This can sometimes cause unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, and these symptoms can make it hard to stick with your recovery plan. The exact symptoms you experience will depend on factors such as how much alcohol you’re consuming, other medical conditions you have, medications you take, and your body’s response to the taper. You might select a light beer instead of a harder liquor, like whiskey. To curb habitual drinking, alternating between alcohol and water is useful. Severe withdrawal symptoms, called delirium tremens (DT) can be fatal. Our programs are designed to treat alcohol use disorder effectively and with dignity.
Reduce Your Number of Drinks Per Day
This phenomenon is often described as “alcohol dependence.” The most common more mild withdrawal symptoms include headaches, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. It can also be a good idea for people who don’t want to, or can’t, attend any type of full detoxification program. Creating a structured plan including more resources and increased self-care builds a strong foundation for recovery. Taking days off within the week is a common strategy to encourage drinking less overall.
Paying for Treatment
Intoxicating beverages have been around since the Neolithic period (about 10,000 BC) which is a lot longer than modern medications. Throughout history alcohol has been used for a number of different issues, including tapering off to overcome alcohol use. By Buddy TBuddy T is a writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Because he is a member of a support group that stresses the importance of anonymity at the public level, he does not use his photograph or his real name on this website. We have taken the necessary precautions to minimize the risk of exposure and transmission https://appsychology.com/living-in-a-sober-house/ of the Coronavirus to those in our treatment programs, allowing them to focus on their recovery.
Withdrawal and Safety When Tapering Off Alcohol
Tapering is a more cost-effective method of stopping alcohol use, especially for those who do not have healthcare insurance or the resources needed to get a professional detox. People who have successfully tapered from alcohol before may be especially likely to benefit from this strategy. If you find that you cannot stop drinking, even if it is obvious that it is negatively impacting your life, you may need to seek help for alcohol use disorder. There is no shame in this — a chemical dependency on alcohol can cause severe withdrawal symptoms, and seeking medical attention is important to ensure recovery.
- Because alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, quitting drinking can cause your body to have too much of an excitatory substance called glutamate as it tries to rebalance.
- Many people employ medication-assisted treatment for alcohol use to help curb the euphoric effects of alcohol.
- Whether you’re thinking about tapering off or going cold turkey, it’s crucial to understand the implications of both approaches and which strategy is likely the safest and most effective.
- Because he is a member of a support group that stresses the importance of anonymity at the public level, he does not use his photograph or his real name on this website.
Individuals with undiagnosed alcohol use disorder may struggle more when trying to cut back and may be better suited to medical detox rather than tapering. Seeking the help of professionals trained in addiction treatment can help identify the best treatment approach for each individual. However, remember that every individual is different, and what works for one person may not be safe for everyone.
Key Factors in Developing an Alcohol Taper Schedule
Making a schedule to slowly reduce your alcohol intake is a safe way to taper off the substance. This will ensure that you are not quitting cold turkey which could result in severe and debilitating withdrawal symptoms or even death. Depending on how much alcohol you’ve been consuming, it can take days or over a week to gradually reduce your dose safely and get off alcohol. Because alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, quitting drinking can cause your body to have too much of an excitatory substance called glutamate as it tries to rebalance. This can trigger alcohol withdrawal symptoms, which can be dangerous in some cases. Quitting cold turkey is the preferred method of withdrawal, but only if done under medical supervision, where symptoms can be treated as they occur.
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By creating a schedule to monitor your alcohol use you can see just how much of the substance you are drinking. The tapering down process can take place for the first several weeks or even months of the alcohol recovery timeline. There are many factors that can affect how long weaning off alcohol will take. Other people use medication-assisted treatment, which can help reduce alcohol cravings as you cut back. Lastly, engaging in alcohol therapy can also make a major difference in your healing journey. A therapist will work with you to create a personalized plan for cutting back and provide ongoing guidance and accountability.
This is why you can experience seizures and heart failure during alcohol withdrawal. You may face social pressure, ingrained habits, and emotional reliance on alcohol. Moreover, physical withdrawal can be challenging, and there’s also a phenomenon called the kindling effect to consider. This involves directly reducing the amount of alcohol you consume regularly. For example, if you typically drink five beers a night, you might cut down to four, then three, and so on. When you drink heavily and frequently, your brain compensates for the suppressive effects of alcohol by becoming more hyperactive.
“Any relative reduction in daily alcohol intake is healthy and headed in the right direction,” explains Lee. A strong community can go a long way to helping cut down on alcohol use. If you are serious about mindful drinking, ask your friends, family, or other trusted member of your community to help you cut back. You can plan fun events that don’t center around alcohol, and they Living in a Sober House: Fundamental Rules can assist in keeping you accountable to your goals.
Although it is possible to taper your alcohol use alone, professionals highly advise that you seek medical attention. Tapering off alcohol can be challenging, and withdrawal symptoms are common. However, various strategies can help you cope with these symptoms and make the journey toward sobriety more manageable. This method is safer than abruptly stopping alcohol consumption, especially when switching from hard liquor to beer. It is important to note that prescription medication should not be used for a substitution taper unless it has been prescribed as part of a medical detox program. In the case of switching to a different beverage, it is recommended to count the number of drinks consumed daily and gradually replace them with a beverage that contains less alcohol, such as beer.