Consult with a licensed mental health professional to further explore AUD. Exploring, in writing, what you find difficult and when you most want to drink can help you notice patterns that offer more https://ecosoberhouse.com/ insight into your alcohol use. Maybe you’ve never been interested in logging your innermost thoughts, but journaling can be a great tool to track your feelings as you work on quitting alcohol.
- Another sign that you might need to taper is morning alcohol cravings.
- However, some groups have stepped in to try to bridge this gap and have published sample tapering schedules to help those trying to stop drinking.
- If you need help figuring out how to taper off alcohol, or want to find alcohol detox services near you, our treatment specialists at Vertava Health can help.
- Foods rich in vitamins and minerals, like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains, can support the body’s recovery.
- When you quit through tapering, you drink a little less each day until you’re able to have no alcohol at all.
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However, if you don’t taper properly, you may experience withdrawal symptoms, especially if you have severe alcoholism. Whether you’re sober curious, know for sure you’re ready to quit, or fall somewhere in between, Dr. Streem shares advice for how to stop drinking. If you’re living with alcohol use disorder (also known as alcoholism), you’ll likely benefit from additional medical interventions. Gradually tapering your alcohol use helps ease withdrawal symptoms and reduce alcohol cravings. Tapering increases the length of the detox process, but it might be better for you in the long run.
Expert Tips For Reducing Your Alcohol Consumption
- Or maybe you’re just looking to improve your health, wake up hangover-free and give your liver (and your heart and brain) a break.
- Getting professional treatment and long-term support are two of the most valuable strategies for avoiding relapse.
- This method is safer than abruptly stopping alcohol consumption, especially when switching from hard liquor to beer.
- If you’ve been drinking for a long time, tapering off can cause withdrawal symptoms.
- You may be able to detox at home and recover from alcoholism with the help of support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous.
Prepare a playlist of your favorite songs or movies to pass the time. Seizures can occur within the first 24 hours, but seizures occur only in about 25 percent of patients, according to the NIAAA. Alcohol withdrawal can cause many symptoms, some of which can be fatal.
Check in with your body for signs of detox
You should not begin a tapering plan before talking to your doctor. Based on your medical history, your doctor can advise you about the safety of 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. Your insurance plan may cover some or all of the cost of alcohol detox.
Examine alcohol health effects
This is because Delirium tremens is caused by hyperactivity in the nervous system, which is now without the depressant effects of alcohol and is instead going into overdrive. If you or someone you know needs help detoxing from alcohol, The Recovery Village Ridgefield Drug and Alcohol Rehab is here for you. Contact us today to speak with a representative and begin on the road to lasting addiction recovery. However, it should not cause someone to become stuck on a step, which would defeat the purpose of a taper. A person is free to increase the taper speed (e.g., lower by three drinks instead of two) as they see fit. While the safest way to taper is with professional help in a detox facility, this may not be an option for everyone.
Figure out how much you actually drink
A medical detox with support and supervision can drastically increase the chances of a successful recovery. The amount of alcohol it takes to cause withdrawal symptoms can vary from person to person. For this reason, you should always talk to your doctor before attempting to quit drinking. how to taper off alcohol at home That said, tapering off alcohol doesn’t completely eliminate withdrawal symptoms. Alcohol withdrawal is dangerous and it’s important to be careful throughout the process. If you’ve decided to quit drinking, and tapering seems like the right approach, we’ve got you covered.
- This means that there is little data about the best way to taper your drinking.
- Take our short alcohol quiz to learn where you fall on the drinking spectrum and if you might benefit from quitting or cutting back on alcohol.
- There is also the matter of the specific type of alcohol in question.
- Consider creating a visiting schedule so you are never alone during the first week of detox.
- You’ll need to stick with gradual reduction every day and not revert to previous levels of consumption, otherwise it won’t work.
- In addition, home detox may not be effective, appropriate, or safe.
- Direct tapers are better if you prefer drinks that contain a low percentage of alcohol.
- Use the NIAAA’s drink size calculator to determine the amount of alcohol in various drinks.
- Medical supervision ensures that care is immediately available if serious symptoms arise.
- Meditation can help clear your mind to focus on what really matters.
- She incorporates cultural relevance and non-traditional interventions and strategies to strengthen her clients’ steps towards goals of behavioral, emotional, social and mental wellness.
Alcohol Tapering Schedule
Tapering off Alcohol: What You Need To Know
