What common withdrawal symptom is associated with alcohol use?

Tachycardia is a common withdrawal symptom associated with alcohol use due to the central nervous system's heightened response when alcohol consumption ceases. When someone who has been drinking heavily suddenly stops or significantly reduces their alcohol intake, their body may experience a hyperactive state as it adjusts to the absence of alcohol, which has a depressant effect on the nervous system. This hyperactivity can manifest in various ways, one of which is an increased heart rate, or tachycardia.

The physiological response involves the release of stress hormones such as norepinephrine, which stimulates the heart and leads to increased heart rate. Along with other symptoms such as anxiety, tremors, and increased blood pressure, tachycardia serves as a clear indicator of alcohol withdrawal.

Diaphoresis (excessive sweating) can also occur during alcohol withdrawal, but it is often a secondary response to other autonomic symptoms rather than a direct indicator of the withdrawal state. Pupillary dilation typically occurs in other types of substance withdrawal, such as that associated with opioids. Visual hallucinations can indeed be a part of severe alcohol withdrawal, known as delirium tremens, but they are less common compared to the overall symptoms experienced, which makes tachycardia