Providers who advertise with us must be verified by our Research Team and we clearly mark their status as advertisers. Tapering off alcohol is a step in the right direction, but there’s more to the story. It’s vital in this process to have professional help, so you can stay safe and as comfortable as possible. You can master the necessary life skills to maintain your sober lifestyle through treatment. Casa Recovery provides intensive wellness programs for trauma, mental health and addiction in Southern California. There’s no set time frame for tapering off alcohol that works for everyone.
Pros and Cons of Tapering Off Alcohol Intake
- Reducing the amount of the chosen substance consumed daily is known as a direct taper, but it may not be effective for everyone.
- Solutions include apps to help you monitor your drinking habits, a mobile breathalyzer to keep you aware of your blood alcohol content, and medication.
- The most effective option for alcoholics to stop drinking is to find a treatment program that offers medical detox services.
- One factor to remember is that the discomfort of withdrawal is only temporary.
- When you are detoxing from alcohol at a rehab center, nurses and doctors monitor vital signs, provide adequate nourishment and treat complications if they occur.
Helping people with drug or alcohol dependence feel valued, and that they have a worthwhile life to live outside of their addiction, often plays a big role in recovery. “Cold turkey” refers to quitting alcohol, or any addictive substance, abruptly. This often results in withdrawal symptoms, physical and mental discomfort, and a week or so of limited activity while your body goes through detox. Dr. Streem suggests starting with the World Health Organization’s Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). It can be a particularly helpful way to help you get a clearer understanding of your drinking habits and your relationship with alcohol.
Why Do You Experience Withdrawal Symptoms?
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. More serious alcohol withdrawal https://missouridigest.com/top-5-advantages-of-staying-in-a-sober-living-house/ symptoms may require medical attention. If you have a friend or family member who knows that you’re trying to taper off alcohol, you shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help. They can take you to the hospital or help you get medical support.
- In the case of switching to a different beverage, it is recommended to count the number of drinks consumed daily and gradually replace them with a beverage that contains less alcohol, such as beer.
- Medicines can be used to reduce nausea, severe anxiety, other flu-like symptoms, and treat seizures.
- Our mission is to use new technology to make treatment more accessible, and reduce the stigma around problem drinking.
- Start by estimating how much you drink on a daily basis—and be honest with yourself.
- The advantage can be that you push through the physical symptoms quickly, and come out the other side ready to change your habits.
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This could include engaging in new hobbies, exercising, or seeking support from friends, family, or support groups. Additionally, understanding and avoiding personal triggers can help prevent relapse. Staying hydrated and maintaining proper nutrition Sober House is also vital, as alcohol withdrawal can lead to dehydration and nutrient imbalances. Solutions include apps to help you monitor your drinking habits, a mobile breathalyzer to keep you aware of your blood alcohol content, and medication.
- People can now talk to a doctor through video chat and get help for many common ailments.
- In general, many who don’t identify as alcoholics have started questioning how alcohol impacts their health, in some cases even taking breaks from drinking.
- If the connection that you find in AA groups is something you value, you’ll need to combine TSM with one of the above groups, or an online community.
- Think about all your work thus far and how much of a setback that would be.
- Unfortunately, alcohol tapering has not been extensively studied.
What to Do if You Lapse or Relapse
If you have a family history of alcoholism, or have struggled with substances in the past, this awareness can be especially important. At the end of the day, alcohol use disorder can be treated through behavior modification, which means that some people can learn to drink moderately. Long term, this pattern can have negative health consequences, or lead to a larger drinking problem. For those who have already quit and want help managing cravings, there is also acamprosate, an abstinence maintenance medication that helps rebalance your brain chemistry. And beyond these, there are several off-label medications that can be useful, including gabapentin, topiramate, and baclofen. Try setting non-drinking days, keeping a diary of how much you consume, or even getting your own digital breathalyzer to help you track how much you’ve been drinking.
- Long-term alcohol abuse is commonly caused by an underlying condition or physical pain in which alcohol was used to self-medicate those issues.
- Whatever your reason to quit drinking, know that you’re doing yourself a favor.
- Tapering off alcohol at home versus under medical supervision can also lengthen the process, for the sake of safety.