Alcohol Tapering Avoiding the Symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal

The process of tapering yourself off alcohol begins with planning. From here, you can plan a schedule for gradually reducing how much you drink per day. Ideally, this schedule will be determined with the assistance of a doctor or addiction treatment professional. If you are a frequent drinker determined to reduce or stop your alcohol intake, the safest way to do this at home is through a gradual tapering process. Attempting to quit all at once can lead to severe symptoms that can be difficult to manage safely outside of a detox setting. Just as what is a useful method for one person may not be for another, what is a safe method for someone may not be for someone else. This is why it is essential to determine your method of tapering and your tapering schedule with the supervision of a medical professional experienced in an alcohol addiction recovery treatment.

• Overall, do whatever you can to make yourself as comfortable as possible.
• 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.
• If you’re struggling to stick to a taper or do not trust yourself to moderate your alcohol use, having strict supervision and support can help you meet your recovery goals.
• Tapering refers to gradually reducing the consumption of a substance to diminish the intensity of withdrawal symptoms.
• Figuring out where to start your alcohol taper schedule can seem impossible.

Partial hospitalization programs are when you live off-premises but receive treatment in a medical facility during the day. The schedules provided here are illustrative only, as someone’s individual needs may require deviation or alteration to this schedule. Each schedule assumes 8 hours of sleep per day; 16 hours awake. Dangerous for someone who is more likely to suffer serious withdrawal symptoms. Can be difficult to remain focused, chances of returning to previous drinking habits are high. Good for someone who is less likely to suffer serious withdrawal symptoms .

Can You Use Alcohol to Taper Off?

Little scientific evidence exists regarding tapers, but medical detox has been proven to be asafe and effectiveway to quit drinking. When they suddenly quit drinking, the brain continues its hyperactivity, but alcohol no longer suppresses the effects. This can cause seizures and delirium tremens, a severe form of withdrawal marked by tremors and hallucinations.

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. You don’t have to let the fear of alcohol withdrawal stop you from cutting back or quitting. You may decide to seek medical treatment for your withdrawal symptoms or decide to enter a professional detox or rehab center. However, it’s important to note that people with moderate to severe alcohol addictions may struggle with sticking to a taper schedule and end up relapsing to heavier alcohol use.

How To Detox from Alcohol Safely

To learn more about our private alcohol detox center in Arizona, get in touch with us today. These are general guidelines, and different people will experience different alcohol withdrawal timelines depending on their drinking habits. It is highly recommended to speak with a doctor, therapist, or some form of medical professional before beginning. Tapering is the practice of reducing the consumption of alcohol over how to taper off alcohol a period of time until the amount of alcohol in the system has dropped to zero. The goal of an alcohol taper is to minimize the withdrawal symptoms while still undergoing detox. In essence, tapering is a detoxification process that is not being administered or observed by a doctor or medical staff. It is commonly a self-managed detox method which is usually less successful than a program at an alcohol detox center.

• It can also help reduce withdrawal symptoms, which can be severe.
• Not everyone who drinks excessively develops an alcohol use disorder or becomes an alcoholic.
• Going through a trusted treatment program for alcohol or substance abuse can help you navigate the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal over a slow, steady, and safe period.
• Tapering is not recommended for people with an alcohol use disorder .
• He received his medical degree in Mexico with further certification from Rutgers Medical School in New Jersey.
• He also conducted official financial examinations of various non-profit organizations and for-profit corporations.

Because of alcohol, your brain adjusts the amount of GABA it makes. If you suddenly stop drinking, your brain will not have enough GABA and can become hyper-excitable, leading to uncomfortable and dangerous withdrawal symptoms like increased heart rate and seizure.