You should always seek medical advice before attempting any kind of alcohol withdrawal. People with moderate to severe alcohol addiction may find an alcohol taper difficult to accomplish. If you have trouble controlling how much you drink or experience significant alcohol cravings, you may need professional help instead of trying to taper your alcohol use at home. Alcohol dependence causes your body to adapt to the presence of alcohol in your body. But alcohol causes some of the most dangerous withdrawal symptoms you can experience, and it can be fatal in some circumstances. But since alcohol addiction can also be dangerous, you may need to get through withdrawal to achieve sobriety and better health.

How Long Does it Take to Taper Off Alcohol?

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 https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/6-successfull-and-motivational-sobriety-stories/ low alcohol percentage. For instance, many people binge drink on the weekend without drinking during the week. They may have a mild-to-moderate substance use problem without being chemically dependent.

Can Alcohol Addiction be Safely Tapered Off?

• When someone stops drinking, they must decide whether to quit “cold turkey” or taper their alcohol use.
• Typically, when a person thinks about the word tapering they think of tapering off medications like opioids.
• When you quit alcohol cold turkey, you quit drinking completely and suddenly.
• One potential way to quit drinking is through tapering, which involves slowly reducing your alcohol intake over time.

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. Tapering alcohol is beneficial how to taper off alcohol at home because you can avoid alcohol withdrawal symptoms. This is because when you drink heavily for months or years, your body can start to depend on alcohol to function normally. When you are physically dependent on a substance like alcohol, your body adapts accordingly.

How Does Alcohol Dependence Work in the Brain?

An alcohol use disorder can also have an impact on your social, psychological, and financial health. 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. The best alcohol tapering-off detox method should be determined by a medical professional who can evaluate your specific needs and risks. If you encounter severe symptoms during your tapering off alcohol schedule, contact your healthcare provider immediately.

Why Is Alcohol Withdrawal Dangerous?

If you’re relying on internet searches to find potential treatment centers, make sure to ask these ten questions to find a licensed facility that can meet your needs. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms range in severity depending on how extensive the misuse behavior was. The alcohol withdrawal symptom delirium tremens (DT) is estimated to kill up to 5% of those attempting to quit suddenly after chronic usage. This is a staggering number considering that many other drugs do not even have the possibility of lethal withdrawals.

• You should not begin a tapering plan before talking to your doctor.
• People with alcohol use disorder can’t stop drinking even when it causes problems, like emotional distress or physical harm to themselves or others.
• Weaning off alcohol can benefit people who drink moderately or have support systems.
• You can strengthen your emotional and communication techniques to help you work through any tough situations that may arise in the future.
• This is why it is important to stop regular, heavy drinking only under the supervision of medical staff.
• AUD can be dangerous, especially when you drink heavily in one sitting, risking alcohol poisoning.

The thought of abstaining from alcohol completely can feel daunting, and in some cases, it can even be dangerous without medical supervision. Below I share some key information so you can determine if weaning off alcohol is right for you. If you’re addicted to alcohol, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to recover without some form of addiction treatment. 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.

Types of Addiction Treatment Available

• Tapering off alcohol is a method of reducing your alcohol intake gradually.
• However, doing so without the guidance of a physician, can complicate tapering and ultimately delay when, if ever, sobriety is reached.
• There are two types of triggers that can set off a person’s urge to drink.
• If you don’t experience intense withdrawal symptoms, an at-home detox may be a good option.

• If you’re sweating, place a cold towel on your forehead or on the back of your neck.
• Repeatedly recognized as Newsweek’s best treatment center in California, they offer highly personalized, non-12-Step care using evidence-based and holistic approaches.
• You can read all about mindful drinking in this article by a licensed therapist at Monument.
• These factors can make one person’s taper last longer than another person’s taper.