Ultimately, you need to decide to get sober for yourself, but if getting sober for someone else or something else motivates you in the beginning, it’s still a step in the right direction. From what I understand, most hospitals WILL give you 3-5 days worth of benzos to taper with at home. Most doctors would rather save the beds in their psych wards for people who are actually suicidal and send sober house you home.
Sometimes, they may experience seizures and delirium tremens (DTs). However, it’s still possible to experience withdrawal symptoms. 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.
Below are some ideas to help people reduce their drinking by alcohol tapering. For the brain and body, it can be helpful to start slow. “Any relative reduction in daily alcohol intake is healthy and headed in the right direction,” explains Lee. 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. It is also very important when tapering off to fight dehydration and to replenish lost vitamins.
- Everything you say is confidential and you’re paying them to HELP you.
- Depending on how much alcohol you drink to start with, the amount of time an alcohol weaning schedule takes may vary.
- However, they may still decide that tapering down feels most achievable for them.
- Through these programs, our caring and dedicated staff can help you on your road to recovery.
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I wouldn’t recommend getting anything above 7% for your taper. If you don’t like beers, drink beers (find ones with lower alcohol, some have high concentrations). If you mess up once or twice and drink more than you intended to, don’t be too discouraged. You can continue your taper the next day from whatever point you think is appropriate. I’d try to shoot for your original goal the following day if the physical withdrawals were subsiding. As long as you are trending downward overall, you’re doing well.
Gradual Reduction Method
For this reason, experts advise that alcohol cessation be monitored safely with steady effort between oneself and a physician. If you can get through a day with no physical withdrawal symptoms, you probably won’t need to taper. If you get moderate tremors or start hallucinating six hours after your last drink, you probably need to taper. Everyone is different, so it’s ultimately up to you to decide if you want to taper or not. Part of an alcohol tapering plan should include ways you’ll tend to yourself during times when you have a craving or a bad day.
By gradually tapering off alcohol, you can lower your risk for alcohol-related accidents or death. Yes, many individuals successfully quit alcohol altogether after tapering off. However, it’s important to develop a support system and consider ongoing therapy or participation in support groups to maintain sobriety. Yes, you can still socialize while tapering off alcohol.
If you do it too fast, you increase your chance of severe withdrawal. Make sure they’re aware of the severe withdrawal symptoms that can occur and tell them what to do if you experience them (get a drink and possibly call 911). If you have a seizure, the best thing they can do is stay with you, move any hazardous objects out of the way, prevent you from falling on anything hard, and call 911. They shouldn’t hold you down and there’s no real need to worry about choking on your tongue. Are you tapering because you physically depend on alcohol, or are you tapering because you want an excuse to drink longer?
Addiction Treatment
- You might be surprised to find that you don’t need alcohol to enjoy certain events and previously would drink out of habit.
- Orlando Recovery Center says that when you taper your alcohol intake over time, you reduce the likelihood of withdrawal symptoms7.
- We can leverage our resources and team to help you reduce and eventually end your alcohol use.
- Just because you had 8 drinks instead of 6 one day doesn’t mean you’ve failed, especially if you still drank the same or less than the previous day.
- Alcohol Tapering requires some planning to create a schedule.
The problem is that this can drag your taper out for several weeks or even months, depending on how slowly you’ve tapered and how much you’ve been drinking to start. I don’t think I could go through more than a couple weeks of tapering, but you do you. If you regularly drink a handle of liquor (around 40 standard drinks) or more per day, please seek professional help.
Does Tapering Help Reduce Withdrawal Symptoms?
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms range in severity depending on how extensive the misuse behavior was. The alcohol withdrawal symptom delirium tremens (DT) is estimated to kill up to 5% of those attempting to quit suddenly after chronic usage. This is a staggering number considering that many other drugs do not even have the possibility of lethal withdrawals.
Pros of Tapering Down Alcohol Intake
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. It’s always best to speak with a healthcare provider when changing your relationship with alcohol. Every person has unique needs, and tapering off may not be an adequate solution to reduce or stop drinking. Although you can use methods to taper off alcohol at home, the best way to taper is to talk to a doctor. They can monitor your intake and adjust it accordingly to reduce the risk of withdrawal symptoms.
Why Do You Experience Withdrawal Symptoms?
The idea is to religiously take this like medicine for the next week or two. My first recommendation is to seek professional help at an inpatient rehab facility, a dedicated detox center, or, in severe cases, the emergency room. Major hangover when I woke up Saturday night and for literally 24 hours anything I ate, my body rejected it and I vomited it out, even threw up regular drinking water. I couldn’t sleep without waking up ~20 minutes later, body jolted up.
Self-Care Alternative – Medically Monitored Detox
Some people may also find it easier to just taper off their alcohol use rather than jumping immediately into an abstinence day even if they do not have significant withdrawal symptoms. For some drinkers, cutting down on the amount of alcohol they drink simply does not work. They may cut back for a short period of time, but soon find themselves back to drinking at their usual level. This is especially true of heavy drinkers who are surrounded by the triggers that encourage drinking and lack the support needed to encourage change. Individuals who’ve consumed higher amounts of alcohol over time can develop life-threatening complications when trying to quit.
The info here is based on my own experience trying and failing to taper, then eventually getting it right. Eating well and ensuring you are staying hydrated can stop dehydration and some of the nutrient deficiencies that come from prolonged alcohol use and withdrawal. As you navigate this question, it can be https://appsychology.com/living-in-a-sober-house/ helpful to think about how you typically prefer to approach change. Metaphorically speaking, do you like to dip your toe in first, or cannonball right in?
An alcohol taper can be effective in beginning recovery and help set a realistic goal for those not ready to quit alcohol completely, but they’re not for everyone. Someone who has been drinking heavily for a long period may struggle with cravings and alcohol withdrawal symptoms, leading to relapse. You may experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms when you quit drinking alcohol. This can happen whether you’re quitting alcohol cold turkey or tapering. Alcohol Tapering is a method of decreasing alcohol intake slowly and in a manageable manner.