Can Tapering Off Alcohol Reduce Withdrawal Symptoms?

The rationale is simply that you’re less likely to drink much of a beverage you don’t like. Limit yourself to one drink per hour, for example, or substitute a glass of water, juice, or Gatorade between each alcoholic drink. Alcohol also inhibits the glutamate receptor–which is the cause of staggering, slurring, and general interference with muscular coordination. Glutamate receptor rebound also appears to contribute to the withdrawal symptoms described above.

That said, https://story.com.ua/zdorovie/2019/12/11/efirnye-masla-kotorye-borutsia-s-morshinkami-i-delaut-kojy-siiaushei/ off alcohol doesn’t completely eliminate withdrawal symptoms. Alcohol withdrawal is dangerous and it’s important to be careful throughout the process. Alcohol addiction can be difficult and sometimes dangerous to handle on your own. If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol addiction,contact usto learn more and get started with alcohol addiction treatment.

Tapering Off Alcohol is Key to Overcoming Alcoholism

In most cases, the longer you take to wean off the effects of alcohol, the less severe your withdrawal symptoms should be. However, it can be challenging to stick with a long-term tapering schedule, so you have to find the right balance for you. The support of an alcohol detox program may help you wean off alcohol more quickly and with fewer unpleasant side effects.

You may decide to seek medical treatment for your withdrawal symptoms or decide to enter a professional detox or rehab center. Depending on how much alcohol you drink to start with, the amount of time an alcohol weaning schedule takes may vary. For example, those who drink more heavily may need more time to taper than those who drink less alcohol. Further, if you start to develop alcohol withdrawal symptoms during the taper, your doctor may instruct you to pause or slow the taper as a result. These factors can make one person’s taper last longer than another person’s taper. How to taper off alcohol safely without the help of a rehab can be more daunting as it requires that you monitor your use carefully and change your drinking habits. Setting goals can help in this endeavor, such as reducing the amount you drink each week, drinking water between drinks, or switching to non-alcoholic beverages over time.

Why Is Alcohol Withdrawal Dangerous?

For over 20 years Dr. Umhau was a senior clinical investigator at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the National Institutes of Health . But, perhaps most importantly, understand that setbacks happen and that progress takes time or may look different than imagined. It is all part of the process, and no one’s process is the same. Keep your refrigerator stocked with nutritious foods and drinks. Find support by asking your friends, family or self-help groups to assist you in staying sober. You may have your treatment while living at home or as a hospital inpatient. Some people find support groups like Narcotics Anonymous helpful.

• 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 are tapering yourself off alcohol for the first time, it can be helpful to know what symptoms to expect during the process.
• Alcohol therapy can also make a major difference in your healing journey.
• In 2017, James had the opportunity to combine his business experience and passion for recovery to start The Freedom Center.

It’s important to note that it won’t work for everyone, and is best done under medical attention or with the proper supervision so that it can be completed successfully. When you’re learning how to taper off alcohol properly, you will have to make a lot of decisions. One of those decisions will be what you will do when friends or family pressure you to drink.

Pros and Cons of Tapering Down Alcohol Intake

Ask loved ones to look out for signs of alcohol relapse to help you stay on track with your recovery process. In these cases, talk to your doctor before trying to cut back on your drinking. If you are struggling with severe alcohol use or addiction, tapering off alcohol at home may not be a safe option. The most effective option for alcoholics to stop drinking is to find a treatment program that offers medical detox services. If you are interested in medical detox, contact one of our Vertava Health treatment specialists to find alcohol detox programs near you.

For one thing, it creates tangible goals for the http://restinworld.ru/hotels/usa/houstontexas/index1.html tapering to reach, helping to build their confidence in themselves and the belief that they can eventually stop drinking completely. Alcohol can affect every part of your body, impacting the health of each body system when used heavily or for prolonged periods of time. It is important to understand exactly how alcohol can affect your body so that you can be aware of changes that occur.

Is it Better to Taper Off Alcohol or Quit “Cold Turkey?”

Whichever method you choose, what is most important is to commit to your alcohol tapering schedule, so you can be sure that you have avoided the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal as much as possible. If you or someone you love is struggling with drinking, Orlando Recovery Center can help. It all begins by reducing the number of drinks in a sitting, a day, a week or whichever time frame works best.

When an individual has developed a substance use disorder or dependence on alcohol, stopping its use outright can seem virtually impossible. On top of this, quitting immediately — or “cold turkey” as many users and professionals call it — can be dangerous. Withdrawal symptoms are generally uncomfortable to deal with, but they can be fatal. To avoid or reduce the impact of the withdrawal symptoms, people struggling with alcohol may choose to progressively taper off alcohol rather than quit abruptly. Quitting alcohol cold turkey isn’t recommended for moderate drinkers and heavy drinkers. You will be at serious risk of withdrawal symptoms, which can even prove deadly for some who suffer from alcohol addiction.

Cheryl is a Clinical Social Worker licensed by the state of Maryland with over 30 years of experience in the field. She graduated from The University of Maryland with a master’s degree in social work.

Join a supportive discussion about the challenges you may encounter in the earlier days, including physical, emotional, and social changes. It also can reduce the risk of relapse by not trying to attempt too much too soon, failing, and then going back to regularly using alcohol to cope with the feelings of failure. Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Have you, or someone around you, reached a point where drinking alcohol has become a bit more than an occasional thing? Although it is difficult to be considered, according to the CDC, someone who is alcohol dependent, it doesn’t make it any easier to stop drinking if you’ve made a habit of it. For those seeking addiction treatment for themselves or a loved one, the Addiction Group helpline is a private and convenient solution. Calls to any general helpline (non-facility specific 1-8XX numbers) for your visit will be answered by American Addiction Centers . Besides potential withdrawal symptoms, you may also face social pressure. Because a lot of social events involve alcohol, it can be challenging to stay away from it.

That way, you can rest assured that your vitals are being monitored and you are taking the necessary steps to achieve a full recovery with very minor, if any, medical complications. While this is a valiant effort and it can work for some people, an abrupt cessation of alcohol can be dangerous for those who have a long history of alcohol abuse and addiction. However, achieving sobriety is a process that can take quite some time. To speed up the processes, many choose to try going “cold turkey,” aka, stop drinking and never pick up a glass again. Deirdre graduated in 2012 from Pace University and completed her bachelor’s at Columbia University in New York and has her Master of Science in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Cons of Tapering Down Alcohol Intake

Because everyone’s body reacts differently, there’s not a lot of research that proves tapering can decrease the effects of alcohol withdrawal. The Monument platform can help determine what timeline will work for you based on your past drinking habits and risk of withdrawal. Whatever schedule is chosen, it’s important to commit so you can build upon your progress and avoid withdrawal symptoms as much as possible. As a Certified Professional Recovery Coach, I often speak with people who want to wean off alcohol. 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. You should also consider an alcohol withdrawal taper if you’ve ever gone through withdrawal from alcohol, or any other depressant, in the past.