How Does Tapering Off Alcohol Work?

If you answer “yes” to four to five questions, your symptoms align with moderate AUD. If you answer “yes” to six or more questions, your symptoms align with severe AUD. Consult with a licensed mental health professional to further explore AUD. Medical supervision ensures that care is immediately available if serious symptoms arise.

What helps with shakes from alcohol withdrawal?

Light exercise and a proper diet can help you adjust to the detox. Exercise can reduce stress, improve mood, and bolster your immune system. John C. Umhau, MD, MPH, CPE is board-certified in addiction medicine and preventative medicine. For over 20 years Dr. Umhau was a senior clinical investigator at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Withdrawal and Safety When Tapering Off Alcohol

If you’re living with alcohol use disorder, quitting drinking is important for your health. 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. You may experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms when you quit drinking alcohol. This can happen whether you’re quitting alcohol cold turkey or tapering.

• Detox is just the first step in the process of recovery from alcohol use disorder.
• However, your body is adaptable, and after a period of regular, heavy drinking, your nervous system will adapt to the presence of alcohol.
• The intensity of the withdrawal symptoms depends on the severity of the alcoholism.
• The first is the physical detox process your body goes through if you abruptly stop drinking when you are physically dependent on alcohol.

Eat before and in between drinks.

• The opinions expressed are the author’s alone and have not been provided, approved or otherwise endorsed by our advertisers.
• Having a plan can help you stay on track and it can keep you safe.
• Dr. Streem suggests starting with the World Health Organization’s Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT).
• However, it’s important to contact medical professionals when an emergency occurs.
• Whatever method you use to taper down, your plan should also be approved and monitored by a healthcare profession to ensure your safety.

Eating healthier helps your body heal from the effects of alcohol. It also ensures your body has proper nutrition to maintain stamina during the stress it will go through during detox. For some drinkers, cutting down on the amount of alcohol they drink simply does not work.

How to Manage Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms at Home

People with the highest risk of complications from alcohol withdrawal are those who drink heavily in excess and those who have attempted to self-detox in the past. They may consider https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/kudzu-extract-and-alcohol-addiction-can-it-help-you-drink-less/ at-home detox because it makes the challenging situation seem easier to address. There’s usually no place more comfortable, safe-feeling and controllable than a person’s home.

Pros and Cons of Detoxing from Alcohol at Home

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 how to taper off alcohol at home should only be done under the guidance of a medical professional. Direct tapering is not recommended for liquor drinkers as it is challenging to measure amounts and can result in binge drinking.

Expert Tips For Reducing Your Alcohol Consumption

• Tapering is meant to reduce the withdrawal symptoms from quitting alcohol, but this isn’t a guarantee.
• Thus, a user will likely seek out alcohol again to rid themselves of the uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms.
• After several days of 5 glasses of wine, you can reduce that down to 4.
• You can read all about mindful drinking in this article by a licensed therapist at Monument.
• These symptoms can range from mild discomfort to severe health issues, making the tapering process difficult without proper guidance and support.
• When you call our team, you will speak to a Recovery Advocate who will answer any questions and perform a pre-assessment to determine your eligibility for treatment.

People who try tapering off alcohol won’t have the guided support of medical professionals that they would at inpatient treatment. In contrast, in-patient care can be more beneficial and less expensive in the long-term. Before beginning a tapering schedule, speak with your doctor about the risks of detoxing at home. Tapering off alcohol may complicate other medical conditions or co-occurring mental health disorders.

If you’re worried about your drinking, get in touch with your local GP surgery, who will be able to help. An easy way to keep track of how you’re doing and keep your motivation up is to give yourself short-term goals. Perhaps you could aim firstly for an alcohol-free week, then an alcohol-free month, for example. Similarly, try to identify the times when you would usually drink and fill the gap with something else. Frequently reminding yourself and the people close to you why you want to stop drinking can help keep you on track, and may even encourage someone else to give up or cut down with you.

Depending on how much alcohol you drink to start with, the amount of time an alcohol weaning schedule takes may vary. For example, those who drink more heavily may need more time to taper than those who drink less alcohol. Further, if you start to develop alcohol withdrawal symptoms during the taper, your doctor may instruct you to pause or slow the taper as a result. These factors can make one person’s taper last longer than another person’s taper. Ask friends or family to check on you throughout the detox process.