Slowly tapering your alcohol use can help you manage mild withdrawal symptoms and decrease the risk of AUD. However, you may experience withdrawal symptoms or relapse if you’re not tapering correctly and safely. Although you can use methods to taper off alcohol at home, the best way to taper is to talk to a doctor. They can monitor your intake and adjust it accordingly to reduce the risk of withdrawal symptoms.
Unsupervised Medical Care
- Comprehensive care includes education on withdrawal, maintaining a low-stimulation environment, and nutritional support.
- If you are tapering yourself off alcohol for the first time, it can be helpful to know what symptoms to expect during the process.
- However, doing so without the guidance of a physician, can complicate tapering and ultimately delay when, if ever, sobriety is reached.
- Consuming a lighter alcoholic drink like beer also makes it easier for someone to stay hydrated throughout the taper.
It’s also important to monitor withdrawal symptoms closely, adjusting the taper schedule if severe symptoms occur. By setting a structured plan, individuals can systematically decrease their alcohol intake, which may include cutting out one drink at a time at regular intervals. This approach not only reduces the physical symptoms of withdrawal but also allows for psychological https://thewashingtondigest.com/top-5-advantages-of-staying-in-a-sober-living-house/ preparation for a life without alcohol. Tapering can be a more manageable method of cessation for those who might find abrupt discontinuation overwhelming or medically unsafe. When coming off drugs or alcohol tapering is the best way to prevent severe withdrawal symptoms. Tapering is the act of gradually reducing alcohol use until completely abstinent.
Calculate a Healthy Tapering Plan
If you or a loved one is suffering from an alcohol use disorder, it can feel like being trapped in a tunnel with no way out. Our admissions specialists will help you find the facility and treatment program best suited to the recovery needs of you or your loved one. Our knowledgeable and compassionate team is available 24/7 to help get you or someone you care about into treatment and answer any questions or concerns you might have. For example, someone who has been drinking three beers a day will generally have an easier and shorter overall time tapering off of alcohol than someone who has been drinking double that amount per day.
Incorporating Alcohol Tapering into Withdrawal Management Strategies
If you are struggling with severe alcohol use or addiction, tapering off alcohol at home may not be a safe option. The most effective option for alcoholics to stop drinking is to find a treatment Sober House program that offers medical detox services. If you are interested in medical detox, contact one of our Vertava Health treatment specialists to find alcohol detox programs near you.
- For this reason, it’s generally best to avoid quitting abruptly, or at bare minimum speak with a doctor first and have someone looking out for you.
- The longer and harder a person has drunk alcohol–the more severe the withdrawal will be.
- How to avoid benzo risks, including what to do if someone overdoses after using Xanax, Valium (diazepam) or temazepam or other depressant drugs like heroin and methadone.
- This is a 12 step intervention for alcohol abuse and addiction that can help lead to recovery from alcohol abuse; sober living houses provide mutual sobriety support to help you remain alcohol-free.
- This can be done by reducing the number of drinks, increasing time between drinks or choosing a weaker drink with a lower alcohol content.
- This is offered to patients with moderate to severe Alcohol Use Disorder, having the goal of achieving abstinence.
Most healthcare professionals recommend a medically-assisted detox as the best way to get off alcohol. Whether you decide to taper down your alcohol use or safely begin with abstinence, having a sobriety toolkit and support system will be the most important factor towards success in reaching your goals. At Monument, you can join a free community of over 60,000 members also working to change their relationship with alcohol, and explore treatment options like therapy and medication to stop drinking. Getting curious about a life without alcohol is already an incredible step, and a healthier lifestyle is within reach.
This is why it’s always best to find some form of long-term support in sobriety. Support groups, from Alcoholics Anonymous to SMART Recovery, are one free way to find a community of people on the same journey. There are also a number of anti-craving medications to help you avoid drinking again, or even help with your tapering process.
- The more aware you are of potential risk factors and your needs, the more likely you will succeed.
- Don’t try to go through recovery alone — reach out for help and support.
- Whatever schedule is chosen, it’s important to commit so you can build upon your progress and avoid withdrawal symptoms as much as possible.
- The purpose of alcohol tapering is typically to avoid some of the more dangerous symptoms of detox.
- How to manage drug and alcohol cravings, including how to plan for them and distract yourself while they are happening so that you don’t go back to old habits.
The timeline for alcohol withdrawal will be different for each individual. However, here is a sample timeline of what the average person can expect. It’s imperative to approach tapering cautiously, and individuals are encouraged to seek professional guidance to ensure safety throughout the process. How to tell if you’re addicted to cannabis (weed), including signs of addiction and cannabis withdrawal symptoms, plus where to get help for cannabis addiction.
Further, the severity of withdrawal symptoms can cause a person to resort back to drinking alcohol to relieve any symptoms. However, doing so without the guidance of a physician, can complicate tapering and ultimately delay when, if ever, sobriety is reached. Also, a severe type of alcohol withdrawal known as delirium tremens (DT) can occur between 4 to 72 hours of stopping alcohol use; without the proper supervision, DT can lead to permanent braind damage or death. If you are tapering yourself off alcohol for the first time, it can be helpful to know what symptoms to expect during the process. Although the symptoms can vary for each person based on personal factors, many people share common experiences during this process.
One of the reasons that medical professionals tend to avoid tapers is that they can be difficult to follow and may be more likely to be unsuccessful than faster options. Many people can recover by going to a specialized rehab center that uses proven treatments. Alcohol treatment uses various methods to help with withdrawal and addiction. With these interventions, people can find health and happiness in sobriety. Each individual’s journey to reduce alcohol intake will be unique, and these solutions should be adapted to fit personal circumstances and needs. It’s important to remember that tapering off alcohol is a significant change that requires commitment and support.