If you’ve been unable to quit on your own, you should consider attending an alcohol rehab center. It teaches you healthy ways to cope with stress and techniques for overcoming the underlying causes of alcohol addiction. Typically, alcohol withdrawal symptoms happen for heavier drinkers. Alcohol withdrawal can begin within hours of ending a drinking session. That is why alcohol detox and alcohol withdrawal treatment is administered by medical professionals. Alcohol withdrawal occurs when neurotransmitters that combat the effects of alcohol on the nervous system suddenly have nothing to counteract them.
Cold Turkey Method
Rather than quitting drinking abruptly (or “cold turkey”), many professionals recommend gradually reducing your drinking (or tapering) over time. This can give your body the chance to adjust, helping you avoid the worst of withdrawal symptoms. Making a schedule to slowly reduce your alcohol intake is a safe way to taper off the substance. This will ensure that you are not quitting cold turkey which could result in severe and debilitating withdrawal symptoms or even death. Depending on how much alcohol you’ve been consuming, it can take days or over a week to gradually reduce your dose safely and get off alcohol.
Insurance May Cover The Cost of Alcohol Detox
As mentioned above, we strongly recommend speaking with a doctor to ensure your plan is a safe one, and won’t cause dangerous withdrawal symptoms. If you’ve been drinking heavily for a long time and think you might experience withdrawal symptoms, it’s best to talk with a medical professional before you begin a taper. They can help you decide if tapering is the safest option for you. This method works best with gradual reduction, as alcohol withdrawal symptoms can start within 12–24 hours after stopping drinking.
Consider professional support
Individuals who’ve consumed higher amounts of alcohol over time can develop life-threatening complications when trying to quit. These complications can develop within a few hours or days and appear in the form of seizures, delirium tremens (DTs), and hallucinations, sometimes even leading to death. For example, healthcare providers usually don’t take patients off antidepressants suddenly; rather, they gradually lower the dosages to help reduce antidepressant discontinuation symptoms. If you’re used to drinking less than 20 beers per day, HAMS recommends reducing your alcohol consumption by two beers per day until you achieve sobriety. Research has shown that professional help improves your ability to overcome an addiction to alcohol or cut back if you have found it difficult. The most common research technique among those surveyed is an internet search (61%), followed by asking a doctor or medical professional (55%).
Be aware of your triggers
Some people can taper quickly and quit alcohol completely, while others may take longer. But deciding to cut back on drinking is much more important than the length of your alcohol taper. A medical professional can help you determine if a fast or slow taper, or quitting altogether, is appropriate based on a thorough medical assessment and evaluation of your withdrawal risk. The kindling effect is an aspect of alcohol withdrawal that makes repeated attempts at withdrawal less safe. If you go through alcohol withdrawal multiple times, a kindling effect can occur.
- Typically, quitting cold turkey from a 12-beer-a-day habit is going to be more stressful than tapering off slowly.
- Seeking help as early as possible during the withdrawal process is the best way to stay safe as you cleanse your body of alcohol.
- People attempting to quit may turn to drinking again to prevent withdrawal symptoms.
- A shot of distilled spirits like vodka is 1.5 ounces and equally 40% alcohol.
More on Substance Abuse and Addiction
- The phrase cold turkey refers to abruptly stopping drug or alcohol use.
- There are also a number of anti-craving medications to help you avoid drinking again, or even help with your tapering process.
- Your doctor can determine if tapering alcohol is safe for your unique situation and help you create a plan to quit drinking alcohol.
Tapering will normally create less severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms but will spread them out over a prolonged period. Essentially, tapering provides less intense withdrawal symptoms but over a longer amount of time. Creating a tapering schedule you can stick with is a crucial part of weaning yourself off alcohol. The best schedule varies based on how much you drink each day and your overall health.
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- Even if you don’t succeed the first time, there are still plenty of treatment options you can turn to.
- Tapering off alcohol may complicate other medical conditions or co-occurring mental health disorders.
Sometimes, they may experience seizures and delirium tremens (DTs). Some find tapering is not a suitable option to stop drinking due to various factors such as social responsibilities or peer pressure. For many people, tapering alone is insufficient to help heal their addiction. Talk to a medical professional if you have any concerns about tapering off alcohol. They can provide recommendations to help you avoid harmful side effects.
Tips for Tapering Yourself off Alcohol
Tapering is a more cost-effective method of stopping alcohol use, especially for those who do not have healthcare insurance or the resources needed to get a professional detox. People who have successfully tapered from alcohol before may be especially likely how to taper off alcohol to benefit from this strategy. People who try tapering off alcohol won’t have the guided support of medical professionals that they would at inpatient treatment. In contrast, in-patient care can be more beneficial and less expensive in the long-term.