In many cases, medically-supervised alcohol detox is the only safe way to stop drinking, especially if you’re suffering from AUD. Before beginning a tapering schedule, speak with your doctor about the risks of detoxing at home. Tapering off alcohol may complicate other medical conditions or co-occurring mental health disorders. You should plan to taper for between three and seven days depending on how much you’re used to drinking. Slowly reduce the amount of alcohol you consume each day until you reach sobriety. If you begin to experience serious withdrawal symptoms, drink enough to make the symptoms subside.
How To Taper off Alcohol Safely and Effectively
- When you drink heavily, alcohol is present in your bloodstream constantly.
- You’ll likely face the urge to drink more than you’ve planned each day, but there are some good tricks to help you delay that next serving and keep yourself honest.
- Whether you are struggling with addiction, mental health or both, our expert team is here to guide you every step of the way.
- On top of this, quitting immediately — or “cold turkey” as many users and professionals call it — can be dangerous.
- This method can lessen withdrawal symptoms, allowing your body to adjust to decreased alcohol levels slowly.
Those who find that they cannot taper off the number of drinks for any significant length of time have likely developed alcohol use disorder, a condition commonly known as alcoholism. For others, simply cutting back the number of drinks can bring on alcohol withdrawal symptoms, making it more difficult to stop. 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. If you experience severe withdrawal symptoms while tapering off alcohol, adjust your plan.
Does Alcohol Tapering Work?
Each of these challenges requires a unique approach and often the support of professionals, loved ones and support groups. Understanding and preparing for these difficulties can greatly enhance the chances of successful recovery. A sample taper schedule involves calculating the number of drinks consumed per day. After https://appsychology.com/living-in-a-sober-house/ this is calculated, make a schedule where you consume your normal amount on the first day and make regular reductions each day after.
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If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol addiction, contact us to learn more and get started with alcohol addiction treatment. Your doctor can determine if tapering alcohol is safe for your unique situation and help you create a plan to quit drinking alcohol. It’s always best to speak with a healthcare provider when changing your relationship with alcohol.
Challenges of Cutting Down on Alcohol Intake
Alcohol is produced by the fermentation, or the breakdown, of yeast, sugars, and starches. Is alcohol beginning to take up more and more of your time, budget, and life? You may be wondering how to begin the process of ridding yourself or your loved one of alcohol use once and for all. By building a strong support system, you Sober House Rules: A Comprehensive Overview can surround yourself with individuals who believe in your journey and provide the encouragement you need to stay on track. Educate your loved ones on dangerous symptoms, too, so they can look out for you and get you medical attention if you need it. Give your loved ones as much information as you can about your self-tapering strategy.
Can Tapering Your Alcohol Intake Reduce Withdrawal Symptoms?
- For example, if you start to suffer from alcohol withdrawal symptoms despite an attempt to taper, your symptoms may worsen before you have the chance to seek medical attention.
- However, using this method can help you avoid severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms and decrease the risk of a relapse.
- There’s no set time frame for tapering off alcohol that works for everyone.
- The alcohol withdrawal symptom delirium tremens (DT) is estimated to kill up to 5% of those attempting to quit suddenly after chronic usage.
Long-term alcohol use can lead to alcohol use disorder (AUD) and physical dependence. If your body becomes physically dependent on alcohol, you may experience withdrawal symptoms when you stop drinking. Studies have shown that 13–71% of people undergoing alcohol detox develop withdrawal symptoms.
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. Take the first step towards a happier, healthier life at The Haven Detox-New England. Our team of medical professionals offers a professional alcohol abuse treatment program. Weaning off alcohol in a safe way can help reduce the severity of some withdrawal symptoms. Orlando Recovery Center says that when you taper your alcohol intake over time, you reduce the likelihood of withdrawal symptoms7. This is because this process gives your brain more time to get used to the changes and damage that alcohol originally created.
You can join them to build social connections that help you stay committed. You will find people in these communities who understand your struggles and offer advice and encouragement. It is an excellent practice to remind yourself how well you are doing to boost your confidence. To track your progress, keep a record of your sober days and celebrate those small wins. If certain places trigger your urge to drink, consider avoiding them.
From the stomach, most of the alcohol travels to the small intestine. In the small intestine, alcohol is easily absorbed into the bloodstream. The circulatory system, which is made up of the heart, blood, and blood vessels, spreads alcohol throughout the body. Alcohol comes into contact with every major organ, including the heart. According to an abnormal psychology textbook, alcohol affects many parts of your body. Get helpful tips and guidance for everything from fighting inflammation to finding the best diets for weight loss…from exercises to build a stronger core to advice on treating cataracts.
Most people recover from alcohol withdrawal within a week, but people with severe dependency may experience withdrawal for multiple weeks. Alcohol causes serious changes in the brain, and prolonged symptoms such as sleep problems, mood changes and fatigue may take months to overcome, according to the U.S. The amount of time it takes to detox from alcohol depends on several factors, including whether you’re detoxing at home or with medical supervision. Detoxing at home usually takes longer because you should be cautious to avoid serious complications. If you’re used to drinking less than 20 beers per day, HAMS recommends reducing your alcohol consumption by two beers per day until you achieve sobriety. The alcohol content in specific beer, wine and liquor products differs.
The risk of tapering too slowly is that you won’t stick with it, while the risk of tapering too fast is severe withdrawal. If you experience dangerous signs such as high blood pressure, racing heart, or arrhythmias, slow your taper and seek assistance. Tapering off alcohol involves gradually reducing the amount of alcohol you drink. Besides its positive health benefits, it can help you quit drinking after weeks or months.