Alcohol tapers are strategies to stop drinking by slowly decreasing the amount of alcohol a person consumes. Withdrawal usually begins 6 to 8 hours after the last drink and peaks within 72 hours. Exactly one year ago I set out on a personal challenge – I decided to stop drinking alcohol for the entirety of 2024.
- Discover what a dual diagnosis treatment program entails and how it supports recovery from co-occurring disorders.
- Even if the tapering process is not ultimately successful, even a short period of time of reduced alcohol consumption can lessen the likelihood of severe harms.
- These programs offer more flexibility than residential rehab, while still supporting a healthy lifestyle for people in recovery.
- Luckily, there are ways to safely reduce your alcohol consumption and get your life back on track.
- This will be the basis of the protocol to taper off the substance to increase the chances of success.
Medically Reviewed by
We utilize a three-pronged, holistic approach that combines the right psychotropic medications, cutting-edge clinical therapy, and an environment of supportive peers. 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. An example of a short-term goal would be to reduce alcohol consumption by half within the next month. An example of a long-term goal would be to achieve complete abstinence from alcohol within what is Oxford House six months. We’re here to provide guidance and support for anyone on their sober living journey. Having a plan can help you stay on track and it can keep you safe.
Insurance May Cover Alcohol Detox
If you have 20 or more drinks per day, they suggest one drink per hour the first day, every hour and a half the next, then reducing by 2 drinks per day after that. If you’ve decided to taper off alcohol, you’ll need to be prepared with some strategies to make the process easier. You’ll likely face the urge to drink more than you’ve planned each day, but there are some good tricks to help you delay that next serving and keep yourself honest.
- Being exposed to either form of a trigger can result in unwanted relapse.
- This is because drinking heavily over a long period can cause your body to become physically dependent on alcohol.
- This is the most commonly accepted method of stopping alcohol by the medical community.
- Explore how drugs are all around us, their impact, and prevention strategies to safeguard your loved ones.
Insurance May Cover The Cost of Alcohol Rehab
Talk to a medical professional if you have any concerns about tapering off alcohol. They can provide recommendations to help you avoid harmful side effects. Tapering is also a strategy used by people with a substance or https://ecosoberhouse.com/ alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, improper tapering could lead to relapse, overdose, and severe health consequences. If your BASELINE ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION is less than 20 drinks per day then we recommend reducing consumption by two standard drinks per day. Likewise if your average consumption is 6 standard drinks per day you can set a taper schedule of 4, 2, 0.
If you struggle with drinking, the safest how to taper off alcohol way to quit is under a doctor’s care. If you drink heavily, your doctor may recommend quitting with the help of a medical detox center. In medical detox, you receive around-the-clock care from doctors and nurses to help prevent and treat alcohol withdrawal symptoms and their complications. This can set you up for a safe and effective detox and put you in a good position to continue your recovery in rehab. Alcohol addiction can be a devastating condition, affecting every aspect of a person’s life and putting their health in harm’s way.
FAQ: Weaning Off Alcohol
If you are looking for how to taper off alcohol, you can follow these steps. Tapering off of alcohol involves making gradual incremental changes. Most people begin by assessing how many drinks they generally have. They can measure their quantity of drinks over the course of a day, though for some people it is more helpful to count how many drinks they habitually have per week. Once a person has an accurate understanding of the number of drinks they regularly drink, the next step is implementing a small reduction. Instead of drinking 9 drinks a day, for instance, a person can reduce that number to 7 or 8.
- This is a highly personal decision, which can be made through self-reflection, and with the support of a medical professional and your peers.
- If you’ve decided to quit drinking, and tapering seems like the right approach, we’ve got you covered.
- Unearth the truth with our in-depth look at wine’s impact on weight.
- Going “cold turkey” means abruptly stopping drinking entirely, leading to uncomfortable withdrawal effects.
Reduce Your Number of Drinks Per Day
It causes heightened sensitivity to light and sound, tremors, seizures, hallucinations, irregular heartbeat, and intense confusion. It is very important that you estimate your BASELINE ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION in terms of standard drinks in order for you to be able to set up a taper schedule. Just for reference a 12 ounce regular strength (5%) beer is one standard drink. A standard (750 ml) bottle of wine at 12% alcohol contains 5 standard drinks. Work with an addictions specialist to develop a tapering off schedule that you can stick to, and a plan of action for when you can’t stick to your schedule. For example, if you can’t stick to a tapering off schedule, entering a detox facility is the right choice.