How to Wean Off Alcohol & Safely Taper Drinking

The ER trip fixed me up with three pints of fluid and two shots of Adavan. The next day I was still on the tapering method but at work I was standing in my cubicle and my head started twitching and I blacked out only to be awoken by paramedics. Alcohol addiction can be difficult and sometimes dangerous to handle on your own.

Alcohol Tapering Guide

But could weaning yourself off alcohol help you stay sober for good? In fact, 30 million people have alcohol use disorder1 in the United States alone. Luckily, this nationwide issue has resources available to help you heal.

Unsupervised Medical Care

Ria Health offers several FDA-approved medications for alcohol use disorder. When combined with counseling, this approach is proven highly effective. Excessive drinking has numerous impacts on your body and mind, ranging from mild to severe. Learn which signs to look out for, and how to care for your well-being. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms are more likely in heavy drinkers.

• Thanks to affordable wholesale beer taper, you can fully furnish your establishments.
• It’s important to note that stopping drinking can be dangerous and even life-threatening.
• You should always seek medical advice before attempting any kind of alcohol withdrawal.

How does tapering off alcohol work?

Tapering off alcohol may benefit your physical and mental health, including but not limited to the following. Prescription-based substitution must be done under a doctor’s care, particularly if a medication is being used to replace alcohol. This ensures you’re taking the correct dosage and receiving proper supervision.

• Slowly decreasing the amount you drink over time can spare your body from withdrawal symptoms.
• Then come up with a reduction rate you think will be safe, and that you can stick to.
• This method is more sustainable and less stressful for the body, as it gives the body time to adapt to decreasing levels of alcohol in the bloodstream.
• In this study on tapering with a benzo, about 1% of patients had a seizure after completing their taper.

Or, you may find that quitting all at once is too drastic and decide to start by practicing harm reduction. This approach may help individuals manage alcohol cravings, reduce physical withdrawal symptoms, and establish healthier drinking patterns. Contrarily, tapering off alcohol allows the body to adjust to the changes gradually. This method is more sustainable and less stressful for the body, as it gives the body time to adapt to decreasing levels of alcohol in the bloodstream. This process may minimize cravings and withdrawal symptoms and make it easier for the person to maintain sobriety in the long term.

• However, weaning off alcohol isn’t always necessary for people who want to cut back or stop drinking.
• If you notice signs of DTs in yourself or someone else, seek emergency medical help immediately by calling 911.
• In other words, they slow down chemical communication in the brain and body.
• Many people find that learning how to wean themselves off alcohol gives them a sense of control and reduces anxiety about quitting.
• Additionally, the post-detox treatment resources available at a professional treatment center can ease the transition to sober living and give you the tools you need to stay sober long-term.
• For people who moderately consume alcohol, tapering off may be a good option.

Gradually reducing alcohol consumption can be achieved through a substitution taper. This can involve switching to a different alcoholic beverage or replacing alcohol with a prescription drug, but the latter should only be done under the guidance of a medical professional. By looking at your medical history and alcohol intake, your doctor can determine whether you need to taper in a medical detox facility or can safely detox at home. Prolonged and excessive alcohol consumption can impact your brain, causing changes to the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors. Heavy drinking can lead to a reduction in the sensitivity of your brain to the amount of GABA produced. If you abruptly stop consuming alcohol, your brain may not have enough sensitivity to GABA, which can result in hyper-excitability and withdrawal symptoms.

Who is likely to have significant alcohol withdrawal symptoms?

Tapper is an action game where you’re a beer tapper (barman) and have to serve beer to demanding customers. There are heroin addiction four customers, each has its own lane lengthier than the previous one, whom you have to keep at bay. The most secure way to taper is often under the guidance of a medical detox program, but not everyone has access to or can afford such care.

Coping Strategies

It can be tempting to just “rip off the Band-Aid” when getting sober, but tapering off alcohol is often much safer—and much less stressful. Rather than quitting drinking abruptly (or “cold turkey”), many professionals recommend gradually reducing https://ecosoberhouse.com/ your drinking (or tapering) over time. This can give your body the chance to adjust, helping you avoid the worst of withdrawal symptoms.

Insurance May Cover Alcohol Detox

But from a harm reduction standpoint, it’s much less likely to get you into trouble than alcohol, pills, or harder drugs. Don’t quit other lighter substances while you’re detoxing from alcohol. I’m specifically talking about beer taper things like weed, cigarettes, and vaping. If you don’t really like hard seltzer, like me, drink hard seltzer. It has a lot of water and you can find them in the 4.5-5% range. I wouldn’t recommend getting anything above 7% for your taper.

It is highly recommended to speak with a doctor, therapist, or some form of medical professional before beginning. If alcohol withdrawal is so dangerous, is tapering off alcohol necessary for everyone who drinks? If you’ve been drinking consistently for a long time, it’s a good idea to consider the safest way to stop when it’s time to cut back. However, weaning off alcohol isn’t always necessary for people who want to cut back or stop drinking. The most significant factor is whether or not you’ve become chemically dependent. At Orlando Recovery Center Drug and Alcohol Rehab, we offer many alcohol addiction treatment options led by train medical professionals.