If it’s safe for you to quit cold turkey, you may find that cutting alcohol out entirely from the start helps you clearly uphold your boundaries. Or, you may find that quitting all at once is too drastic and decide to start by practicing harm reduction. A popular way to taper off alcohol is to gradually reduce the number of drinks you consume over a period of time.
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Understanding your habits and your motivations to quit drinking can help you understand the change you’re making in your life and reinforce why it’s important. Establishing new habits and routines, and dealing with the underlying causes of your drinking habits, are essential to lasting recovery. Alcohol also changes your brain chemistry, which can result in higher levels of anxiety and depression for the first several months. Finally, just because you’ve gotten past the withdrawal phase doesn’t mean you won’t continue to face psychological aspects of addiction—including alcohol cravings and drinking triggers. If you’ve decided to how to taper off alcohol at home, you’ll need to be prepared with some strategies to make the process easier. 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.
You Experience Withdrawals When You Stop Drinking
Quitting drinking can feel very isolating, making it even more difficult to do alone at home without medical support. This means that there is little https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/alcohol-poisoning-signs-and-symptoms/ data about the best way to taper your drinking. However, some groups have published tapering examples to assist those trying to quit drinking.
- However, weaning off alcohol isn’t always necessary for people who want to cut back or stop drinking.
- Another clue that can be an indication of an unhealthy relationship with alcohol is if you make “rules” around drinking.
- Find an accountability partner or someone you can call to keep you on track when you want to drink.
- Having said that, gaining an awareness of the principles of an alcohol taper can help you when determining how to detox from alcohol by tapering off.
Can Alcohol Addiction be Safely Tapered Off?
You may be able to detox at home and recover from alcoholism with the help of support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous. However, medically supervised detox and professional rehab are more likely to help you maintain long-term sobriety. The Recovery Village Atlanta offers comprehensive addiction treatment for drug and alcohol addictions and co-occurring mental health conditions.
We have taken the necessary precautions to minimize the risk of exposure and transmission of the Coronavirus to those in our treatment programs, allowing them to focus on their recovery. 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.
Working with a medical professional to taper your alcohol consumption can help the likelihood and severity of alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Instead of quitting alcohol cold turkey, you can steadily reduce your consumption so that your body has time to gradually readjust to absence of alcohol. It’s important to note that stopping drinking can be dangerous and even life-threatening.
- Here are some tips and strategies for how to taper off alcohol safely.
- Crystal Raypole has previously worked as a writer and editor for GoodTherapy.
- Our online health insurance verification system will estimate your in-network and out-of-network deductibles, coinsurance percentages and out-of-pocket maximums.
- Many patients don’t realize the toxicity of prolonged alcohol abuse and how it affects the body.
- Her fields of interest include Asian languages and literature, Japanese translation, cooking, natural sciences, sex positivity, and mental health.
Moreover, in England, as in other health systems, the impact of COVID-19 has created additional pressures and challenges for the whole NHS, including secondary hospitals. There are more people visiting AED than before the pandemic, with longer waiting lists for treatment and fewer hospital beds [25]. There is also record dissatisfaction amongst the workforce, with more doctors now stating they want to leave the NHS than before the pandemic [26]. 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.
This approach not only ensures safety but also promotes a more successful outcome. The first step in developing a tapering plan is to honestly assess your current alcohol consumption levels. This will help you establish a baseline from which to start reducing your intake. It’s important to be realistic about your drinking habits and not underestimate the amount of alcohol you consume.
Pros and Cons of Tapering Down Alcohol Intake
The degree of these effects will depend on your beta blocker use, dosage, indication, and how much alcohol you drink. Tapering off alcohol can help reduce withdrawal symptoms in some cases, but the effectiveness varies depending on individual factors and the severity of alcohol dependence. Seeking professional guidance is advisable to ensure a safe and effective tapering process. Exercise can be a beneficial component of a comprehensive strategy to reduce alcohol consumption, but it should not be the sole method. Consult with a healthcare provider for a personalized plan that may include exercise as part of your recovery.
