This method adds up to three months a year without Sober living house alcohol, it could be an option for people who want to continue taking manageable breaks from alcohol beyond Dry January. There’s an additional piece that’s important in accomplishing a dry January, experts say. It’s important to notice if you — or a loved one — are showing any negative symptoms from cutting back or eliminating alcohol.

• They can assess your individual situation and help you create a personalized tapering plan.
• Instead, you may be treated with benzodiazepines, a class of medications that are chemically similar to alcohol.
• Being surrounded by triggers can make it extremely difficult to stay on track and avoid overdoing it on alcohol.

Symptoms timeline

• If you’re going to be spending time with family or friends you know well, you might decide to be upfront with them about what you’re doing.
• Being exposed to either form of a trigger can result in unwanted relapse.
• These alternatives can be a psychological aid, making it easier to stick to your tapering plan.
• As your body detoxifies and heals, you may experience increased energy levels and overall well-being.

By consciously upgrading them to match my goal to drink less, saying “no” to a drink became easier and easier over time. This article is intended for those looking to change their relationship with alcohol socially. If you are someone who deals with addiction, find emergency hotlines, counseling, and treatment options here.

After One Day

• Surrounding yourself with other people who are sober will dramatically improve your chances of staying away from alcohol.
• The support of medical professionals and psychologists can help you in this process.
• Give your loved ones as much information as you can about your self-tapering strategy.
• In fact, 30 million people have alcohol use disorder1 in the United States alone.
• Whether you feel like you drink too much alcohol, or you have an alcohol abuse issue, quitting drinking cold turkey can be dangerous.

If you or someone you know is quitting alcohol and experiences seizures, DTs, hallucinations, or other major effects, seek immediate medical attention or call 911 for help. For example, healthcare providers usually don’t take patients off antidepressants suddenly; rather, they gradually lower the dosages to help reduce antidepressant discontinuation symptoms. Aside from unavoidable triggers, tapering off alcohol can also have side effects which can be difficult to manage at home. There’s no set time frame for tapering off alcohol that works for everyone. Even if your situation seems like someone else’s, your body may respond differently to the tapering process.

For Treatment Providers

“In some ways, not drinking at all is easier because you take the decision-making out of it,” says Treloar Padovano. Having a hard line to draw might simplify drinking less, rather than having to decide each time how much (or how little) you plan on drinking. Luckily, these expert tips for people looking to drink less make it a lot simpler. “It’s hard to go anywhere without someone offering you a drink,” says Leah Young, LCPC, Clinical Manager at Pathlight Mood & Anxiety Center. Even if you’re not someone who struggles with alcohol addiction, it can be hard to decrease your alcohol intake.

How to Wean Off Alcohol & Safely Taper Drinking

• When you quit drinking, you should also seek medical advice about any alcohol withdrawal symptoms you experience.
• Many other factors go into play with these difficult and trying scenarios.
• The goal of tapering down is to make a gradual change while causing less stress on your body, both physically and emotionally.

Prolonged and excessive alcohol consumption can impact your brain, causing changes to the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors. 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. If you’ve decided to taper off alcohol, you’ll need to be prepared with some strategies to make the process easier.

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Tapering off alcohol is generally safer and more effective than quitting cold turkey. The withdrawal symptoms how do you wean off alcohol are less severe and dangerous, and the individual is more likely to achieve a lasting sobriety. Because symptoms such as seizures and delirium tremens can be fatal, reducing alcohol consumption can be dangerous for some.

Gradually reducing the amount of alcohol you drink can help give your body the time it needs to adjust to the lack of alcohol. Long-term alcohol use can lead to alcohol use disorder (AUD) and physical dependence. If your body becomes physically dependent on alcohol, you may experience withdrawal symptoms when you stop drinking. 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. As many as 71% of people who go through alcohol detox experience symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.

You’ll talk about different topics regarding addiction and recovery and bond over shared feelings and experiences. You may receive medication to ease withdrawal symptoms—such as anti-diarrheal medicines or over-the-counter pain relievers. A doctor may prescribe a benzodiazepine as part of the tapering process. Identify specific situations, emotions, environments, and people that motivate your drinking. Examples https://ecosoberhouse.com/ of triggers could include stress, social gatherings with alcohol, certain friends, and bars.

Benefits of Getting Professional Help for Tapering Off

Soon, they will become second nature and your triggers will not have as much of an effect on you. Remove all alcohol from your home or ask a friend or family member to do it for you. This includes beer, wine, and liquor, as well as products that contain alcohol such as rubbing alcohol and vanilla extract. Keep a list of emergency phone numbers on hand that includes contact info for your doctor, the police, a nearby hospital, and someone you trust. Emotionally, you may feel some anxiety or sadness about ending a chapter of your life and nervousness about the future. When you consider how to go about giving up alcohol, account for factors like how much you drink and your reasons for drinking.