Consider talking with a therapist or counselor to help identify triggers and develop strategies for avoiding future relapses. Keeping a journal or using a tracking app can be helpful in recording your alcohol consumption accurately. This assessment will serve as a baseline to measure your progress as you gradually reduce your intake. By acknowledging the need for change https://thefloridadigest.com/top-5-advantages-of-staying-in-a-sober-living-house/ and understanding the benefits of tapering off, individuals can take the first steps toward achieving a healthier and alcohol-free lifestyle. But if you’re living with alcohol use disorder, drinking is more than a habit. People with alcohol use disorder can’t stop drinking even when it causes problems, like emotional distress or physical harm to themselves or others.
Does Length of Stay Affect Drug and Alcohol Addiction Treatment?
- The condition encompasses a spectrum from mild to severe, with various physical and psychological symptoms that signal its presence.
- For example, if you notice your tremors are getting pretty bad three days in, drink the same amount you drank on the third day for the following day.
The exact benefits will depend on how much alcohol you were drinking and on factors such as your genetics, overall health, and how your body responds. But drinking less is always a good choice for your body and health. This can sometimes cause unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, and these symptoms can make it hard to stick with your recovery plan. Most people experience the most severe symptoms from about 36–72 hours after stopping drinking. Avoid taking prescription drugs that your doctor hasn’t prescribed to you.
How Long Does Tapering Off Alcohol Take?
This process should be developed with input from healthcare professionals to ensure safety and effectiveness. An evidence-based approach is crucial, considering the individual’s drinking history, health status, and potential risks. The time it takes to wean off alcohol depends on the person’s individual circumstances, including how much they drink and for how long. It’s important to take a gradual approach to avoid severe withdrawal symptoms. A healthcare professional can help develop a personalized plan for weaning off alcohol safely.
What Does it Mean to Taper Off Alcohol?
After prolonged alcohol use, your body can come to rely on alcohol for normal functioning, and suddenly going without it can cause potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms. This phenomenon is often described as “alcohol dependence.” The most common more mild withdrawal symptoms include headaches, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. 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.
Be aware of your triggers
- If you’re having difficulty sticking to your goal or just want some extra guidance, consider reaching out for professional support.
- Alcohol tapering is definitely possible, but the question of whether or not it works is not quite as straightforward.
- But if heavy drinkers cut back on their average number of drinks too quickly, they may be at risk of life-threatening withdrawal symptoms.
Medicines can be used to reduce nausea, severe anxiety, other flu-like symptoms, and treat seizures. If you repeatedly cannot cut back on your drinking or otherwise cannot get lower than a certain point in the taper, this might not be the right method for you. You can look into medication assisted treatment, such as getting the anti-craving medication Naltrexone, see if your doctor will give you benzodiazepines Sober House to taper with, or go to rehab/detox. If you notice severe hallucinations, extreme brain fog, the world slows down around you; you feel drunk when you’re not, you may have warning signs of delirium tremens (DTs). Always have one of your drinks late at night before you go to bed, to prevent this from happening while you’re sleeping. You need to make your own schedule and determine what’s best for you.
- It provides a safer transition compared to sudden cessation, which can lead to more severe withdrawal symptoms.
- Support groups can take various forms, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), SMART Recovery, or other community-based groups.
- Natural remedies and self-care techniques can also complement the cold turkey approach to help manage withdrawal symptoms.
- As a general rule, if you’ve been drinking an average of 10 drinks or more a day every day for more than a couple of weeks, you will need to taper.
Delirium Tremens
You should also consider an alcohol withdrawal taper if you’ve ever gone through withdrawal from alcohol, or any other depressant, in the past. Alcohol withdrawal can cause something called kindling to occur in your brain. Kindling refers to lasting physical changes in the brain that cause each subsequent withdrawal period to be worse.
