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Shaking in the morning until I drink. How serious is that?

Posted by graytidewood1590 on August 10, 2026

Original post

For the last few months I wake up shaking pretty badly, and it doesn't stop until I have a drink, usually within the first hour of being awake. I still make it to work every day and nobody there has any idea, but the shaking is getting harder to hide during meetings. Is this just dependence or is it something more dangerous that I should be worried about?

2 replies

  • brackenfield2761Marked as the answer
    Morning shakes that only stop once you drink are a classic withdrawal sign, and they mean your body has become physically dependent on having alcohol in your system to feel normal. That's not something to manage alone by cutting back gradually on your own schedule, because alcohol withdrawal can turn medically serious without much warning. I went through this myself, and having a doctor supervise the process of stopping caught things I never would have monitored on my own and made it safe.
  • hollowmesa8843
    I had the same shaking every morning for almost a year before I said anything to anyone. What scared me into finally calling a doctor was realizing the shaking had started showing up in the afternoon too, not just in the morning. I don't think anyone should try to just tough this one out solo, even if work is still going fine on the surface.

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