What Happens When You Stop Drinking?

By The Recovery Village at Palmer Lake | Editor Jonathan Strum
Medically Reviewed By Benjamin Caleb Williams, RN | Last Updated: October 28, 2022 Editorial Policy | Research Policy

If you use alcohol every day, a life without drinking can be hard to imagine. However, stopping the use of alcohol can provide many benefits for your health as well as your overall well-being. Still, there are some potentially life-threatening risks that can arise when trying to quit alcohol, especially for heavy, long-term drinkers. It’s important to be aware of these dangers and learn how to avoid them when getting sober.

Negative Effects of Alcohol

There are many potential negative effects of alcohol, including the effects of intoxication, long-term effects and withdrawal symptoms. An intoxicated person may experience nausea, vomiting and even memory loss, but these are just some of the more mild side effects that can occur. Alcohol also increases the risk of serious injuries, increases the probability of legal problems and can lead to alcohol poisoning.

With long-term use, alcohol can cause even worse problems. The long-term effects of alcohol can include:

• High blood pressure
• Stroke
• Heart disease
• Liver disease
• Digestive problems
• Increased risk of multiple types of cancer
• Suppressed immune system
• Learning problems
• Dementia
• Social problems
• Alcohol addiction

If dependence on alcohol develops, withdrawal symptoms can occur during detox. In severe cases, these symptoms can be potentially deadly.

Reasons To Stop Drinking

There are many different reasons why someone may want to stop drinking, and everyone’s journey will be different. Some people decide to quit alcohol because they realize an addiction might be forming. Addiction takes control over your life, affecting your relationships, your career and your future. Even if someone has a functional addiction that allows them to lead a normal life, this form of addiction can easily deteriorate into a more serious situation.

Health concerns are another major reason to stop drinking. Alcohol increases your risk of multiple different diseases and conditions over time. It can also interact with prescription medicines, causing complications. Someone who is becoming more conscious about their health or beginning to develop health problems will often see the benefits of stopping drinking.

How Much Alcohol Is Too Much?

Heavy alcohol use is considered to be unhealthy and should be avoided. Heavy alcohol use occurs when someone uses more than a certain amount of alcohol in a day or week. It can also refer to excessive alcohol use in one sitting (binge drinking).

Alcohol is metabolized differently depending on your biological sex, so the definition of heavy drinking varies slightly for men and women. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines heavy drinking for men as consuming four or more drinks in one day or more than 14 drinks in one week; for women, it is defined as consuming three or more drinks in one day or more than seven drinks in one week.

I’m Possible: Michael G. From Alcohol to Recovery. [Addiction Story]

When in the grips of addiction, returning to a normal life in recovery may seem IMPOSSIBLE, but Michael is here to show you that it is far from that. Through his struggles with alcohol addiction, Michael learned about himself and now helps others do the same by turning “Impossible” into “I’m Possible.”

Quitting Alcohol Timeline

Although everyone’s timeline will vary slightly, the process of quitting alcohol follows a relatively predictable pattern. After your last drink, side effects and symptoms will typically begin emerging after certain periods of time:

• Six to 24 hours: Withdrawal symptoms will begin for those who have developed alcohol dependence. Initial symptoms will be mild, but they gradually increase in intensity.
• 36 to 72 hours: Withdrawal symptoms will peak. This marks the worst part of alcohol withdrawal, but symptoms gradually decrease in intensity once the peak is reached.
• Two to ten days: Physical withdrawal symptoms will continue and eventually subside. While cravings and mood changes may still be present, physical symptoms will be relieved.
• Two to three weeks: As withdrawal symptoms fade, the benefits of sobriety will begin to become apparent. Your thinking will become clearer, and your focus will shift from getting through withdrawal to life after detox.
• One month and beyond: Alcohol cravings may still be present for several more months, but they will gradually become less intense and less frequent. Sleep will become more restful, and you may begin losing weight.

Benefits of Quitting Drinking

Consuming high quantities of alcohol regularly can lead to changes in both your body and brain. Fortunately, you can reverse a lot of these symptoms and restore your health by quitting drinking. Some of the benefits of stopping drinking include:

• Increased ability to absorb crucial vitamins and minerals
• Improved metabolism, leading to weight loss
• Lowered cancer risk and decreased levels of stress
• Lowered blood pressure and associated decrease in stroke and heart attack risks
• Decreased mental fogginess and increased mental performance
• Improved immune response and healing from injury and illness
• Improved liver health

Quitting alcohol also gives you the chance to improve other areas of your life that may have been negatively impacted by alcohol. In a recent study by The Recovery Village surveying more than 2,000 respondents who wanted to quit:

• 53.5% reported alcohol affected their physical health
• 44.5% reported alcohol affected their mental health
• 41.9% reported alcohol affected their relationships with loved ones
• 21.7% reported alcohol affected their abilities as a parent
• 25.3% reported alcohol affected their career or job
• 29.5% reported alcohol affected their hygiene
• 34.0% reported alcohol affected their finances
• 13.2% reported alcohol affected their legal status (incarceration, fines, etc.)

