In the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, co-founder Bill Wilson recalls his struggles with alcoholism. The chapter “Bill’s Story” recounts in vivid detail the terrors of withdrawal, and the toll it took on Bill mentally, emotionally, and physically.

Alcohol withdrawal is the changes the body goes through when a person suddenly stops drinking after prolonged and heavy alcohol use. The symptoms of alcohol withdrawal include anxiety, insomnia, and more.

“I began to waken very early in the morning shaking violently,” he says. “A tumbler full of gin followed by a half dozen bottles of beer would be required if I were to eat any breakfast.”

Bill later details numerous trips to the hospital as his mental and physical health rapidly deteriorate. He concludes, “My weary and despairing wife was informed that it would all end with heart failure during delirium tremens. . . She would soon have to give me over to the undertaker or the asylum.”

There is perhaps no better first-hand description of alcohol withdrawal. Luckily, Bill found a solution. He, and millions like him, found hope in the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous.

However, overcoming the initial stages of recovery—where withdrawal symptoms can range from mild to severe—is sometimes difficult. It is useful to understand exactly what these symptoms are, as well as the resources available in treating them.