Stress is a common trigger that makes it hard to modify your alcohol intake. Finding a different, more healthy way to unload stress may go a long way in helping someone succeed in cutting back on their alcohol use. However, even the best-designed tapers can put you at risk for alcohol withdrawal syndrome. For this reason, you should never start an alcohol taper before clearing with your doctor. Tapering is also a strategy used by people with a substance or alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, improper tapering could lead to relapse, overdose, and severe health consequences.
- If you feel severe symptoms, such as hallucinations, rapid heartbeat or disorientation, call 911 immediately.
- Ativan solution for IM or IV injection is given only by a healthcare professional.
- For people who experience mild alcohol withdrawal symptoms, there are safe ways to detox at home.
- However, quitting cold turkey or tapering is not advisable for people with an AUD.
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But quitting on your own can pose risks to your health and is unlikely to be successful. Rehabilitation facilities can help you on your path to sobriety by addressing alcohol withdrawal symptoms and becoming involved in sober living support groups, like AA. Alcohol dependence causes your body to adapt to the presence of alcohol in your body.
Cold Turkey Method
From here, you can plan a schedule for gradually reducing how much you drink per day. Ideally, this schedule will be determined with the assistance of a doctor or addiction treatment professional. Some people avoid medically supervised rehab because they prefer natural remedies for alcohol withdrawal.
Tapering off Alcohol vs. Going Cold Turkey
It’s common for the first symptoms to appear within a few hours after your last drink. There are a range of symptoms you can experience when you stop drinking. Tapering can help minimize these symptoms, but you might still experience some of them while your body adjusts to the lack of alcohol.
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- Whatever your reason to quit drinking, know that you’re doing yourself a favor.
- These medications are prescribed and managed by healthcare providers.
- A person is free to increase the taper speed (e.g., lower by three drinks instead of two) as they see fit.
- Generally speaking, alcohol home detox is neither the most effective nor the safest method of quitting alcohol.
We offer comprehensive, evidence-based treatment to support individuals in achieving and maintaining long-term sobriety. There are two types of triggers that can set off a person’s urge to drink. External triggers are people, places, things, or times that offer opportunities to drink and remind a person of alcohol.
Medical detox may include psychological support to address the emotional aspects of addiction and help individuals prepare for ongoing treatment. Tapering can be a long process that takes weeks or even months to finish. Although it is possible to taper at home, how to taper off alcohol having medical supervision and assistance can ensure a successful taper. A doctor can supervise your tapering progress, helping you manage your cravings and prevent relapse. Overall, getting professional help can improve your chances for long-term sobriety.
A final strategy to assist with an alcohol taper is to get a good network of peer support. 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. Tapering off alcohol, rather than stopping all at once, is the most effective way to avoid serious withdrawal symptoms and other problems such as dehydration. It can be helpful to make a plan ahead of time for how to handle a relapse. For example, some people choose to write a list of reasons why they want to stop drinking alcohol, and revisit the list to remind themselves after a relapse. You may want to speak with a loved one or therapist about a strategy to prevent relapses from happening.
Make no mistake about it, alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be severe, and in some cases fatal. If you are a daily drinker, a heavy drinker, or a frequent binge drinker, suddenly quitting will likely produce a wide range of uncomfortable symptoms. Sunshine Behavioral Health strives to help people who are facing substance abuse, addiction, mental health disorders, or a combination of these conditions.
