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People who are daily or heavy drinkers may need medical support to quit. Stopping drinking abruptly can lead to seizures and can even be fatal. Behavioral treatment programs are helpful for people who want to quit drinking. These programs involve working with a team of mental health professionals in a group and individual setting. For most people, alcohol withdrawal symptoms will begin sometime in should i taper off alcohol the first eight hours after their final drink.
- Our admissions specialists will help you find the facility and treatment program best suited to the recovery needs of you or your loved one.
- 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.
- This is particularly true when the symptoms are severe and potentially life-threatening.
- Unfortunately, there’s little to no evidence that tapering off reduces the effects of alcohol withdrawal, some of which can be severe or even life-threatening.
- For many people, tapering alone is insufficient to help heal their addiction.
Health Challenges
- The best schedule varies based on how much you drink each day and your overall health.
- Evaluate the pros and cons of tapering and consider quitting with medical help instead of trying to do it yourself.
- The amount of alcohol it takes to cause withdrawal symptoms can vary from person to person.
- Quitting binge drinking may require different strategies than either tapering or cold turkey.
- It’s always best to consult a physician on the best strategy, especially if you drink heavily.
Getting curious about a life without alcohol is already an incredible step, and a healthier lifestyle is within reach. Choosing to taper off alcohol is an admirable decision and a step in the right direction. As with many self-detox methods, the risks and rewards go hand in hand when attempting to overcome an alcohol substance use disorder. But, with a little prior knowledge on how to taper off alcohol, adequate planning and professional consultation from a healthcare provider, it can certainly be done. Tapering gradually lowers the amount of alcohol that you use over time.
Music Therapy for Addiction
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 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. Although tapering down has many advantages, it is critical that you consult with a medical or addiction treatment professional first.
How to Safely Taper Off Alcohol
- Tapering off alcohol is generally safer and more effective than quitting cold turkey.
- However, if you don’t taper properly, you may experience withdrawal symptoms, especially if you have severe alcoholism.
- Studies show that those who receive some type of formal treatment after detox are more likely to maintain sobriety8.
- Quitting cold turkey involves suddenly stopping all alcohol use, while tapering involves slowly decreasing the amount of alcohol a person drinks daily.
These include direct tapers, where you regularly decrease the amount of alcohol you consume, and substitution tapers, where you replace alcohol with another substance. These strategies work in different ways to help you quit drinking, and one may be more appropriate for you based on your needs. Tapering off alcohol can be a reasonable strategy for anyone who desires to stop drinking.
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Someone will slowly diminish the amount they drink with the intention of avoiding the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal completely and will hopefully be able to avoid a relapse as well. The symptoms of alcohol withdrawal can be more than enough to drive people back to drinking to find relief. Quitting any addictive substance can be extremely difficult, but quitting alcohol is often especially so. Many people fail to successfully quit drinking at least once before managing to attain sobriety. If you are tapering off of alcohol, the time it takes depends entirely on how long the taper is and how well you adhere to it.
