Tapering Off Alcohol: Does It Work? Is it Safe?

Depending on the organ and whether or not there has been relapse(s), recovery is possible. There is hope that even after years of heavy alcohol use, the liver has the ability to regenerate or regrow. During recovery, the liver may return to its original mass and function. We are ready to cheer you on as you continue down the road of recovery toward a healthier, happier you.

Substituting a prescription drug for alcohol should only happen with the help of a medical professional. No one should ever attempt a substitution taper with prescription medication unless their doctor specifically prescribed it for that purpose in a medical detox program. These include direct tapers, where you regularly decrease the amount of alcohol you consume, and substitution tapers, where you replace alcohol with another substance. These strategies work in different ways to help you quit drinking, and one or the other may be appropriate for you based on your needs. Slowly decreasing the amount you drink over time can spare your body from withdrawal symptoms. This is because drinking heavily over a long period can cause your body to become physically dependent on alcohol.

Support This Site

It is all part of the process, and no one’s process is the same.

Medical detox is then followed by inpatient and outpatient rehab to help you maintain your sobriety over the long term, and medication-assisted treatment may be prescribed as medically appropriate. When you drink heavily, your brain changes the amount of GABA it makes. The imbalance in GABA that occurs when you suddenly stop drinking is what causes withdrawal symptoms. By slowly reducing your drinking over time instead of stopping suddenly, you allow your brain to change its GABA production. It is sometimes possible to taper your alcohol use at home if your AUD isn’t severe.

Alcohol Tapering Schedule

If you or someone you know needs help detoxing from alcohol, The Recovery Village Ridgefield is here for you. Contact us today to speak with a representative and begin on the road to lasting addiction recovery. A substitution taper can involve substituting a prescription drug for alcohol. It can also involve substituting the drink of choice with another drink; for example, a person may taper off hard alcohol with beer.

• Don’t just give up and drink a fifth because you had your 6 drinks before noon when you meant to have 6 drinks over the whole day.
• A 2019 survey found 7.4% of adult (ages 18 and over) Oregonians reported having alcohol use disorder in the past year.
• DT can be fatal, and a person going through them should have medical support in a hospital or rehab facility.
• Knowing how to safely taper off alcohol can make all the difference in how successful you are in quitting drinking.
• Quitting cold turkey can shock your system since it has become used to functioning with alcohol.

By talking with your doctor or an addiction treatment specialist, together you can determine a safe tapering schedule that suits your needs. The length of the tapering process can vary based on the needs of the person. People with a greater dependency on alcohol may need to stretch out the process to gradually reduce their alcohol intake. Seizures can also occur within the first 24 to 48 hours, although these are less likely to occur in people with less severe alcohol dependency.

Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

This is because Delirium tremens is caused by hyperactivity in the nervous system, which is now without the depressant effects of alcohol and is instead going into overdrive. Take our short alcohol quiz to learn where you fall on the drinking spectrum and if you might benefit from quitting or cutting back on alcohol. Our Recovery Advocates are ready to answer your questions about addiction treatment and help you start your recovery.

• You can look into medication assisted treatment, such as getting the anti-craving medication Naltrexone, see if your doctor will give you benzodiazepines to taper with, or go to rehab/detox.
• If you need help figuring out how to taper off alcohol, or want to find alcohol detox services near you, our treatment specialists at Vertava Health can help.
• Mary goes above and beyond to exceed expectations and is dedicated to outstanding service.
• If the drink is a mixed drink, it can contain sugar or other additives that should not be included in the taper and may worsen the effects of withdrawal symptoms.
• All of these withdrawal symptoms are common during acute alcohol withdrawal syndrome.

It is important to only attempt a taper while under a doctor’s care. However, understanding how an alcohol taper works and what the process is like can help you prepare yourself and find the support you need. Daily drinking can have serious consequences for a person’s health, both in the short- and long-term. Many of the effects of drinking every day can be reversed through early intervention. You can also get help by reaching out to a professional rehab facility directly, like The Recovery Village. We can leverage our resources and team to help you reduce and eventually end your alcohol use.

Can You Taper off of Alcohol?

Quitting cold turkey means you stop using alcohol all at once without any period of adjustment or replacement therapy. Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal include nausea, vomiting, shaking, headaches, and insomnia. Quitting alcohol can be extremely hard, especially without medical support. Further, mental health disorders like anxiety and depression are extremely common in those who struggle with drinking, and these disorders can make it even harder to stay sober.

It is commonly a self-managed detox method which is usually less successful than a program at an alcohol detox center. If you are struggling with severe alcohol use or addiction, tapering off alcohol at home may not be a safe option. The most effective option for alcoholics to stop drinking is to find a treatment program that offers medical detox services. If you are interested in medical detox, contact one of our Vertava Health treatment specialists to find alcohol detox programs near you.

One study showed that delirium tremens had a mortality rate of approximately 25%. This, among other reasons, is why it’s important that you reconsider the idea of going “cold turkey” as part of your journey to sobriety. While this is https://sober-house.net/ a valiant effort and it can work for some people, an abrupt cessation of alcohol can be dangerous for those who have a long history of alcohol abuse and addiction. You should not begin a tapering plan before talking to your doctor.

Although it is possible for some to quit drinking without any side effects, fit leads to painful alcohol withdrawal symptoms for most. If you have tried to quit in the past, but the side effects of withdrawal caused you to drink again just to find relief, tapering off alcohol may be more effective. Tapering off alcohol at home versus under medical supervision can also lengthen the process, for the sake of safety. Unlike a home environment, medical detox services have the professional support and resources necessary to treat severe withdrawal symptoms.

Challenges of Cutting Down Alcohol Use

Someone should only direct taper if their drink of choice is beer with a low alcohol percentage. Although it may seem like the best way to stop alcohol use is to stop drinking right away, this is not the case. Quitting cold turkey can shock your system since it has become used to functioning with alcohol. If you have no insurance or are underinsured, we will refer you to your state office, which is responsible for state-funded treatment programs. In addition, we can often refer you to facilities that charge on a sliding fee scale or accept Medicare or Medicaid. If you have health insurance, you are encouraged to contact your insurer for a list of participating health care providers and facilities.

Michael is the Community Outreach Coordinator and Alumni Director. Himself, an alumni of The Freedom Center, Michael brings a personal experience of the program to his role. A resident of Gaithersburg, eco sober house rating Michael has planted roots and established a network in the local recovery community. Michael’s goal is to connect current client and alumni with resources to strengthen their life in recovery.