Skip to content

Manage Alcohol Withdrawal and Get Sober Without Going to Rehab

Manage Alcohol Withdrawal and Get Sober Without Going to Rehab

You can manage alcohol withdrawal at home, with the right support

It’s critical to have the right care as your body adjusts. Affect’s online program can help.

Affect’s program is covered by insurance. For qualified members on Medicaid, treatment is entirely free.

Quit Alcohol and Manage Withdrawal From Home

Alcohol withdrawal can occur when someone who drinks heavily suddenly stops or cuts back. Common symptoms include nausea, headaches, anxiety, sweating, and shaking. In more severe cases, it can cause hallucinations, confusion, or seizures—and may become life-threatening.

That’s why medical supervision is important. Detox is the body’s way of clearing out alcohol after long-term use, and it’s the first step toward recovery. Medications can ease withdrawal symptoms, and therapy provides stability and support. At Affect, our team is with you every step of the way.

What are the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal?

Alcohol is a depressant that acts on the central nervous system of the human body. Drinking excessively makes the body dependent on alcohol over time. If someone suddenly stops drinking or significantly reduces their alcohol use, their body may not know how to adjust to the lack of alcohol. This leads to alcohol withdrawal.

Signs and symptoms of alcohol withdrawal can appear within a few hours or a few days after a person stops drinking, and may worsen over a course of a few days. Milder symptoms may persist for weeks. Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal include:

  • tremors
  • anxiety
  • nausea or vomiting
  • headache
  • an increased heart rate
  • sweating
  • irritability
  • confusion
  • insomnia or nightmares
  • high blood pressure


How to manage alcohol withdrawal

Mild alcohol withdrawal can often be managed at home with the right care. But severe symptoms—like seizures, hallucinations, confusion, high fever, or dangerously high heart rate or blood pressure—can be life-threatening and require immediate medical attention.

If you or someone you know has stopped drinking and is experiencing any of these symptoms, call for help or go to the emergency room right away.

Starting your recovery with guidance from trained professionals helps ensure your safety and increases your chances of success. Talking to one of our care specialists can make all the difference.

Download the app and book your appointment today.

Get empathetic care, medical oversight, and counseling, straight from your smartphone.


Backed by science, powered by technology, and delivered by caring people who are on your team.

You don’t have to do it alone. Affect offers a full treatment program, right in your pocket.

One-on-one counseling

Talk privately — at home, at work, or on the go — with a licensed counselor who gets what you’re going through.

Motivating rewards

Earn real cash rewards of up to $599 as you progress in treatment and build new habits

Medical support and prescriptions

Get relief quickly. Our experienced psychiatric providers will prescribe medications to manage your symptoms and help you feel like yourself again.

Habit tracker and sober day counter

Set goals, track your use, and watch your progress grow.

Group and peer support

Connect with others in recovery — wherever you are and whenever you need it — and feel less alone in the process

Help with housing, jobs, and healthcare

Get support for real life stuff that allows you to build a solid foundation for health

Questions about alcohol withdrawal? We’ve got answers.

  • When someone stops using alcoholr, their brain can take a long time to recalibrate.

    People often feel physically uncomfortable for several days following their last drink or their last drug use, but after the physical discomfort ends, they may experience emotional and mental discomfort as well. This emotional and mental discomfort is known as Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS).

    PAWS can appear at different times for different people, but research has shown a sharp drop-off in people who stay with treatment after 4 weeks. Affect has noticed this as well and has also noticed an increase in drug and alcohol use at the 4-6 week mark.

    Sticking with treatment at the 4-6 week mark is critical for maintaining long-term sobriety!

  • No, not everyone gets PAWS, but many people do. PAWS can come as a surprise. People who feel great after two or three weeks of sobriety may suddenly and unexpectedly feel anxious, depressed, angry, or emotionally drained.

    If you find yourself feeling this way, this is normal. Your brain is in the process of adjusting to sobriety. The mental and emotional changes you notice are part of that process.

  • PAWS signs and symptoms may include:

    • Difficulty thinking clearly
    • Trouble sleeping
    • Irritability or mood swings
    • Anxiety or Panic
    • Depression
    • Cravings for drugs or alcohol
    • Not caring
    • Increased stress
  • There are several ways you can fight back against PAWS:

    • Keep going to group and individual counseling
    • Talk about what you’re feeling
    • Focus on getting good sleep
    • Exercise and eat healthy
    • Engage in relaxing activities
    • Take medication as prescribed
    • Spend time with your support system
    • Focus on personal hygiene
    • Avoid Triggers
    • Educate yourself on symptoms

    It is also important to be patient. Recovery takes time. Don’t expect to do it all in a day.

    Affect’s digital program uses a system of rewards and incentives to keep you working on these positive tasks and activities with support and guidance from counselors, clinicians, physicians and care coordinators.

  • YES! PAWS lasts different times for different people, but the symptoms will go away. Your team at Affect is here to help you get to the other side!

“Affect has shown me a caring side that I never had for myself. It has made me rise as an individual and I have uplifted my courage, bravery, and willpower to obtain my sobriety. Not only did I find myself, but I also found friends in counseling. By friends, I mean someone who really believes in you when others won’t. This program is amazing and works.”

Stella

Support That Goes Beyond Treatment

Getting healthier is just the start. Need help with housing, job hunting, healthcare, or financial aid? We’ve got your back.

150 150 Octavian Munteanu