Identify two common withdrawal symptoms for alcohol after cessation in a dependent person, and when they typically begin.

• A. Tremors and anxiety; within 1-2 hours after last drink.
• B. Tremors and anxiety; within 6-24 hours after last drink.
• C. Tremors and anxiety; within 48-72 hours after last drink.
• D. Tremors and anxiety; within 3-4 days after last drink.

Answer: (C)

The key idea is that alcohol withdrawal symptoms come from the brain becoming hyperactive after the depressant effects of alcohol are removed. Two of the most common early signs are tremors (shaking) and anxiety. These typically begin fairly soon after the last drink, usually within about 6 to 24 hours. This timeframe reflects the body's shift from the sedated state alcohol creates to the rebound hyperexcitability that can show up as physical tremors and anxious feelings. In more severe cases, withdrawal can progress to seizures within roughly 12 to 48 hours and delirium tremens around 48 to 72 hours, but the early, common pair you’d expect to see first is tremors and anxiety starting within the first day.