How long does alcohol withdrawal last?
Hours 6–12: shakes, anxiety, insomnia, sweating. Hours 12–24: nausea, elevated heart rate. Hours 24–48: risk of seizures. Days 3–5: risk of delirium tremens (DTs) in severe cases.
DTs are medically dangerous — confusion, hallucinations, blood pressure spikes. Anyone drinking heavily daily needs medical supervision for withdrawal.
Post-acute symptoms (sleep, mood, cravings) can last weeks. That's where outpatient PHP or IOP does its work.
Sources & further reading
Medically reviewed by our clinical team
Dr. Dhiren Patel, DO
Staff Psychiatrist · Real Deal Recovery
Board-certified psychiatric care for adults in outpatient treatment.
Sharaya Gallozzi, M.A., LMFT-S
Chief Clinical Officer · EMDR-Trained · Meet Sharaya
Leads the Real Deal clinical team; supervises therapists across all three rehab centers.
Last reviewed September 2026. This article is educational and is not medical advice. In an emergency call 911 or the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
