What To Do
What To Do If Someone Has a Seizure from Alcohol Withdrawal
Key Takeaway: If someone has a seizure after suddenly stopping or heavily cutting down alcohol, protect them from injury, time the seizure, call 000, and check breathing as soon as it stops. Do not restrain them, do not put anything in the mouth, and do not try to manage severe withdrawal on your own.
An alcohol withdrawal seizure is not something to “sleep off”. It can be followed by more seizures, worsening confusion, hallucinations, or delirium tremens, so the person needs urgent medical assessment.
🚨 Quick Action Guide
| Situation | Action |
|---|---|
| Seizure starts | Protect the head, clear hazards, and start timing it immediately |
| They recently stopped or sharply cut down alcohol | Call 000 and say it may be an alcohol withdrawal seizure |
| Still jerking or unconscious | Do not restrain them and do not put anything in the mouth |
| Seizure stops and they are breathing | Recovery position, monitor breathing, and stay with them |
| Not breathing normally after the seizure | Start CPR immediately and follow DRSABCD |
| Confusion, hallucinations, repeated seizure, or severe agitation | Treat it as escalating withdrawal emergency and keep 000 updated |
Table of Contents
🚨 What To Do Immediately
1. Protect them from injury and time the seizure
Move away hard, sharp, hot, or breakable objects. Put something soft under the head if you can do it safely. Start a timer straight away. Healthdirect’s seizure guidance makes it clear that seizure length matters, especially once it reaches 5 minutes.
2. Call 000 early
An alcohol withdrawal seizure needs an ambulance, not a wait-and-see approach. Healthdirect’s 000 advice lists a seizure as a reason to call for urgent medical help, and SA Health guidance says people who present after an alcohol withdrawal seizure are at high risk of further seizures and need medical assessment.
3. Do not hold them down and do not put anything in the mouth
Do not try to stop the jerking and do not put water, tablets, food, or anything else in their mouth. Focus on safety and breathing, not on forcing treatment during the seizure.
4. When the seizure stops, check breathing immediately
If they are breathing but not fully awake, place them in the recovery position and keep watching closely. If they are not breathing normally, follow DRSABCD, call 000 if you have not already, and start CPR.
5. Stay with them and keep the area calm
After a seizure, people can be sleepy, confused, frightened, sweaty, shaky, or nauseated. Do not let them get up and wander off. Keep the space quiet and wait for the ambulance.
📞 Call 000 and Say “Possible Alcohol Withdrawal Seizure”
If you know, or strongly suspect, that the person recently stopped drinking or cut down sharply after heavy alcohol use, say that clearly to the operator. That detail helps the ambulance crew prepare for severe withdrawal complications as well as seizure care.
- Say it may be an alcohol withdrawal seizure
- Give the exact location and whether they are breathing normally
- Say when the seizure started and whether another seizure has happened
- Mention recent heavy drinking, last known drink, vomiting, fever, head injury, or pregnancy if you know about it
- Tell them if the person becomes more confused, agitated, or starts hallucinating while you are waiting
SA Health’s alcohol withdrawal guidance notes that severe withdrawal can involve seizures, confusion, hallucinations, and delirium tremens. This is why the call should stay active even if the seizure stops quickly.
🧠 Why an Alcohol Withdrawal Seizure Is High Risk
Healthdirect’s alcohol dependence page notes that alcohol dependence can cause withdrawal symptoms after stopping drinking. SA Health’s nursing guidance says alcohol withdrawal can start 6 to 12 hours after the last drink, and seizures usually happen within the first 48 hours.
This matters because the cause is not always straightforward. SA Health’s seizure guideline says a seizure in the context of heavy drinking still needs medical assessment to exclude other causes such as head injury, infection, hypoglycaemia, or metabolic problems. In other words, do not assume alcohol is the only issue.
SA Health also reports re-seizure rates between 13% and 24% in the first 24 hours after an alcohol-related seizure, with short hospital observation recommended because more seizures can follow. That is why you should not leave the person alone, let them drive, or tell them to just sleep it off.
If the seizure happened in a bath, shower, pool, or other water setting, follow our guide to what to do if someone has a seizure in water because drowning and head-injury risk can rise fast in that environment.
⏱️ What To Watch For After the Seizure
Breathing comes first
Once the jerking stops, check whether they are breathing normally. If they are breathing, keep them on their side and keep watching. If not, begin CPR straight away.
Watch for worsening withdrawal signs
Keep looking for rising agitation, severe shaking, sweating, vomiting, confusion, disorientation, or hallucinations. SA Health describes these as warning features of severe or complicated withdrawal, and delirium tremens is a medical emergency.
Do not rush food, drink, or tablets
Do not give anything by mouth until they are properly awake and swallowing safely. If they vomit, keep the airway clear and keep them on their side.
Keep the ambulance updated if the situation changes
If a second seizure starts, breathing worsens, or the person becomes violent, extremely confused, or very hard to wake, tell 000 immediately. If you want a broader refresher on standard seizure first aid, our general guide to first aid for seizures covers the core response steps.
❌ What Not To Do
Do not hold them down.
Do not put anything in the mouth during the seizure.
Do not give alcohol to try to “steady” them.
Do not hand over sleeping tablets, sedatives, or someone else’s medication unless that has been prescribed for them and a clinician has directed its use.
Do not leave them alone, let them drive, or tell them to sleep it off after the seizure stops.
🎓 Why First Aid Training Matters
An alcohol withdrawal seizure is a high-pressure scenario because it combines seizure first aid, breathing checks, and a person who may deteriorate again even after the shaking stops. In a HLTAID011 Provide First Aid course, you learn how to respond to seizures, unconscious casualties, CPR, and recovery-position care. That kind of first aid training helps you act in the right order when the situation is messy and fast-moving.
Need A First Aid Course?
FAQs
Do I always call 000 for a seizure from alcohol withdrawal?
Should I let them sleep it off once the seizure stops?
Can I give them alcohol to stop the withdrawal?
What if this is the first seizure they have ever had after quitting alcohol?
Quick Summary
If someone has a seizure from alcohol withdrawal:
• Protect them from injury
• Time the seizure
• Call 000 and say it may be alcohol withdrawal
• Do not restrain them
• Do not put anything in the mouth
• When it stops, check breathing
• Breathing but unconscious → recovery position
• Not breathing normally → start CPR
• Watch for repeated seizure, confusion, hallucinations, or severe agitation
