapy is not a treatment for alcohol withdrawal or alcohol dependence, and I don’t offer it as one. Your GP or a specialist alcohol service needs to be part of your recovery, especially in the first days after you stop.
Where I can help is alongside that care, once you’re through the medical side. Drinking usually does a job, like winding down after work or getting to sleep, and that job is still there when the alcohol isn’t. In sessions we work on stress, sleep, confidence and the routines and places linked to drinking. You’re the one making the change. My part is to help the new routine feel more like yours. You can read more about my qualifications.
Before we work together I’ll ask whether you’re getting support from your GP or an alcohol service. If I think you need medical support first, I’ll tell you honestly.
Common questions
Is it dangerous to stop drinking suddenly?
It can be. The NHS says it can be very dangerous to stop drinking suddenly if you’re dependent on alcohol, and advises getting advice, and any medicine you may need, before you stop. If you’re not sure whether that applies to you, ask your GP before you stop.
How long does alcohol withdrawal last?
The NHS says symptoms usually begin within 6 to 12 hours of your last drink and last from 3 to 7 days. Some symptoms can last for a few months, especially after heavy drinking. Drinkaware says the first 48 hours are likely to be the worst.
Why am I shaking after drinking?
Shaking the morning after, particularly if it settles when you have a drink, can be a sign of alcohol withdrawal. Drinkaware lists hand tremors, or the shakes, among the typical symptoms. Speak to your GP rather than stopping suddenly, and call 999 if the shaking is severe or comes with confusion or hallucinations.
Is it confidential?
Yes. What you tell me stays between us. As with any therapist, the only exception is if I believed you or someone else were at serious risk of harm.
I’m worried about someone else’s drinking. What can I do?
Drinkline takes calls about someone else’s drinking, and Al-Anon UK and Adfam support the people around a drinker. If they’re stopping, call 999 if you see confusion, hallucinations or a fit. My guide to helping someone with an addiction has more on how to help an alcoholic.
Talk it through
If you’re already getting support and want help alongside it, book a £49 consultation call. We’ll talk about whether sessions would help with what you’re already doing. Sessions are one to one over Zoom, and you get a recording of the hypnosis afterwards.
Written by Adam Cox, clinical hypnotherapist. Sources: NHS, Alcohol-use disorder, reviewed April 2026; NHS, Alcohol support; NHS, Tips on cutting down; Drinkaware, Alcohol withdrawal, reviewed April 2025; Department of Health and Social Care, Clinical guidelines for alcohol treatment, alcohol withdrawal symptoms, 2025; NICE, CG100 Alcohol-use disorders: physical complications; Patient.info, Acute alcohol withdrawal and delirium tremens, February 2026. Checked October 2026, including helpline numbers and hours.