Alcohol Tapering Avoiding the Symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal

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. If eligible, we will create a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs. how to taper off alcohol at home If The Recovery Village is not the right fit for you or your loved one, we will help refer you to a facility that is. If you or a loved one are struggling with alcohol or other drugs, call us now to speak with a Recovery Advocate.

Decreased Risk of Alcohol-Related Death

Avoid taking prescription drugs that your doctor hasn’t prescribed to you. If withdrawal is so uncomfortable that you’re turning to drugs for comfort, you should contact your doctor or a rehab center to discuss medically supervised withdrawal. The alcohol content in specific beer, wine and liquor products differs.

How To Wean Yourself off Alcohol Safely

DTs can be fatal, and a person going through them should have medical support in a hospital or rehab facility. The timeline for alcohol withdrawal will be different for each individual. However, here is a sample timeline of what the average person can expect. It is important to only attempt a taper while under a doctor’s care.

Quitting with proper medical supervision may be more important than whether you stop gradually or all at once.
Tapering is a more cost-effective method of stopping alcohol use, especially for those who do not have healthcare insurance or the resources needed to get a professional detox.
The goal of tapering down is to make a gradual change while causing less stress on your body, both physically and emotionally.
Our admissions specialists will help you find the facility and treatment program best suited to the recovery needs of you or your loved one.
The effects of alcohol can vary depending on weight, gender, age and other factors.
They can help you decide if it’s the safest way to start your recovery, and they can help you make a taper plan.

Create a Plan

Working with a medical professional to taper your alcohol consumption can help the likelihood and severity of alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
Dietary guidelines recommend that if you drink, men limit daily drinking to two drinks or less per day and women limit their drinking to one drink or less per day.
This phenomenon is often described as “alcohol dependence.” The most common more mild withdrawal symptoms include headaches, anxiety, and sleep disturbances.
Tapering alcohol may be uncomfortable, and there may be subconscious triggers that stimulate the desire to drink alcohol.
This is especially true if you are suffering from an alcohol use disorder.

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. Long-term alcohol use can lead to alcohol use disorder (AUD) and physical dependence. If your body becomes physically dependent on alcohol, you may experience withdrawal symptoms when you stop drinking.

Weaning off alcohol reduces the chance of experiencing withdrawal or the severity of withdrawal symptoms.
Maybe they don’t have peer support or maybe their alcohol addiction is too severe.
Did you know most insurance companies will cover the cost of drug and alcohol detox?
However, if you don’t taper properly, you may experience withdrawal symptoms, especially if you have severe alcoholism.
Sitting and talking with others who share your struggle can help you feel supported.
Someone who drinks heavily for many weeks or months is likely to develop a dependence on alcohol.

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 https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/should-you-have-relationships-in-recovery/ of Health (NIH). Your body has become used to, and dependent on, certain levels of alcohol. Alcohol depresses your nervous system2, so your body creates more receptors for neurotransmitters, or messengers, to stimulate the nervous system.