Delirium Tremens (DTs): What is it, Signs, Timeline, Risk Factors & Treatment

Delirium Tremens

What is Delirium Tremens?

When a person becomes addicted to alcohol, a professional will diagnose an alcohol use disorder. One of the symptoms of an alcohol use disorder is the experience of withdrawal, or unpleasant side effects, when a person reduces alcohol consumption or stops drinking. Withdrawal occurs because the body becomes dependent upon alcohol and then does not function properly without it.

Sometimes alcohol withdrawal is mild and includes symptoms such as tremor, headache, and upset stomach, which pass within a few days, according to the Industrial Psychiatry Journal. On the other hand, severe cases of withdrawal can lead to a serious condition called delirium tremens. Experts report that only about 5 percent of people who suffer from alcohol withdrawal will experience delirium tremens, but those who do will require immediate medical treatment.

Signs and Symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal

Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

According to experts from the Department of Internal Medicine within the Catholic University of Rome, alcohol withdrawal can begin as soon as 6 hours after a person stops drinking. For withdrawal to occur, a person must have first experienced chronic alcohol exposure, meaning the nervous system has adapted to its presence.

After ongoing alcohol abuse, a person who suddenly reduces or stops drinking will undergo withdrawal due to an imbalance in the nervous system. This results in a variety of unpleasant symptoms.