With that being said, tapering is a lot safer than going cold turkey. Although going cold turkey on opioids is dangerous and can cause significant withdrawal symptoms, quitting alcohol cold turkey can be fatal. Another crucial element is the individual’s health status, including any co-occurring medical conditions and medications that could interact with alcohol. Proper hydration and nutrition must be maintained throughout the tapering process, as alcohol withdrawal can result in dehydration and nutrient imbalances. Support systems, such as family, friends, or professional care, provide the necessary encouragement and oversight.

  • Knowing why you drink is essential, says Cyndi Turner, LCSW, LSATP, MAC, a Virginia therapist specializing in addiction treatment and alcohol moderation.
  • You may not need to completely reinvent your life to quit drinking, but making a few changes in your surroundings to help avoid alcohol triggers can make a big difference.
  • An effective coping technique is to “fast forward” your relapse fantasy.

Pros and Cons of Tapering Down Alcohol Intake

  • Tips to help you stay alcohol- or drug-free, including advice on coping with cravings and triggers, and refreshing your recovery goals.
  • In turn, it can be challenging to learn what helps with alcohol withdrawal.
  • This drug limits the pleasurable effects of drinking without making you feel sick.
  • Research indicates that those with higher levels of dependence may require a slower taper to minimize withdrawal symptoms.
  • Quitting binge drinking may require different strategies than either tapering or cold turkey.
  • Maybe you don’t think you depend on alcohol exactly, but you still wonder whether you might be drinking too much.

Gradually decreasing alcohol intake through supervised tapering can make quitting safer and ease withdrawal severity. Adjusting the taper schedule may be required based on the individual’s response to the tapering process. This could include altering the rate of tapering or providing additional support or medical intervention if withdrawal symptoms become severe. When they suddenly quit drinking, the brain continues its hyperactivity, but alcohol no longer suppresses the effects. This can cause seizures and delirium tremens, a severe form of withdrawal marked by tremors and hallucinations.

Alcohol Withdrawal

  • Working with a physician on the Monument platform can help determine what timeline will work for you based on your past drinking habits and risk of withdrawal.
  • Our admissions specialists will help you find the facility and treatment program best suited to the recovery needs of you or your loved one.
  • Although the symptoms can vary for each person based on personal factors, many people share common experiences during this process.
  • Medications such as benzodiazepines, gabapentin, or valproate may be used adjunctively to manage persistent symptoms and support the tapering process.
  • Risky withdrawal symptoms are not limited to the above.3 Learn more about alcohol withdrawal here and, once again, speak to a doctor first.
  • Take our short alcohol quiz to learn where you fall on the drinking spectrum and if you might benefit from quitting or cutting back on alcohol.

Medications such as benzodiazepines, gabapentin, or valproate may be used adjunctively to manage persistent symptoms and support the tapering process. Ultimately, the purpose of alcohol tapering is to provide a safer and more controlled pathway toward sobriety, to minimize withdrawal symptoms and to reduce the likelihood of relapse. If you’re ready to quit drinking alcohol, but unsure where to find help, Ria Health may have a solution that works for you. Our program offers access to expert medical advice, prescription medications, recovery coaches, online support groups, and digital tracking tools, all through your smartphone. The most severe form of alcohol withdrawal is known as delirium tremens, which develops in about 3 to 5% of people with severe alcohol addiction.

Frequently Asked Questions on Alcohol Withdrawal

It can be very comforting to know that many people have gone through withdrawal before. We recommend reaching out to others who are also going through withdrawal or joining Top 5 Advantages of Staying in a Sober Living House group therapy. Professional detox is highly recommended for those likely to experience moderate to severe withdrawal symptoms and will support you during detox.

how to taper off alcohol

The letter’s content should be encouraging and remind you why you are going through the challenge of detox in the first place. Pull the letter out and read it to yourself when you feel tempted. It’s even helpful to read it out loud, as this has been shown to help you retain the information https://financeinquirer.com/top-5-advantages-of-staying-in-a-sober-living-house/ more effectively. This method is safer than abruptly stopping alcohol consumption, especially when switching from hard liquor to beer. Drinking beer can also help maintain hydration throughout the taper. Quitting alcohol cold turkey is not recommended and can be dangerous.

Direct tapering is not recommended for liquor drinkers as it is challenging to measure amounts and can result in binge drinking. Additionally, mixed drinks may contain sugar or other additives that could exacerbate withdrawal symptoms and should be avoided during the taper. Some people choose to taper more quickly by cutting the amounts in half–for example 20, 10 5, 2, 0. But if you start having major withdrawal symptoms like bad shakes or pulse over 100 or high blood pressure you are tapering too fast and should slow it down. Monitoring you pulse and blood pressure can be a very good idea while you are tapering especially if you have high blood pressure.

The exact symptoms you experience will depend on factors such as how much alcohol you’re consuming, other medical conditions you have, medications you take, and your body’s response to the taper. Here’s how to manage your drug and alcohol use if you’re looking to make a change to your mental health. Find local support for drugs, alcohol, or mental health with our local service finder. It’s much better to focus on something you enjoy than to focus on the discomfort of your withdrawal symptoms.

The kindling effect is an aspect of alcohol withdrawal that makes repeated attempts at withdrawal less safe. If you go through alcohol withdrawal multiple times, a kindling effect can occur. 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.

If a person is ready to quit, but needs support, the process is still long and complicated. Help them familiarize themselves with the resources out there, and figure out how to access the ones that will work best for them. Be there as much as you can as a source of moral and emotional support. With all of the above established, what can you actually do to help a loved one who is struggling with alcohol use disorder? The answer is complicated, and depends on that person’s individual relationship to alcohol. While there are no easy answers, understanding more about alcohol addiction as an illness can make it easier to figure out the best way to help someone.