Join our supportive sober community where each day becomes a step towards personal growth and lasting positive change. 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. As you prepare to wean off alcohol, consider taking the following steps ahead of time to have a clear path to success. Sunnyside uses a psychology-based approach to help you drink more mindfully, no matter what your goal is.

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These symptoms typically appear within six to 24 hours after the last drink and may persist for several days. However, it’s important to note that the severity and duration of symptoms can vary based on individual circumstances, such as the amount and duration of alcohol consumption. If you’ve become dependent on alcohol, cutting it out of your life may produce withdrawal symptoms, such as a rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, sweating and shaking.

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You may not need to completely reinvent your life to quit drinking, but making a few changes in your surroundings to help avoid alcohol triggers can make a big difference. Unfortunately, alcohol tapering has not been extensively studied. This means that there is little data about the best way to taper your drinking. However, some groups have published tapering examples to assist those trying to quit drinking. Quitting alcohol cold turkey is not recommended and can be dangerous. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that leads to an increase in brain neurotransmitters that slow down your brain’s functions, such as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).

Why Taper Off Alcohol?

• You should always seek medical advice before attempting any kind of alcohol withdrawal.
• And consider joining a support group such as Alcoholics Anonymous.
• Drinking beer can also help maintain hydration throughout the taper.
• In most cases, the longer you take to wean off the effects of alcohol, the less severe your withdrawal symptoms should be.
• If you feel more severe symptoms, such as paranoia, increased pulse, or tremors sometimes called alcohol shakes, you should taper more slowly and consider seeking professional help.

On the other hand, quitting alcohol cold turkey involves an immediate and complete cessation of drinking. While some individuals may successfully quit cold turkey, it can be more challenging due to the abrupt withdrawal from alcohol. The sudden absence of alcohol can trigger severe withdrawal symptoms, making it a riskier approach for some individuals.

Before you attempt to quit alcohol, it is critically important that you first consult with a medical professional. 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 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.

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. Creating a tapering schedule you can stick with is a crucial part of weaning yourself off https://ecosoberhouse.com/ alcohol. The best schedule varies based on how much you drink each day and your overall health. As mentioned above, we strongly recommend speaking with a doctor to ensure your plan is a safe one, and won’t cause dangerous withdrawal symptoms. The main downside of cold turkey is how unpleasant and risky it can be.

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There are multiple health benefits you can experience when you start drinking less alcohol. The exact benefits will depend on how much alcohol you were drinking and on factors such as your genetics, overall health, and how your body responds. But drinking less is always a good choice for your body and health. This can sometimes cause unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, and these symptoms can make it hard to stick with your recovery plan. Exploring, in writing, what you find difficult and when you most want to drink can help you notice patterns that offer more insight into your alcohol use. This method is safer than abruptly stopping alcohol consumption, especially when switching from hard liquor to beer.

Common Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

Because quitting cold turkey produces such intense withdrawal symptoms, people are more likely to consume alcohol to stop them. Talk to your doctor or a drug treatment specialist about what to expect as you experience alcohol withdrawal. Identify a family member or friend who you can call on to provide emotional how to taper off alcohol support. Don’t try to reduce your alcohol intake based on what feels right. Dr. Streem says that if your goal is to stop drinking altogether, you’re more likely to have success quitting all at once, rather than weaning off alcohol. But that advice changes if you’re living with alcohol use disorder.

When To Seek Medical Attention

Keep a list of emergency phone numbers on hand that includes contact info for your doctor, the police, a nearby hospital, and someone you trust. And consider joining a support group such as Alcoholics Anonymous. In order to change your drinking habits, your first step is to take a close look at your current behaviors and find patterns. When you consider how to go about giving up alcohol, account for factors like how much you drink and your reasons for drinking. Tapering can help you overcome alcohol dependence, which is a side effect of chronic alcohol use that causes cravings and withdrawal.