Get Appointment

When Tapering Benzodiazepines, Plan for the Long Game

how to taper off alcohol

These strategies work in different ways to help you quit drinking, and one may be more appropriate for you based on your Halfway house needs. The best way to taper off alcohol is to find healthcare professionals who can assess one’s current intake. This will be the basis of the protocol to taper off the substance to increase the chances of success.

how to taper off alcohol

Find Treatment

how to taper off alcohol

Luckily, this nationwide issue has resources available to help you heal. The main downside of cold turkey is how unpleasant and risky it can be. If you drink heavily, alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be harsh, dangerous, and even fatal. For this reason, it’s generally best to avoid quitting abruptly, or at bare minimum speak with a doctor first and have someone looking out for you.

  • AUD makes it difficult to control alcohol use — it may seem like the alcohol is controlling you.
  • Quitting with proper medical supervision may be more important than whether you stop gradually or all at once.
  • If the drink of choice is liquor, it is difficult to measure amounts and easy to binge drink.
  • The purpose of alcohol tapering is typically to avoid some of the more dangerous symptoms of detox.

How To Make an Alcohol Tapering Schedule

how to taper off alcohol

An alcoholic can only safely reduce their alcohol consumption under medical supervision. Alcohol withdrawal can be deadly, especially for people with alcohol use disorder. If you or your loved one are suffering from alcoholism, seek out professional help from a detox facility or rehab to wean off alcohol. Programs such as inpatient or outpatient rehab, medical detox, individual or family therapy and support groups are available. Through these programs, our caring and dedicated staff can help you on your road to recovery. Licensed medical professionals and highly qualified addiction specialists at The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper can help guide you toward a life without alcohol.

Powerball Can Lead to Gambling Addiction

  • Alcohol withdrawal is the most dangerous form of substance withdrawal, creating unpleasant symptoms that can be potentially deadly for those with more severe symptoms.
  • Writing down your problems is an important step in quitting alcohol as it allows you to confront the underlying issues that drive alcohol use.
  • Medical detox involves stopping alcohol all at once and managing withdrawal symptoms through medications and other treatments instead of reducing them with a taper.

Sober living homes provide a comfortable, safe place for you to focus on your healing. Unfortunately, your brain may be sensitized to withdrawal due to kindling, which can set you up for unexpectedly severe withdrawal symptoms. Direct tapering is not recommended for liquor drinkers as it is challenging to measure amounts and can result in binge how to taper off alcohol drinking. Additionally, mixed drinks may contain sugar or other additives that could exacerbate withdrawal symptoms and should be avoided during the taper.

  • A taper may help you to get off of alcohol; however, medical detox is typically recommended as the best way to stop using alcohol.
  • By following a clearly delineated roadmap with an end goal in sight, alcohol withdrawal, while no walk in the park, can seem far more achievable.
  • Lifestyle changes that can assist in quitting drinking include maintaining a balanced diet rich in nutrients, which aids recovery and boosts energy levels.
  • If you have a severe alcohol addiction, it might be best to seek professional addiction treatment.
  • Individuals experiencing mild alcohol withdrawal syndrome can experience uncomfortable symptoms.
  • By substituting alcoholic drinks for non-alcoholic drinks, you can still engage in most of your habit without getting the alcohol that makes it addictive.
  • If you are having trouble putting down the bottle, then here’s how to taper off alcohol to avoid those withdrawal symptoms.

Saved Costs and Time

how to taper off alcohol

If it’s safe for you to quit cold turkey, you may find that cutting alcohol out entirely from the start helps you clearly uphold your boundaries. Or, you may find that quitting all at once is too drastic and decide to start by practicing harm reduction. Slowly tapering your alcohol use can help you manage mild withdrawal symptoms and decrease the risk of AUD. However, you may experience withdrawal symptoms or relapse if you’re not tapering correctly and safely.

  • Luckily, this nationwide issue has resources available to help you heal.
  • The support of an alcohol detox program may help you wean off alcohol more quickly and with fewer unpleasant side effects.
  • Whatever method you use to taper down, your plan should also be approved and monitored by a healthcare profession to ensure your safety.
  • Licensed medical professionals and highly qualified addiction specialists at The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper can help guide you toward a life without alcohol.
  • It might help to set goals and reward yourself when you reach them.

Alcohol Tapering Methods

It can be hard to predict who might experience this severe form of withdrawal, but confusion is a telltale sign. Those who are older, have a history of alcohol seizures or have comorbid issues can help predict elevated risk (2). Casey Davidson is a sobriety coach and host of the “Hello Someday” podcast for sober-curious women. At the time, she was drinking a bottle of wine https://ecosoberhouse.com/ a night, seven nights a week. Always remember that if the taper is not working for you or if you are having major withdrawal that it is safest to check into a medical detox because alcohol withdrawal can kill you.

our

latest blogs

about dr

marina varghese

Look

WHAT PATIENTS SAY

We asked our patients what they think about Dr Marina Varghese, and here’s what they said.