Understanding Withdrawal Symptoms: A Comprehensive Guide

December 31, 2025

5:12 pm

Table of contents

What is Withdrawal?

Addiction withdrawal symptoms explained can be complex, but it’s important to understand that withdrawal has nothing to do with flushing toxins from the body.

When you take drugs and alcohol the brain makes changes and adjusts its own workings. If you stop, the brain cannot cope with the immediate change and incorrect chemical messaging occurs, leading to withdrawal symptoms that experts explain in terms of chemical imbalances.

One way of examining addiction withdrawal is to imagine your car’s power steering fails: You have to steer hard and fast to keep going in a straight line.

Alcohol and drug use create what is known as tolerance. This means that, in time, you will need more and more to have the same effect as when you first started using. This merely makes things worse.

What are the Differences for Specific Substances?

  • Reduced sensitivity/increased number: Sustained alcohol abuse reduces GABA activity. The brain will compensate by reducing the number of GABA receptors. This means that when you stop drinking, nerves become hyper-excitable which results in physical symptoms associated with withdrawal that may be explained through these changes.
  • Increase in stress hormones: When you stop drinking the levels of cortisol and adrenaline in your body can increase by up to three times the normal level. This is responsible for perfuse sweating, marked tremor and increased heart rate.
  • Each drug withdrawal has a predictable timeline. Opioid withdrawal signs start within 8-12 hours. Alcohol, as soon as 4-6 hours.
  • Tolerance levels drive the intensity of withdrawals: If you take 60mg of Oxycodone, every day, for less than a month, the withdrawals will be less intense than if you took more for longer.
  • Rebound symptoms: The body craves a state of equilibrium. Withdrawal can actually reverse the effects of the substance. For example, a sedative, in withdrawal, can actually have the reverse effect.
  • Unsupervised withdrawal can be fatal. Never a good idea.

Which Symptoms Are Dangerous?

Nearly all symptoms of withdrawal are uncomfortable but not necessarily dangerous. Research shows that addiction withdrawal symptoms explained by clinicians can sometimes be extremely dangerous if not treated by a clinician. Some can be fatal.

*Someone who is alcohol-dependent and suddenly stops can experience a mild tremor within hours. Within 24 hours, they can develop confusion. Things move quickly.

*Seizures: One in every ten people who stop drinking suddenly will experience seizures. This will only deteriorate and can lead to brain damage and death.

  • Delirium tremens: 15 out of 100 people who develop DTs will die without treatment. The symptoms leading to this can appear in as little as two days after you stop drinking.
  • Opioid withdrawal: Tolerance drops fast. Within 3-5 days, taking the amount you did when you were still using can cause an irreversible overdose.
  • Rapid changes in blood pressure and heart rate: This is a medical emergency and requires immediate attention.
  • Abrupt benzodiazepine stoppage: Seizures will soon follow. Left untreated, coma and death can result.

How long will withdrawal symptoms last for common substances?

The duration of withdrawal symptoms largely depends on the half-life of the drug, the route of administration, and the individual’s metabolism. Many see addiction withdrawal symptoms explained through duration, with longer half-lives leading to more complex withdrawal processes.

  • Alcohol withdrawal peaks within two days and usually resolves in a week. Chronic insomnia may persist for weeks even after physical symptoms stop.
  • Short-acting opioids can lead to 5–10 days of physical symptoms. These include muscle pain, gooseflesh skin, and yawning. Things start to improve usually after five days, but cravings can persist for months.
  • Benzodiazepine withdrawal can last several months depending on the half-life, how long you were dependent on it, and how much you were taking.
  • Cocaine withdrawal often fades after 3–4 days. Symptoms such as depression, increased appetite, and sleep changes usually hit very fast but decrease within a few days.
  • Cannabis withdrawal symptoms may linger for several weeks. You can be left feeling irritable, unable to sleep, and your appetite changes can appear a few days after stopping and persist for up to a couple of months.


Key Takeaways

Addiction withdrawal symptoms explained involves complex changes in the brain, which lead to discomfort and can be dangerous without treatment.


Withdrawal symptoms vary by substance and include severe risks like seizures and delirium tremens, particularly during alcohol withdrawal.


The duration and intensity of symptoms depend on drug half-life and usage patterns, with some symptoms lingering for weeks or months.


Home treatment for mild withdrawal should prioritize safety: stay hydrated, eat nutritious foods, and always reduce substances under supervision.


For free, confidential advice on addiction, consult an experienced addictions clinician; they can refer to registered treatment centers.

How can you treat mild withdrawal symptoms at home?

Some symptoms may be self-limiting in that they go away by themselves. Our experienced addictions clinicians never advise treating yourself. Why? Because if things go wrong, you may not be in a position to raise the alarm. Therefore, when discussing addiction withdrawal, symptoms explained in home treatments should prioritize safety above all.

There are some universal tips:

Drink plenty of water but not too much. 2-3 liters a day (electrolyte solution is also useful)

Eat high protein food rich in thiamine. Bananas are useful as is peanut butter and whole grains.

Only ever reduce at home under clinical supervision. Never reduce benzodiazepine use by more than 10% a fortnight.

Have a safety plan and ensure others are aware of your situation.

Remove all alcohol and drugs from the home. For addiction withdrawal symptoms explained at home, make sure your environment is safe.

Speak to an Experienced Addictions Clinician For Free

Our experienced addictions clinicians offer free advice and treatment referrals for all.

Whatever the issue, if it relates to addiction, they will be happy to give you free, confidential and impartial advice. If you need a referral for a treatment centre, they do not charge for this, either.

We only signpost to centres that are registered with the appropriate governmental regulator for the area, such as Care Inspectorate Wales

Our service is registered with the Information Commissioners Office.

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