Alcohol withdrawal is a set of symptoms that may occur when a person suddenly stops drinking after using alcohol for a long time.
When a person has been drinking to excess for several months or years, his or her body comes to rely on alcohol and its effects. Alcohol is a depressant that acts like a sedative or tranquilizer on the body. When the intake of alcohol is suddenly stopped, the body may go through withdrawal.
Alcohol withdrawal rarely occurs in a person who only drinks once in a while. Someone who has gone through alcohol withdrawal before is more likely to have withdrawal symptoms each time he or she quits drinking alcohol.