Gradually reducing the amount of alcohol you drink can help give your body the time it needs to adjust to the lack of alcohol. Along with withdrawal symptoms, it may be even more difficult to cut back or taper your alcohol use if you struggle with an alcohol use disorder (AUD). AUD makes it difficult to control alcohol use — it may seem like the alcohol is controlling you. A taper may not be right for you if you frequently drink more than you intended, try to cut back but cannot or feel that your alcohol use is affecting your life. People with AUD may be unable to quit drinking alcohol on their own or have attempted to quit before and relapsed.

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You’ll need to stick with gradual reduction every day and not revert to previous levels of consumption, otherwise it won’t work. If it’s too hard to control how much you drink each day, weaning might A Guide To Sober House Rules: What You Need To Know not be the right strategy. That said, there are now several medications that can help reduce your cravings and make weaning off alcohol easier. If you’ve been drinking for a long time, you may experience withdrawal symptoms when you quit drinking. Assessing your relationship with alcohol begins with a thorough examination of your drinking habits.

Addiction Treatment

• Getting professional help can mitigate harmful withdrawal symptoms and ensure success.
• “Some will experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop abruptly, which is an indicator for medically managed alcohol withdrawal treatments from a health professional.
• If you are serious about mindful drinking, ask your friends, family, or other trusted member of your community to help you cut back.
• AUD makes it difficult to control alcohol use — it may seem like the alcohol is controlling you.
• For this reason, you should never start an alcohol taper before clearing with your doctor.

Navigate common detox symptoms and learn how to ease discomfort and maximize health benefits. Explore effective cures for heroin addiction, from therapies to support systems for lasting recovery. Explore the benefits of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for boosting your mental health.

• Inpatient treatment may be an expensive option in terms of time and money.
• Drinking beer can also help maintain hydration throughout the taper.
• As a result, they will experience many of the opposite effects of alcohol.
• It’s a good idea to talk with a medical professional before you begin a taper.
• Delirium tremens (DT) is a life-threatening condition that requires medical attention.

The intensity of the withdrawal symptoms depends on the severity of the alcoholism. Ask friends or family to check on you throughout the detox process. Aside from providing emotional support, they can also call medical professionals if something goes wrong. Over time, this can help you slow down and make more intentional choices about how much you’re drinking. You can read all about mindful drinking in this article by a licensed therapist at Monument. After prolonged alcohol use, your body can come to rely on alcohol for normal functioning, and suddenly going without it can cause potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms.

Tapering with Support: Key Tools for Alcohol Recovery

Our team of medical professionals offers a professional alcohol abuse treatment program. Ria Health offers access to many of these tools, including prescription medications, recovery coaching, and online support groups—all through a HIPAA-compliant smartphone app. We support both moderation and abstinence as goals and, although we cannot provide medical detox remotely, we can help you design an effective tapering schedule to reduce your drinking.

Taking It Slow: Importance of Gradual Quitting

They can monitor your intake and adjust it accordingly https://thecinnamonhollow.com/a-guide-to-sober-house-rules-what-you-need-to-know/ to reduce the risk of withdrawal symptoms. Talk to a medical professional if you have any concerns about tapering off alcohol. They can provide recommendations to help you avoid harmful side effects.

If you know you’re heading to an event where you’ll be offered alcohol, prepare what you’re going to say before you get there, says Young. Talk to our caring professionals today and take the first step toward living a fulfilling, addiction-free life. The effects of alcohol can vary depending on weight, gender, age and other factors. Replacing alcoholic beverages with non-alcohol drinks is a great method of helping during a taper. By substituting alcoholic drinks for non-alcoholic drinks, you can still engage in most of your habit without getting the alcohol that makes it addictive. This can taper you off alcohol while still helping you keep up with your normal drinking routine, making the process easier.

If you slip up or return to heavy drinking, try to understand that it is not because you are weak or lack will power. Alcohol use disorder is a legitimate and very serious medical condition, and few people are able to stop drinking entirely on their own. Detoxing from alcohol at home is not a one-size-fits-all solution. It’s important to consider the risks and benefits carefully and seek professional guidance if you’re unsure.

Quitting abruptly can be dangerous without medical supervision due to potential withdrawal symptoms. Gradually decreasing alcohol intake through supervised tapering can make quitting safer and ease withdrawal severity. The main downside of cold turkey is how unpleasant and risky it can be.