Why you should be worried if you start getting ‘phantom hangovers’

As a non-drinker, I'll often join my friends by knocking down a few cold ones (a single Diet Coke) after work.

So I don't really know what a hangover feels like, but as I've gotten older, I have witnessed more and more ‘phantom hangovers’ as the years go by.

By now, we all realise that drinking too much can never be a good thing.

And there's no shame in admitting that you're finding it hard to stop, or that you're a borderline alcoholic.

What classifies as alcohol misuse?

According to the NHS, 'alcohol misuse is when you drink in a way that's harmful, or when you're dependent on alcohol'.

The health service advises people to not regularly drink more than 14 units a week.

One unit of alcohol is 8g or 10ml of pure alcohol, which is about half a pint of lower to normal-strength lager/beer/cider (ABV 3.6 percent), a single small shot measure (25ml) of spirits (25ml, ABV 40 percent), or a small glass (125ml, ABV 12 percent) of wine containing about 1.5 units of alcohol.

A 'phantom hangover' can be rough. (Getty Stock Images)

What is a phantom hangover?

A phantom hangover will only happen when you abstain from alcohol for a certain amount of time.

Alcohol rehab guide explains that feeling hungover when you've not even had a drink can be a sign of alcohol abuse.

Symptoms are similar to a regular hangover, but they usually start around 48 hours after quitting alcohol - and usually it's heavy drinkers who have gone off the booze that suffer the worst.

They can last just a few days to a few months.

Notably, phantom hangovers can be psychological due to a chemical imbalance in the brain.

Possible symptoms

• Nausea
• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Brain fog
• Aching muscles

Phantom hangover symptoms include headaches, fatigue and brain fog. (Getty Stock Images)

How long does it take the liver to repair from alcohol abuse?

Doctor Lance Stein, a transplant hepatologist at Piedmont Transplant, explains that alcohol is a toxin to the liver, which can cause a lot of internal damage.

He said: “When alcohol, or ethanol, reaches the liver, the cells of the liver have enzymes that help with the digestion and processing of alcohol.

“When alcohol then reaches the blood, that’s when you feel the effects of alcohol.

“As the liver is processing alcohol, it can damage the liver’s enzymes, which can lead to cell death.

“As with any damage to any cell of any organ, there is always a process of healing.”

Dr Stein explained that ‘if the damage to the liver has been long-term, it may not be reversible’, but for most people, your liver might be able to start healing as early as a few days to a few weeks.

We've all woken up like this before. (Getty stock photo)

At what age should you consider quitting alcohol completely?

Removing booze from your life can help prevent the development of dementia.

Dr Richard Restak, author of How to Prevent Dementia: An Expert’s Guide to Long-Term Brain Health, wrote: "Ask yourself, ‘why do I drink?’ If the answer is ‘because alcohol helps me to elevate my mood and lower my anxiety,’ you may be at some peril, and it’s probably best to stop altogether.

“I strongly suggest that if you are 65 years old or older, that you completely and permanently eliminate alcohol from your diet."