The majority of people who stop drinking alcohol with immediate effect will go onto suffer from mild to moderate alcohol withdrawal symptoms due to the body reacting to the cutting off of a substance that it had become dependent on. Alcohol withdrawal syndrome is a term used to describe the body's subsequent state once the alcohol is no longer consumed after a long period of consumption.

Almost everybody who stops drinking after a long period of alcohol consumption or those who are heavy or frequent drinkers of alcohol will experience some or the entire varied group of alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

The varying types of alcohol withdrawal symptoms range from moderate to extreme and then severe. That is the reason that you should always consult your medical practitioner before taking the step of quitting alcohol overnight. The major factor being that although you may be lucky and get away lightly, the situation is unpredictable and you could end up suffering a really severe reaction.

In case you are planning to or have already given up alcohol, then you might find yourself experiencing some mild or moderate physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms. Some of the moderate physical alcohol withdrawal symptoms are nausea, vomiting and headache, clammy or sweaty palms, a loss of appetite and sleep, palpitations or an increased heart rate, paleness, enlarged or dilated pupils, involuntary movement of the eyes and eyelids, shaking or shivering hands and excessive sweating.

Apart from these physical symptoms, a person giving up alcohol consumption also experiences a number of mild to moderate mental or psychological symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. Some of the most common alcohol withdrawal symptoms in this regard are states of nervousness or anxiety, mood swings, irritability and emotional volatility, feelings of fatigue, shakiness, depression, an inability to think clearly and cohesively and a series of nightmares or bad dreams.

Outpatient monitoring and medication are quite adequate to treat the majority of alcohol withdrawal symptoms previously mentioned; but when it comes to severe withdrawal symptoms, patients will have to be admitted to a medical clinic for 24 hour treatment and surveillance.

We will now move onto the really serious symptoms due to alcohol withdrawal which can include involuntary muscular contractions, perturbations, hallucinations and high fever. There is an even more serious disorder called delirium tremens which can lead to hallucinations and a confused state of mind. In more extreme cases it can cause black outs and temporary memory loss resulting in not being able to remember past events.

So just to recap, the most important thing for either you or somebody you know to do if suffering from alcohol withdrawal symptoms would be to go straight to the Doctors. The medical practitioner will advise you about the severity of the condition and how it can be treated. The most common treatment is prescribed medication which can be self administered, but if the condition is really bad admission to a medical institution would be the more likely outcome.

Nine times out of ten people just can't handle the withdrawal symptoms and will inevitably start back on alcohol. It is so important to get that medical advice and support just to give you a chance of quitting once and for all and not falling back into the chaotic life of alcoholism.