Making a schedule to slowly reduce your alcohol intake is a safe way to taper off the substance. This will ensure that you are not quitting cold turkey which could result in severe and debilitating  withdrawal symptoms or even death. Depending on how much alcohol you’ve been consuming, it can take days or over a week to gradually reduce your dose safely and get off alcohol. Little data is available about the safety and effectiveness of alcohol tapers. 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.

Track your progress, note how you feel, and adjust if necessary. Always consult a medical professional before starting any tapering schedule. At The Recovery Village Indianapolis Drug and Alcohol Rehab, we are committed to helping people get off of alcohol as safely and effectively as possible.

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Sleeping too much can become an unhealthy coping mechanism, but during your detox, it’s okay to sleep as much as possible. If you are underweight, a woman, FtM, or at risk of complications due to high blood pressure, consider tapering slower than this. Check out this medical article which provides further detail on withdrawal from alcohol.

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Tapering is also a strategy used by people with a substance or alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, improper tapering could lead to relapse, overdose, and severe health consequences. Always talk to your health care provider before making any changes to your medication. By tapering off gradually and following your doctor’s advice, you can protect your health and ensure a smooth transition.

That’s why it’s important to remember that relapse is not failure. A therapist can help you understand your triggers and develop healthy coping skills for dealing with them. Add these coping skills to your plan and practice them often. Soon, they will become second nature and your triggers will not have as much of an effect on you. Sitting and talking with others who share your struggle can help you feel supported.

• It includes a logging section you can use to keep track of your daily alcohol intake, along with some withdrawal warnings.
• Over the long term, many health benefits occur throughout your body.
• But the idea of alcohol tapering, the gradual reduction of alcohol, might seem counterintuitive.
• “Find a believer,” she says, or someone who is supportive of you.
• Developing a proactive plan for tapering alcohol is an important step.
• Now that you’ve successfully completed the detoxification process, it’s time to build your sobriety toolkit through treatment.

What Is Alcohol Tapering?

If you’re lucky enough to have a supportive friend, a roommate, or a family member that lives with you who can assist, that is ideal. Tell them what you’re planning on doing, give them a copy of your planned taper schedule, and have them hold all the alcohol to portion out and give to you as needed. Ideally, pick someone who doesn’t also have a problem with alcohol. It can be tempting to throw yourself into an alternative behavior or substance use in order to distract from the difficulties of recovery. If you notice an urge to use other substances, observe your feelings and consider talking to a counselor to help navigate the emotional impact of tapering your alcohol use. When you drink heavily, alcohol is present in your bloodstream constantly.

What Happens to the Body When You Stop Drinking?

When someone stops drinking, they must decide whether to quit “cold turkey” or taper their alcohol use. Quitting cold turkey involves suddenly stopping all alcohol use, while tapering involves slowly decreasing the amount of alcohol a person drinks daily. Weaning off alcohol reduces the chance of experiencing withdrawal or the severity of withdrawal symptoms.

To successfully taper your alcohol use, finding what works best for you is important. Alcohol proof is the amount of alcohol found in distilled spirits or liquor. Smaller drinks with a higher percentage of Sober House Rules: A Comprehensive Overview alcohol are stronger than the same size drink containing a lower-proof liquor. Find an accountability partner or someone you can call to keep you on track when you want to drink. Build a network of people you can go to when you need help, join a support group or see a therapist. “The role of GABAA receptors in mediating the effects of alcohol in the central nervous system.” Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience, July 28, 2003.

Tapering off Alcohol: What You Need To Know

If you’re not sure if cold turkey or tapering is right for you, you can join the Monument Community to hear from others who have confronted similar questions. You may experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms when you quit drinking alcohol. This can happen whether you’re quitting alcohol cold turkey or tapering.

This is why you should use medical help, whether tapering or quitting cold turkey. Generally speaking, alcohol home detox is neither the most effective nor the safest method of quitting alcohol. However, it may be suitable for someone with a lower risk of experiencing alcohol withdrawal, or a person who has access to medical professionals at home. Programs such as inpatient or outpatient rehab, medical detox, individual or family therapy and support groups are available. Through these programs, our caring and dedicated staff can help you on your road to recovery. Licensed medical professionals and highly qualified addiction specialists at The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper can help guide you toward a life without alcohol.

Quitting drinking can feel very isolating, making it even more difficult to do alone at home without medical support. 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). When you drink heavily over a long period, your brain and body adapt to expect this.

The circulatory system, which is made up of the heart, blood, and blood vessels, spreads alcohol throughout the body. Alcohol comes into contact with every major organ, including the heart. According to an abnormal psychology textbook, alcohol affects many parts of your body. Do anything and everything you can to distract yourself from drinking. Whether that’s watching TV, cooking dinner, cleaning the house, going for a walk, or taking a bath.