After successfully completing detox, there are additional treatment options at Serenity Lane. There is a residential inpatient treatment program with medical supervision. During rehab, you will have the opportunity to participate in group therapy. Finally, it’s important to actually track your progress, whether it’s a dry month or just taking a day off of drinking this week. Journaling helps document how it felt when you successfully stuck with the change you made — you’ll then have that to look back on.
Suddenly stopping alcohol consumption can cause withdrawal symptoms, including seizures, hallucinations, and delirium tremens. Consulting with medical professionals and therapists is an essential step in tapering off alcohol safely. They can offer expert advice, monitor your progress, and provide personalized recommendations based on your specific needs.
However, excessive drinking or drinking over long periods of time can disrupt sleep patterns, often causing broken sleep or discomfort through the night. Abstaining from alcohol doesn’t need to be a trend reserved only for a specific month. If you are looking to take a break from drinking at any point, there are numerous mental and physical benefits in doing so. We are ready to cheer you on as you continue down the road of recovery toward a healthier, happier you. The annual cost of excessive alcohol use to Oregon’s economy each year is $3.5 billion due to lost productivity, health care expenses, criminal justice costs, and motor vehicle crashes.
- With kindling, the brain becomes increasingly sensitized to stopping alcohol.
- If that’s not possible, admit your desire to drink and don’t judge yourself for it.
- Tapering off involves gradually reducing alcohol consumption over time, allowing the body to adjust and minimize potential withdrawal symptoms.
- Luckily, these expert tips for people looking to drink less make it a lot simpler.
Understanding Day Treatment for Addiction
At Ria, we offer weekly meetings with certified counselors to help members stay on track and build skills for long-term change. BetterHelp offers affordable mental health care via phone, video, or live-chat. Generally, light to moderate drinkers should plan to taper for a week or more. For the first time, we’re offering an ad-free experience to qualifying contributors who support our fearless newsroom. Heavy drinking on a night out or over time can lead to a number of diseases, such as liver damage (cirrhosis), fatty liver and even pancreatitis. “Abstinence from alcohol over several months will improve memory and thinking.
You may also consider joining an online support group to help you feel less alone. It might also be worth checking out a 12-step program in your area, like Alcoholics Anonymous or SMART Recovery, to see if it feels like something that might be useful for you. Feeling at your best physically can boost resilience and emotional strength, equipping you to weather challenges that trigger the desire to drink.
Others may discover after consulting with a doctor that it’s safe for them to quit alcohol cold turkey if they choose to. However, they may still decide that tapering down feels most achievable for them. 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. The process of tapering off alcohol involves gradually reducing alcohol consumption over time. This helps to minimize withdrawal symptoms and make https://yourhealthmagazine.net/article/addiction/sober-houses-rules-that-you-should-follow/ the process more manageable, particularly for individuals who have been consuming alcohol regularly and in higher quantities 3.
Strategies for Safe Tapering
It is only advisable to direct taper if the preferred drink is beer with a low alcohol percentage. At the end of the day, remember that drinking is just one of the many activities you can do with loved ones, says Gardner. Adding some variety can help not only decrease your weekly drink count, but also expose you to new hobbies.
Timeframe and Individualization
Like any habit you want to change, the first step to drinking less alcohol is to figure out what is motivating you to cut back. Doing a dry challenge with a friend gives you a built-in support to vent to and cheer you on. Having a conversation in advance can also help set expectations on your friends’ part. This way, by the time you get to your destination for the evening, they know you won’t be drinking and have managed their own ideas for how the night will go. For example, when it comes to the ever-popular suggestion of first-date drinks, mention that you probably won’t be drinking—but that they should free to—before making set plans.
Is tapering off alcohol safe and effective?
Alcohol, or ethanol (the type of alcohol in beverages), is an intoxicating or strong ingredient found in beer, wine, and liquor. Alcohol is produced by the fermentation, or the breakdown, of yeast, sugars, and starches. “I tell patients to think about it like a science experiment where we can learn about what works and what doesn’t,” says Collins.
- Withdrawal usually begins 6 to 8 hours after the last drink and peaks within 72 hours.
- You may be wondering how to begin the process of ridding yourself or your loved one of alcohol use once and for all.
- Work with a physician or therapist if you need a little help getting there.
- Creating a structured plan including more resources and increased self-care builds a strong foundation for recovery.
- A score of 15 or more indicates an increased risk for confusion and seizures, necessitating prompt intervention 6.
- Ria Health offers several FDA-approved medications for alcohol use disorder.
The severity and duration of these symptoms can vary depending on the individual’s alcohol consumption patterns, genetics, overall health, and other factors. It’s important to note that some individuals may not experience any withdrawal symptoms, while others may experience symptoms at lower blood alcohol concentrations than usual 6. Understanding the global impact of alcohol consumption and the need for action is a crucial step toward implementing effective strategies to reduce harm and promote healthier behaviors. Governments, communities, and individuals all play a role in creating a safer and healthier environment by addressing the harmful use of alcohol. When you quit through tapering, you drink a little less each day until you’re able to have no alcohol at all. It can lower the severity of symptoms, and it can make you more likely to meet your goals.
The Importance of Community in Sustaining Sobriety
Taking days off within the week is a common strategy to encourage drinking less overall. “Many people still want to enjoy socializing but are mindful of wanting to average one to two drinks per day. They often try to not drink at all during the week, and allow for moderate drinking Friday through Sunday,” Dr Lee said. Below are some ideas to help people reduce their drinking by alcohol tapering. Weaning off alcohol can not only dramatically improve the quality of your life, but it can also actually save it. If you are looking to reduce your alcohol consumption safely, contact Legacy Healing.
However, it is important to consult with a healthcare provider before starting any medication-based treatment. Whatever method you use to taper down, your plan should also be approved and monitored by a healthcare profession to ensure your safety. Working with a physician on the Monument platform can help determine what timeline will work for you based on your past drinking habits and risk of withdrawal.
Dr Lee explains that choosing a non-alcoholic beer or a caffeinated beverage can help provide a small buzz. Weaning off alcohol is a hard process, but it is something that you should be immensely proud of. With our team and your desire to heal, we can improve your quality of life and functional abilities, so you can get back to living your best life. Alcohol withdrawal can cause many symptoms, some of which can be fatal. Establishing boundaries means a lot of things, such as refusing invites from well-meaning drinking buddies.
Consider attending a support group together or seeking the guidance of a therapist or counselor. For example, healthcare providers usually don’t take patients off antidepressants suddenly; rather, they gradually lower the dosages to help reduce antidepressant discontinuation symptoms. These programs offer more flexibility than residential rehab, while sober house still supporting a healthy lifestyle for people in recovery.