Finding a different, more healthy way to unload stress may go a long way in helping someone succeed in cutting back on their alcohol use. Alcohol withdrawal occurs when neurotransmitters that combat the effects of alcohol on the nervous system suddenly have nothing to counteract them. Essentially, when an individual drinks, the brain amplifies certain activities to counterbalance the depressive effect alcohol has on it.
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Alcohol withdrawal is potentially fatal, especially for people with an alcohol addiction. Sometimes, they may experience seizures and delirium tremens (DTs). People attempting to quit may turn to drinking again to prevent withdrawal symptoms. Alcohol is the third-leading preventable cause of mortality in the United States, with approximately 95,000 people dying from alcohol-related causes each year. By gradually tapering off alcohol, you can lower your risk for alcohol-related accidents or death.
Going “cold turkey” means abruptly stopping drinking entirely, leading to uncomfortable withdrawal effects. The intensity of the withdrawal symptoms depends on the severity of the alcoholism. It is sometimes possible to taper your alcohol use at home if your AUD isn’t severe.
You may experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms when you quit drinking alcohol. This can happen whether you’re quitting alcohol cold turkey or tapering. Gradual reduction strategies include slowly decreasing the amount of alcohol consumed over time and extending the time between drinks. Both methods allow the body to adjust gradually and reduce overall alcohol intake. These strategies should be implemented according to an individual’s specific needs and drinking habits, under the guidance of a healthcare professional or addiction specialist.
Once you’ve cut back on your drinking (so you’re at or below the recommended guidelines), examine your drinking habits regularly to see if you’re maintaining this level of drinking. Some people attain their goal only to find that old habits crop up again later. You might select a light beer instead of a harder liquor, like whiskey. To curb habitual drinking, alternating between alcohol and water is useful.
Direct tapers are better if you prefer drinks that contain a low percentage of alcohol. Alcohol dependence can lead to fatal outcomes, with rising death rates linked to excessive alcohol use, as reported by Psychology Today. This condition not only affects individuals but also has profound social and economic impacts on families and society at large. Reducing the amount of the chosen substance consumed daily is known as a direct taper, but it may not be effective for everyone.
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A doctor can provide advice on how to wean off alcohol safely, monitor your progress, and suggest medications or therapies to manage withdrawal symptoms. When you gradually drink less instead of quitting cold turkey, you give your body a chance to get used to smaller amounts of alcohol. While tapering off alcohol can be an effective strategy for some individuals, it should be noted that what works for one person may not be safe for everyone. It can be tempting to just “rip off the Band-Aid” when getting sober, but tapering off alcohol is often much safer—and https://appsychology.com/living-in-a-sober-house/ much less stressful. Rather than quitting drinking abruptly (or “cold turkey”), many professionals recommend gradually reducing your drinking (or tapering) over time. This can give your body the chance to adjust, helping you avoid the worst of withdrawal symptoms.
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Tapering alcohol is beneficial because you can avoid alcohol withdrawal symptoms. This is because when you drink heavily for months or years, your body can start to depend on alcohol to function normally. When you are physically dependent on a substance like alcohol, your body adapts accordingly. 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.
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A strong community can go a long way to helping cut down on alcohol use. If you are serious about mindful drinking, ask your friends, family, or other trusted member of your community to help you cut back. You can plan fun events that don’t center around alcohol, and they can assist in keeping you accountable to your goals. To lower your alcohol consumption, try to stick to only one alcoholic drink per hour. In between drinks, you can have soda, water, or even a non-alcoholic beer or mocktail.
- For this reason, it’s generally best to avoid quitting abruptly, or at bare minimum speak with a doctor first and have someone looking out for you.
- Weaning off alcohol gives your body chemistry a chance to adjust, reducing the shock to your system.
- This can be done by reducing the number of drinks, increasing time between drinks or choosing a weaker drink with a lower alcohol content.
- “Many people still want to enjoy socializing but are mindful of wanting to average one to two drinks per day.
- “In some ways, not drinking at all is easier because you take the decision-making out of it,” says Treloar Padovano.
This method can help individuals gradually lower their alcohol intake, minimizing the risk of withdrawal symptoms while promoting long-term recovery. People who want to reduce their alcohol consumption often do not realize how much of their social and daily routines alcohol has become. Tapering alcohol may be uncomfortable, and there may be subconscious triggers that stimulate the desire to drink alcohol. Stress is a common trigger that makes it hard to modify your alcohol intake.
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In contrast, robust evidence supports quitting alcohol while under medical supervision. If you struggle with drinking, the safest way to quit is under a doctor’s care. If you drink heavily, your doctor may recommend quitting with the help of a medical detox center. In medical detox, you receive around-the-clock care from doctors and nurses to help prevent and treat alcohol withdrawal symptoms and their complications. This can set you up for a safe and effective detox and put you in a good position to continue your recovery in rehab. For those struggling with alcohol dependency, quitting cold turkey can be dangerous and lead to severe withdrawal symptoms.
Or, you may find that quitting all at once is too drastic and decide to start by practicing harm reduction. The goal of tapering down is to make a gradual change while causing less stress on your body, both physically and emotionally. Because everyone’s body reacts differently, there’s not a lot of research that proves tapering can decrease the effects of alcohol withdrawal.
- Alcohol Tapering can help people start their recovery journey, including those with goals of stopping completely or curbing drinking.
- It is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
- People who are dependent on alcohol, or have other medical or mental health problems, should stop drinking completely.
- Keeping a diary of drinking can help track patterns and identify triggers, allowing individuals to adjust their behaviors accordingly.
- You may also find it easier to stick to your taper schedule if you avoid certain places and situations.
Heavy drinking can lead to a reduction in the sensitivity of your brain to the amount of GABA produced. If you abruptly stop consuming alcohol, your brain may not have enough sensitivity to GABA, which can result in hyper-excitability and withdrawal symptoms. People looking to quit drinking may consider either tapering or going cold turkey, meaning they abruptly stop all alcohol consumption without weaning.
Those who find that they cannot taper off the number of drinks for any significant length of time have likely developed alcohol use disorder, a condition commonly known as alcoholism. For others, simply cutting back the number of drinks can bring on alcohol withdrawal symptoms, making it more difficult to stop. Furthermore, in certain cases, a healthcare professional may suggest a benzodiazepine regimen to replace the body’s alcohol needs during tapering. This strategy can help manage withdrawal symptoms and facilitate a safer and more comfortable tapering process. However, remember that every individual is different, and what works for one person sober house may not be safe for everyone.
