Contact emergency health services if you or someone you know experiences more than one symptom of severe alcohol withdrawal. 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. Moreover, substituting one kind of beverage for another does not help you taper off alcohol if you consume the same number of standard drinks as you usually have. For example, one 12-ounce can of beer contains roughly the same amount of alcohol as a 5-ounce glass of wine or a mixed drink containing 1.5 ounces of alcohol.
Alcohol Withdrawal Timeline
Our state-specific resource guides offer a comprehensive overview of drug and alcohol addiction treatment options available in your area. Stopping alcohol use is the first step of the recovery journey, but staying sober for longer and longer periods is the goal. Getting professional treatment and long-term support are two of the most valuable strategies for avoiding relapse. Don’t know how I did it but somehow I managed to taper myself off over the course of a week.
Pros and Cons of Tapering Off Alcohol Intake
It can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks. Tapering off alcohol involves gradually reducing the amount of alcohol you consume over time. Begin by setting limits on the amount you drink each day, then slowly decrease that limit over the course of several days or weeks. It’s a good idea to talk with a medical professional before you begin a taper.
- Tapering is the process of gradually decreasing your consumption of a substance over time to lessen the withdrawal symptoms if you’re physically dependent.
- It is commonly a self-managed detox method which is usually less successful than a program at an alcohol detox center.
- But, with a little prior knowledge on how to taper off alcohol, adequate planning and professional consultation from a healthcare provider, it can certainly be done.
- However, they may still decide that tapering down feels most achievable for them.
Physical Health Benefits
In this schedule, the biggest drop occurs during the first couple days. During this time you’ll likely experience the worst portion of withdrawal symptoms. You then get a couple days where the drop is not as much to stabilize. It finally drops off again significantly towards the end. If you regularly drink a handle of liquor (around 40 standard drinks) or more per day, please seek professional help. You don’t have to let the fear of alcohol withdrawal stop you from cutting back or quitting.
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. Whatever method you use to taper down, your plan should also be approved and monitored by a healthcare profession to ensure your safety.
Others report that it can cause symptoms to feel prolonged. Tapering is the process of gradually decreasing your consumption of a substance over time to lessen the withdrawal symptoms if you’re physically dependent. The goal is to drink less every day until you hit zero.
Withdrawal Effects
This is the same thing they’ll do if you go to a detox facility or hospital, except they’ll use medications instead of alcohol for the taper. It requires a lot of willpower and you will be uncomfortable, but it can be done. I know because I’ve done it and I’ve met others who have done it. Deciding to taper off alcohol is a slower process that requires planning, but it can decrease both the chase of experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms and relapse. Many treatment professionals recommend using standard beer (about 5% ABV) for use when tapering off alcohol.
- Many insurance companies will help pay for some or all of your treatment costs.
- These programs offer more flexibility than residential rehab, while still supporting a healthy lifestyle for people in recovery.
- People who want to reduce their alcohol consumption often do not realize how much of their social and daily routines alcohol has become.
- By gradually tapering off alcohol, you can lower your risk for alcohol-related accidents or death.
- Switching to beer from hard liquor is safer because it is easier to control the amount of beer that is consumed and is harder to binge drink.
The amount of time it takes to taper off of alcohol can vary greatly from person to person. Some people can taper quickly and quit alcohol completely, while others may take longer. But deciding to cut back on drinking is much more important than the length of your alcohol taper. Those who find that they cannot taper off the number of drinks for any significant length of time have likely developed alcohol use disorder, a condition commonly known as alcoholism. For others, simply cutting back the number of drinks can bring on alcohol withdrawal symptoms, making it more difficult to stop.
You Have a High Risk of Addiction or Complications From Drinking
It’s important to seek urgent medical care if you experience any of these symptoms. Most people experience the most severe symptoms from about 36–72 hours after stopping drinking. A direct taper means drinking the regular substance of choice but lowering the amount consumed daily. Someone should typically only direct taper if their drink of choice is beer with a low alcohol percentage.
As a Certified Professional Recovery Coach, I often speak with people who want to wean off alcohol. The thought of abstaining from alcohol completely can feel daunting, and in some cases, it can even be dangerous without medical supervision. Below I share some key information so you can determine if weaning off alcohol is right for you. People who try tapering off alcohol won’t have the guided support of medical professionals that they would at inpatient treatment.
This lessens the severity of withdrawal symptoms, as there is not an abrupt or dramatic change. Tapering will normally create less severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms but will spread them out over a prolonged period. Essentially, tapering provides less intense withdrawal symptoms but over a longer amount of time. If you drink heavily on a regular basis, it can be dangerous to stop alcohol cold turkey. For this reason, you should not suddenly quit drinking without talking to your doctor. The consequences of quitting alcohol cold turkey can be serious and lead to alcohol withdrawal syndrome, which can be fatal in severe cases.
Alcohol addiction can be difficult and sometimes dangerous to handle on your own. If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol addiction, contact us to learn more and get started with alcohol addiction treatment. It is important to note https://www.inkl.com/news/sober-house-rules-a-comprehensive-overview that alcohol tapers are generally not recommended as the best way to stop using alcohol. Most healthcare professionals recommend a medically-assisted detox as the best way to get off alcohol. On the second day drink one beer every hour and a half for a total of ten beers. Then continue to taper down by reducing the amounts by two beers per day until you are down to zero.