Ending your relationship with alcohol can start you on a path toward improving your physical and mental health, mending your relationships and rebuilding your finances.

Alcohol Withdrawal

Alcohol withdrawal happens because of how alcohol activates GABA receptors in the brain. These receptors normally suppress brain activity and function. When alcohol is constantly present, the brain reduces the sensitivity of GABA receptors. This helps them function at a normal level that accommodates the extra stimulation alcohol provides.

Withdrawal occurs because when alcohol use is stopped, the GABA receptors in the brain still have reduced sensitivity like they did when alcohol was constantly present. It takes the brain several days to adjust the GABA receptors back to their normal levels. During this period, GABA receptors are unable to calm the brain like they normally would, causing withdrawal symptoms.

Acute Alcohol Withdrawal

The acute withdrawal stage is the first challenge someone detoxing from alcohol will go through. Some of the early withdrawal symptoms will kick in as soon as six hours after your last drink and will grow in intensity as withdrawal progresses. New symptoms may begin at any time until the peak of withdrawal occurs.

In some cases, withdrawal symptoms can lead to seizures and a sometimes fatal condition called delirium tremens (DTs). A recent survey found heavy drinkers (those who binge drink at least five times in a month) are 90% more likely to experience DTs than moderate or light drinkers. If you drink heavily or have more severe alcoholism, it is recommended to seek out a treatment center that can help you detox safely and effectively.

Acute Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

Acute alcohol withdrawal symptoms include:

• Increased sweating and body temperature
• Elevated blood pressure and heart rate
• Tremors
• Insomnia
• Anxiety
• Dehydration
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Hallucinations
• Depression
• Seizures
• Delirium tremens

Post-Acute Alcohol Withdrawal

A full detox often takes between two and ten days, with most people experiencing peak symptoms 36–72 hours into withdrawal. After the initial alcohol withdrawal, you’ve gotten past one of the hardest phases of detox. Most of the symptoms that remain after this phase tend to be more psychological in nature, as the physical effects caused by GABA receptor readjustments are resolved.

You may also feel cravings for alcohol in the months after withdrawal. During this time, it can be helpful to seek out counseling to help support your sobriety and treat any underlying mental health conditions that may be causing your alcoholism.

Post-Acute Withdrawal Symptoms

After physical withdrawal symptoms subside, it’s common for the psychological effects to become more pronounced. Psychological symptoms begin at the same time physical symptoms do, but the physical withdrawal symptoms generally distract from them. Some of the common psychological symptoms felt during this time include:

• Anxiety
• Hostility
• Irritability
• Depression
• Mood changes
• Fatigue
• Trouble sleeping
• Problems concentrating and thinking
• Reduced libido
• Pain

Alcohol Detox

Alcohol detox refers to the process in which alcohol is eliminated by the body. During detox, the body and brain also adjust to the absence of alcohol. The terms alcohol detox and alcohol withdrawal are often used synonymously.

Alcohol detox can be done on your own at home or under professional supervision in a medical detox facility. However, because alcohol withdrawal can cause serious and potentially fatal symptoms, a person should speak with their doctor before detoxing to see what their individual risk is. Detoxing at home when moderate or severe withdrawal symptoms could occur is not recommended due to the life-threatening complications that can arise.

How To Stop Drinking Alcohol

When someone wants to stop drinking alcohol, the first step is to understand what risks they are likely to encounter given their specific situation. This is best done by speaking with a trusted medical professional. These experts can give advice on what risks specific individuals should expect and what measures can be taken to reduce these risks.

If moderate to severe withdrawal symptoms are expected, medical detox is recommended. These programs help reduce the risks and dangers of detox and provide a more comfortable experience by treating symptoms as they occur.

Quitting Alcohol Cold Turkey

Quitting alcohol cold turkey can be deadly for some people and very uncomfortable for others. If a serious dependence is present, quitting alcohol suddenly without any medical treatment makes the most serious symptoms more likely to occur. The discomfort and lack of support during the withdrawal process also make this method of stopping alcohol use less likely to be successful.

Alcohol Addiction Treatment

Professional alcohol addiction treatment will provide a safer, more comfortable detox experience that provides you with peace of mind as you undergo the withdrawal process. If you or someone you love is ready to quit alcohol and begin a healthier, substance-free future, The Recovery Village at Palmer Lake can help. Contact us today to learn more about how our medical detox services and rehab programs can help you begin the journey toward lifelong recovery.