Another sign that you might need to taper is morning alcohol cravings. It also can reduce the risk of relapse by not trying to attempt too much too soon, failing, and then going back to regularly using alcohol to cope with the feelings of failure. For one thing, it creates tangible goals for the person tapering to reach, helping to build their confidence in themselves and the belief that they can eventually stop drinking completely. There is also an intensive outpatient program (IOP) that includes group therapy, individual counseling, and education about the disease of addiction.

• If you’re used to drinking less than 20 beers per day, HAMS recommends reducing your alcohol consumption by two beers per day until you achieve sobriety.
• Anyone wanting to stop using alcohol may benefit from tapering if they first consult with their doctor to ensure they are tapering safely.
• Sitting and talking with others who share your struggle can help you feel supported.

The treatment groups meet for three hours, three times a week. Next, there is a day treatment program or partial hospitalization program (PHP) at Serenity Lane. As a step down from residential inpatient treatment, PHP allows participants the flexibility to balance the demands of both their personal and professional lives. If you have developed an addiction to alcohol, we can help you with effective medication-assisted treatment at Gratitude Lodge in Newport Beach and Long Beach, CA. Medical detox may include psychological support to address the emotional aspects of addiction and help individuals prepare for ongoing treatment.

Cold Turkey Method

To avoid severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms, you should slowly reduce alcohol consumption. Cautious tapering may take longer than medically supervised detox, but it will help you avoid major health problems. When you quit drinking, you should also seek medical advice about any alcohol withdrawal symptoms you experience. This includes early symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, such as mild tremors and anxiety. The reason for this is that alcohol withdrawal symptoms can quickly snowball and worsen. Mild anxiety, for example, can turn into overwhelming agitation or even hallucinations.

The process of tapering yourself off alcohol begins with planning. From here, you can plan a schedule for gradually reducing how much you drink per day. Ideally, this schedule will be determined with the assistance of a doctor or addiction treatment professional.

Who is likely to have significant alcohol withdrawal symptoms?

The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper offers comprehensive addiction treatment for drug and alcohol addictions and co-occurring mental health conditions. As the name suggests, this method involves gradually how to taper off alcohol reducing the amount of alcohol you drink over time, so you consume less and less alcohol each day or week. The gradual reduction method can be difficult, as you must strictly control how much you drink daily.

• Although it is possible to taper your alcohol use alone, professionals highly advise that you seek medical attention.
• While the safest way to taper is with professional help in a detox facility, this may not be an option for everyone.
• The problem is that this can drag your taper out for several weeks or even months, depending on how slowly you’ve tapered and how much you’ve been drinking to start.
• These medications are prescribed and managed by healthcare providers.

But, perhaps most importantly, understand that setbacks happen and that progress takes time or may look different than imagined. It is all part of the process, and no one’s process is the same. Emotionally, you may feel some anxiety or sadness about ending a chapter of your life and nervousness about the future. Many insurance companies will help pay for some or all of your treatment costs. As you navigate this question, it can be helpful to think about how you typically prefer to approach change. Metaphorically speaking, do you like to dip your toe in first, or cannonball right in?

Is it Safe to Taper off Alcohol at Home?

People who try tapering off alcohol won’t have the guided support of medical professionals that they would at inpatient treatment. This can make it more challenging to stick to a long-term plan. In contrast, in-patient care can be more beneficial and less expensive in the long-term. The goal of tapering down is to make a gradual change while causing less stress on your body, both physically and emotionally.

Make sure you have access to medical care and social support. Only people who are tapering down from very large quantities of alcohol such as a liter of vodka per day will need to start drinking in the morning in order to taper. If you are tapering from smaller quantities and feel no withdrawal symptoms until afternoon or evening then you can wait until then to consume your taper beers. Remember that you are not drinking for pleasure–you are drinking medicine–so only drink what is needed.

Rehab Resources

It is best to consult with a medical professional first before reducing or stopping alcohol use. Depending on a variety of factors, it could be dangerous for you to reduce or stop drinking without medical support. In particular, it alters neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors. When you drink a lot over a long period, your brain reduces sensitivity to GABA.

If don’t have much of an appetite, you may want to take a multivitamin or drink a beverage high in electrolytes, such as a sports drink. If you take prescription medication, continue to take it as directed. 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. Consuming more than that can lead to liver damage and heart disease, and increase your risk for some cancers.