If you do relapse, talk to your therapist or addiction treatment specialist who can help you quickly get back on track and prevent it from happening again. In fact, a relapse can be a valuable learning https://ecosoberhouse.com/ experience that helps you avoid slipping in the future. A relapse can serve as an opportunity for you to refocus on your larger goals, practice self-forgiveness, and find ways to stay motivated.
Here to Help You Safely Stop Drinking
- Unless an AUD is addressed, the health problems drinking causes may be unstoppable.
- If you take prescription medication, continue to take it as directed.
- If you properly taper your alcohol use, you’re less likely to experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
- However, an alcohol use disorder doesn’t just affect your physical health.
- Some people can taper quickly and quit alcohol completely, while others may take longer.
There are several ways to taper your alcohol consumption without therapy. Having a plan can help you stay on track and it can keep you safe. One of the keys to a successful taper is taking gradual steps that will cause as few side effects as possible. The oxygen in hydrogen peroxide often bubbles off, leaving the ear canals wet and increasing the risk of infection.
Is it Better to Taper Off Alcohol or Quit “Cold Turkey?”
Finding a therapist can also be a great starting point if you’re uncomfortable opening up to your healthcare professional. By avoiding alcohol, you’re taking a big step toward improving physical health. As you begin to notice those health benefits, you’ll likely feel more energized and inspired to keep up your progress. Research shows that most people believe that drinking can make them feel better.
Build a Sober Community of Support
- If it’s winter, you may notice fewer colds than in the past, but in warmer months, the changes may be more subtle, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there.
- This section will outline practical tips to support individuals in their journey towards reducing alcohol consumption in a safe and sustainable manner.
- For this reason, you should not suddenly quit drinking without talking to your doctor.
Make sure your support network knows about your goals and is committed to helping you achieve them. Support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and SMART Recovery should also be a component. “You may learn things about yourself and about your relationship to this substance that you never even thought about,” he adds.
- Your risk of certain diseases decreases, you will begin sleeping better, and your overall health can significantly benefit.
- Involving friends and family in the journey to reduce alcohol consumption can provide invaluable emotional support and encouragement.
- Unlike a home environment, medical detox services have the professional support and resources necessary to treat severe withdrawal symptoms.
- Tapering can be done by using alcohol itself or various medications; however, can only be done safely under the supervision of a physician.
- Also, your insurance should cover addiction treatment services, so look for therapists and/or rehabs in your network to help reduce the costs.
- Tapering is the act of gradually reducing alcohol use until completely abstinent.
If you are tapering yourself off alcohol for the first time, it can be helpful to know what symptoms to expect during the process. Although the symptoms can vary for each person based on personal factors, many people share common experiences during this process. Medical detox programs for alcohol dependency commonly how to taper off alcohol offer medications to ease the discomfort or pain of withdrawal. This is a benefit that isn’t available to all who attempt to taper at home. Medicines can be used to reduce nausea, severe anxiety, other flu-like symptoms, and treat seizures. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that affects your brain.
Ultimately, you shouldn’t taper off of alcohol unless you’ve checked with your doctor first. Because of the risk of a lower success rate and prolonged alcohol exposure, most healthcare professionals will recommend a professional detox over tapering. Deciding to reduce or eliminate your alcohol consumption is a big step and will open up a whole new world of improved health and well-being. Whether you’re thinking about tapering off or going cold turkey, it’s crucial to understand the implications of both approaches and which strategy is likely the safest and most effective. The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper offers comprehensive addiction treatment for drug and alcohol addictions and co-occurring mental health conditions. Your doctor can determine if tapering alcohol is safe for your unique situation and help you create a plan to quit drinking alcohol.
Consult a Medical Professional
Most people with mild to moderate alcohol withdrawal don’t need treatment in a hospital. But severe or complicated alcohol withdrawal can result in lengthy hospital stays and even time in the intensive care unit (ICU). The main ways to prevent alcohol withdrawal are to avoid alcohol altogether or to get professional help as soon as possible if you think you’re developing alcohol use disorder. Alcohol withdrawal causes a range of symptoms when a person with alcohol use disorder stops or significantly decreases their alcohol intake.
Identify a Support Network
As your body adapts to alcohol, it will change its natural chemical balance to include alcohol. Quitting will cause your body’s chemical balance to be thrown off suddenly, leading to withdrawal symptoms. The experience of withdrawing from alcohol can be uncomfortable and difficult. Some people may relapse, or drink alcohol again, to relieve the 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.
Studies have shown that 13–71% of people undergoing alcohol detox develop withdrawal symptoms. Factors such as pattern of alcohol use, other medical conditions, genetics and how your body responds to alcohol can play a role in withdrawal symptoms. This method works best with gradual reduction, as alcohol withdrawal symptoms can start within 12–24 hours after stopping drinking. Generally, alcohol-free days are better towards the end of a gradual reduction, not towards the beginning.
