Detox doesn’t treat addiction, which is a disease characterized by compulsive behaviors, such as chronic alcohol use. To create an effective taper, you must know how much you drink daily on average. It can be easy to underestimate how much you drink, and being as accurate as possible is important.
Is it Better to Taper Off Alcohol or Quit “Cold Turkey?”
Replacing alcoholic beverages with non-alcohol drinks is a great method of helping during a taper. By substituting alcoholic drinks for non-alcoholic drinks, you can still engage in most of your habit without getting the alcohol that makes it addictive. This can taper you off alcohol while still helping you keep up with your normal drinking routine, making the process easier. Moreover, substituting one kind of beverage for another does not help you taper off alcohol if you consume the same number of standard drinks as you usually have. For example, one 12-ounce can of beer contains roughly the same amount of alcohol as a 5-ounce glass of wine or a mixed drink containing 1.5 ounces of alcohol.
- BetterHelp offers affordable mental health care via phone, video, or live-chat.
- When they suddenly quit drinking, the brain continues its hyperactivity, but alcohol no longer suppresses the effects.
- An alcohol taper can be effective in beginning recovery and help set a realistic goal for those not ready to quit alcohol completely, but they’re not for everyone.
- In order to change your drinking habits, your first step is to take a close look at your current behaviors and find patterns.
- It is important that your recovery plan has a list of people who can support you as you wean off alcohol.
- You can read all about mindful drinking in this article by a licensed therapist at Monument.
How to Wean Off Alcohol & Safely Taper Drinking
Quitting cold turkey involves suddenly stopping all alcohol use, while tapering involves slowly decreasing the amount of alcohol a person drinks daily. Weaning off alcohol reduces the chance of experiencing withdrawal or the severity of withdrawal symptoms. Educate yourself on potential withdrawal symptoms and have a support system in place. Evaluate the pros and cons of tapering and consider quitting with medical help instead of trying to do it yourself. Deciding to reduce or eliminate your alcohol consumption is a big step and will open up a whole new world of improved health and well-being.
Tapering and Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms
- In addition, home detox may not be effective, appropriate, or safe.
- If you have depression and take alprazolam, tell your doctor right away about worsening depression or thoughts of suicide.
- These complications can develop within a few hours or days and appear in the form of seizures, delirium tremens (DTs), and hallucinations, sometimes even leading to death.
- Substituting a prescription drug for alcohol should only happen with the help of a medical professional.
- Behavioral health treatment for alcohol problems is often (but not always) covered by insurance.
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. Contact emergency health services if you or someone you know experiences more than one symptom of severe alcohol withdrawal. Some find tapering is not a suitable option to stop drinking due to various factors such as social responsibilities or peer pressure. For many people, tapering alone is insufficient to help heal their addiction. Tapering is also a strategy used by people with a substance or alcohol use disorder (AUD).
Mild Symptoms
Melody is here to help as you adjust to a life with less (or no) alcohol. When you call our team, you will speak to a Recovery Advocate who will answer any questions and perform a pre-assessment to determine your eligibility for treatment. If eligible, we will create a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs. If The Recovery Village is not the right fit for you or your loved one, we will help refer you to a facility that is. “The role of GABAA receptors in mediating the effects of alcohol in the central nervous system.” Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience, July 28, 2003.
Minimized Risk of Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms
Ultimately, you shouldn’t taper https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/how-art-therapy-can-help-in-addiction-recovery/ off of alcohol unless you’ve checked with your doctor first. Because of the risk of a lower success rate and prolonged alcohol exposure, most healthcare professionals will recommend a professional detox over tapering. Quitting cold turkey means suddenly stopping all alcohol consumption.
This method is safer than abruptly stopping alcohol consumption, especially when switching from hard liquor to beer. Drinking beer can also help maintain hydration throughout the taper. Reducing the amount of the chosen substance consumed daily is known as a direct taper, but it may not be effective for everyone. It is only advisable to direct taper if the preferred drink is beer with a low alcohol percentage. Give yourself personal rewards such as taking yourself to a special, non-alcoholic meal, buying yourself a meaningful item, hosting a sober celebration, or planning a day out.
- Alprazolam also comes in forms that don’t require you to swallow a tablet.
- Laying it all out in black and white can take time and some serious self-examination.
- This balances out the effects of alcohol and makes your brain function more as it should while you have alcohol in your bloodstream.
- They can also ensure your alcohol detox is successful by making it nigh impossible to relapse if symptoms get difficult.
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. Factors such as pattern of alcohol use, other medical conditions, genetics and how your body responds to alcohol can play a role in withdrawal symptoms. how to taper off alcohol The amount of time it takes to taper off of alcohol can vary greatly from person to person.
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This is because this process gives your brain more time to get used to the changes and damage that alcohol originally created. If you were to suddenly stop drinking alcohol, your receptors would become hyperactive because they are no longer being depressed. This is why you should taper off alcohol, or use a prescribed medication like benzodiazepines, during detox3. It’s vital to do this under the supervision of a medical professional to ensure the process is safe and smooth. Some alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be so severe that they can lead to death. Contact a medical professional immediately if you notice any withdrawal symptoms.
