About Alcoholism - Alcoholism Information, Research and Treatment

How long does it take for an alcoholic to recover after prolonged intoxication? A longitudinal study of recovery time for withdrawal conducted by Richard P. Alien, Louis A. Faillace, and Althea Wagman of the Department of Psychiatry, Baltimore City Hospitals and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine indicated that for five alcoholic subjects memory functioning was markedly impaired after withdrawal and required two weeks for recovery. For three subjects, sleep as determined by EEG recordings also showed marked changes requiring two weeks for recovery. The data were interpreted as recommending that alcoholics be kept under close medical supervision for seven to 14 days after withdrawal.