Ask when the patient last drank, how much and how often they typically consume, whether intake has recently decreased, and whether they have previously experienced withdrawal seizures, delirium tremens, or medically supervised detoxification. Also identify sedative or benzodiazepine use, acute infection or surgery, traumatic injury, liver disease, malnutrition, and significant electrolyte abnormalities. These factors change the likelihood that apparently mild symptoms will progress. Use the Prediction of Alcohol Withdrawal Severity Scale (PAWSS) to stratify risk: - PAWSS < 4: low risk for severe withdrawal complications. - PAWSS ≥ 4: high risk; the patient should be placed on a high-risk withdrawal-management pathway. PAWSS is a risk tool, not permission to delay treatment. A patient with a seizure, delirium, unstable vital signs, or inability to protect the airway requires immediate clinical management regardless of the calculated score. High-risk patients generally require a short-term benzodiazepine regimen, ideally in hospital or an inpatient withdrawal-management facility. Outpatient benzodiazepine use is reserved for situations with close, reliable monitoring and a clearly defined plan. A patient should not be sent home simply because the tremor is mild...