How to Wean Off Alcohol Safely and Effectively

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. People who have alcohol use disorder that goes undiagnosed may have an especially difficult time cutting back on their alcohol consumption. If you’re struggling to stick to a taper or do not trust yourself to moderate your alcohol use, having strict supervision and support can help you meet your recovery goals.

• Most people recover from alcohol withdrawal within a week, but people with severe dependency may experience withdrawal for multiple weeks.
• Dependence is often accompanied by tolerance, which is when it takes more and more alcohol for you to achieve the same effects that you experienced when you first started.
• Instead of criticizing yourself for having a hard time or slipping up and having a drink, remember that no one’s perfect.
• If you drink alcohol and are thinking about quitting, it is important to make sure you do so safely.

How to safely taper off your alcohol consumption

Depressants are so-called because they depress activity in the central nervous system. In other words, they slow down chemical communication in the brain and body. This is what causes many of the positive and negative effects of drinking, and it causes the effects of prescription depressants.

Challenges of Tapering Off Alcohol

With kindling, the brain becomes increasingly sensitized to stopping alcohol. In turn, you can suffer from increasingly severe withdrawal symptoms every time you try to stop drinking. Quitting alcohol can be done safely, and it may be important for someone with a substance use problem.

Can You Taper Off Alcohol Safely At Home?

Keep a list of emergency phone numbers on hand that includes contact info for your doctor, the police, a nearby hospital, and someone you trust. And consider joining a support group such as Alcoholics Anonymous. Educate your loved ones on dangerous symptoms, too, so they can look out for you and get you medical attention if you need it. You might run into obstacles along the way that tempt you to drink.

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The length of the tapering process can vary based on the needs of the person. People with a greater dependency on alcohol may need to stretch out the process to gradually reduce their alcohol intake. If you are tapering yourself off how to taper off alcohol alcohol for the first time, it can be helpful to know what symptoms to expect during the process. Although the symptoms can vary for each person based on personal factors, many people share common experiences during this process.

• Letting others know about your choice to stop drinking may help motivate you to stick with your decision.
• Use the NIAAA’s drink size calculator to determine the amount of alcohol in various drinks.
• Start by estimating how much you drink on a daily basis—and be honest with yourself.
• Although with this method, it is important that the friend or family member is accessible when symptoms of withdrawals such as tremors return.
• Alcohol withdrawal symptoms range in severity depending on how extensive the misuse behavior was.

Examine alcohol health effects

• Alcohol is the third-leading preventable cause of mortality in the United States, with approximately 95,000 people dying from alcohol-related causes each year.
• When you stop drinking, your brain will stop getting the inhibitory effects of alcohol and become overstimulated.
• By talking with your doctor or an addiction treatment specialist, together you can determine a safe tapering schedule that suits your needs.
• Central nervous system depressants are a class of drugs that includes several prescription medications like benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and sedative-hypnotics.
• She enjoys interviewing medical experts and researchers about their work and is passionate about communicating accurate and relevant health information to the public.
• A doctor can supervise your tapering progress, helping you manage your cravings and prevent relapse.

Does Your Alcohol Tolerance Go Down if You Stop Drinking?

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• Tapering off alcohol is generally safer and more effective than quitting cold turkey.
• Regardless, The initial detoxification process may take several days.
• If you’ve been drinking for a long time, you may experience withdrawal symptoms when you quit drinking.
• With that being said, tapering is a lot safer than going cold turkey.
• These factors can make one person’s taper last longer than another person’s taper.
• Direct tapering is not recommended for liquor drinkers as it is challenging to measure amounts and can result in binge drinking.