How to Wean Off Alcohol Tapering Off Alcohol Safely

It provides relapse prevention techniques, therapeutic interventions, and aftercare support. Eating healthier helps your body heal from the effects of alcohol. It also ensures your body has proper nutrition to maintain stamina during the stress it will go through during detox. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be painful and potentially life-threatening, so it’s important to have people you can rely on. The detoxification timeline varies based on the severity of the alcohol addiction. Triggers such as certain people, places, or situations can increase the urge to drink.

If you abruptly stop consuming alcohol, your brain may not have enough sensitivity to GABA, which can result in hyper-excitability and withdrawal symptoms. Alcohol withdrawal occurs when neurotransmitters that combat the effects of alcohol on the nervous system suddenly have nothing to counteract them. Essentially, when an individual drinks, the brain amplifies certain activities to counterbalance the depressive effect alcohol has on it. When that numbing sensation disappears entirely, the brain is left dangerously overstimulated. Insomnia, anxiety and paranoia — the opposite effects of alcohol — are the expected results.

Accurate, complete profiles best connect you with the right people for your services. Maintain your profile by updating your photos, video links, treatment services, and contact details to ensure optimal visibility. Discover how increasing alcohol prices decreases alcohol-related deaths and supports healthier choices. Your friends and family may not be the best support system, unless they’re also recovering addicts/alcoholics. They may have trouble relating to you and you could feel out-of-place talking to them about your problems. You may be biologically predisposed to abusing it, and if you’re physically addicted, your brain isn’t working right.

Many people with alcohol use disorder struggle with dehydration and nausea during withdrawal. Drinking lots of fluids, especially fluids with electrolytes, will help address dehydration and nausea and improve your overall health and ability to undergo withdrawal. Sodium, calcium, potassium and magnesium are common electrolytes in sports drinks. People can partake in some natural remedies and activities to keep their minds occupied and help pass the time as withdrawal symptoms fade. Some of these remedies can be useful during withdrawal itself, and some are more helpful as you cope with cravings. Adjusting the tapering schedule to the individual’s needs is also crucial.

With these things in mind, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons of tapering your alcohol use to make a fully informed decision. If your health, wellness, and even life may be at risk, quitting alcohol should only be attempted with the help of a medical professional. Typically, quitting cold turkey from a 12-beer-a-day habit is going to be more stressful than Vanderburgh House Review tapering off slowly.

Understand the Importance of Tapering

There are two reasons you should have at least one other person with you as you go through alcohol withdrawal at home. The first is that they can https://rehabliving.net/vanderburgh-house-sober-home-review help you manage the symptoms of withdrawal if they become too crippling or even call for medical help if necessary. The second is that having a friend or loved one around offers immense emotional support, encouragement, and accountability. Around the 12- to 24-hour mark, some who undergo alcohol withdrawal will experience hallucinations. These can be auditory, visual, or even tactile, and the hallucinations can last for up to 48 hours.

• For some drinkers, cutting down on the amount of alcohol they drink simply does not work.
• Next, there is a day treatment program or partial hospitalization program (PHP) at Serenity Lane.
• If you are considering at-home detox, speak with your doctor before beginning the process.
• That said, tapering off alcohol doesn’t completely eliminate withdrawal symptoms.
• The chances of seizures and DTs are low if you’re tapering, but they happen even in controlled rehab environments.

Before starting any plan to reduce alcohol consumption, it’s essential to consult with a healthcare professional. They can assess your individual situation and help you create a personalized tapering plan. A doctor can provide advice on how to wean off alcohol safely, monitor your progress, and suggest medications or therapies to manage withdrawal symptoms. For those with mild to moderate alcohol dependence, a self-guided tapering plan might work. They can provide guidance on a safe reduction strategy or recommend alcohol detox programs.

Reclaim lives affected by the dangerous drug Krokodil in America. Expert strategies to address substance use and spring break concerns with your college kid. Do anything and everything you can to distract yourself from drinking. Whether that’s watching TV, cooking dinner, cleaning the house, going for a walk, or taking a bath. Force your self to do normal activities, but nothing too strenuous or physical beyond what you might normally do. I once went from averaging 25 a day to 10 the first day and five the second day.

Navigating Challenges in Alcohol Tapering

Thus, a user will likely seek out alcohol again to rid themselves of the uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. Over time, this can help you slow down and make more intentional choices about how much you’re drinking. You can read all about mindful drinking in this article by a licensed therapist at Monument.

Cons of Alcohol Tapering

To successfully taper your alcohol use, finding what works best for you is important. Alcohol proof is the amount of alcohol found in distilled spirits or liquor. Smaller drinks with a higher percentage of alcohol are stronger than the same size drink containing a lower-proof liquor. Find an accountability partner or someone you can call to keep you on track when you want to drink. Build a network of people you can go to when you need help, join a support group or see a therapist. To create an effective taper, you must know how much you drink daily on average.

Start Your Alcohol Treatment With Serenity Lane Today

Here’s how to wean off alcohol—including useful strategies, how to create a tapering schedule, and how to stay safe throughout the process. It can help you reach goals and can minimize some of the unpleasant and severe symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. Weaning off alcohol can benefit people who drink moderately or have support systems.

How to Safely Taper Off Alcohol

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.

Consulting with Medical Professionals and Therapists

For those switching beverages, the idea is to slowly replace hard liquor with something like a low-alcohol beer. Because beer tends to have a lower alcohol percentage, it’s simpler to gauge how much you are consuming, and it’s less prone to binge drinking. Another advantage is that lighter drinks can help you stay better hydrated as you taper. Prescription-based substitution must be done under a doctor’s care, particularly if a medication is being used to replace alcohol.

Consider avoiding bars and liquor stores, as well as avoiding routines that involve alcohol. Excessive drinking can weaken the immune system, increasing the body’s likelihood of developing an infection. Diseases like pneumonia and tuberculosis are more frequent in individuals who chronically drink. BetterHelp offers affordable mental health care via phone, video, or live-chat. Generally, light to moderate drinkers should plan to taper for a week or more.