People who drink daily or almost every day should not be left alone for the first few days after stopping alcohol. Withdrawal symptoms can quickly go from a bad hangover to a serious medical situation. When that person cuts out alcohol, there is a period when their brain hasn’t yet received the message and still overproduces the stimulating chemicals. With alcohol out of the equation, though, these chemicals cause withdrawal symptoms. When someone drinks alcohol for a prolonged period of time and then stops, the body reacts to its absence. This is alcohol withdrawal, and it causes uncomfortable physical and emotional symptoms.
Equally, if drinking has always been a big part of your relationship, it could come as a shock to them and be perceived as a rejection. It forces them to reflect, she said, and they may be resistant to accept that they could benefit from cutting down, too. There is no widely accepted schedule, and you can develop one that meets your needs.
How to Safely Taper Off Alcohol
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 they 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. Tapering off is a standard medical practice for many other drugs.
- Someone should typically only direct taper if their drink of choice is beer with a low alcohol percentage.
- Although it is possible to taper at home, having medical supervision and assistance can ensure a successful taper.
- The thought of abstaining from alcohol completely can feel daunting, and in some cases, it can even be dangerous without medical supervision.
- Gradually reducing the amount of alcohol you drink can help give your body the time it needs to adjust to the lack of alcohol.
- Late symptoms begin between two and four days after the last drink, and they usually include changes in heart rate, breathing and blood pressure.
Ask loved ones to look out for signs of alcohol relapse to help you stay on track with your recovery process. As many as 71% of people who go through alcohol detox experience symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. The amount of time it takes to taper off of alcohol can vary greatly from person to person. Some people can taper quickly and quit alcohol completely, while others may take longer.
Calculate a Healthy Tapering Plan
You can receive 24/7 text support right away and at your convenience. There is no obligation to enter treatment and you can opt out at any time. In order to change your drinking habits, your first step is to take a close look at your current behaviors and find patterns. By Sarah Bence, OTR/L
Sarah Bence, OTR/L, is an occupational therapist and freelance writer. She specializes in a variety of health topics including mental health, dementia, celiac disease, and endometriosis.
Make sure you read and follow the advice carefully, and always be prepared to call an ambulance in an emergency. To create an effective taper, you must know how much you drink daily on average. It can be easy to underestimate how much you drink, and being as accurate as possible is important. Emotionally, you may feel some anxiety or sadness about ending a chapter of your life and nervousness about the future. You smell a pot of chili simmering on the stove and then suddenly feel ravenously hungry. You feel your phone vibrate and then anxiously reach to see who texted.
Symptoms of tapering off alcohol
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. When you quit alcohol cold turkey, you quit drinking completely and suddenly. This is why it’s always best to find some form of long-term support in sobriety. Support groups, from Alcoholics Anonymous to SMART Recovery, are one free way to find a community of people on the same journey.
Although it is possible to taper at home, having medical supervision and assistance can ensure a successful taper. If you struggle to stop drinking, avoid places and situations that tempt you to drink alcohol. You may even ask your friends and family not to drink while around you. To learn how to taper off alcohol about how our substance abuse treatment programs address alcohol dependence and withdrawal management, please contact us today. Delirium tremens (DTs) can begin 48 hours after your last drink and last up to five days. You should only attempt an alcohol taper while under a doctor’s care.
What to Know About Tapering Off Alcohol
Here are suggestions for how to get through alcohol withdrawal at home. 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. This condition most often occurs when someone who has long-term alcohol dependence stops drinking cold turkey.
