In contrast, robust evidence supports quitting alcohol while under medical supervision. Quitting alcohol cold turkey is not recommended and can be dangerous. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that leads to an increase in brain neurotransmitters that slow down your brain’s functions, such as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). When you drink heavily over a long period of time, your brain and body adapt to expect this.

By setting a social limit for yourself, you are creating a safe zone. This is where you can still have a drink, but not to the point of compromising your sobriety. These goals can be only drinking socially, limiting yourself to so many cocktails a week, etc.

Tapering off Alcohol: What You Need To Know

Making a schedule to slowly reduce your alcohol intake is a safe way to taper off the substance. This will ensure that you are not quitting cold turkey which could result in severe and debilitating  withdrawal symptoms or even death. Depending on how much alcohol you’ve been consuming, it can take days or over a week to gradually reduce your how to taper off alcohol at home dose safely and get off alcohol. It can be very hard to quit drinking, and isn’t something that should be done alone. If someone were to attempt to stop drinking alcohol without tapering off their use, this will then display symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. This can be a very dangerous thing to do if not done by following medical advice.

Serenity Lane offers rehabilitation for alcoholism, or alcohol use disorder. Our hope is to create the safest, most comfortable environment for you to begin your treatment journey. Maybe they don’t have peer support or maybe their alcohol addiction is too severe. Being surrounded by triggers can make it extremely difficult to stay on track and avoid overdoing it on alcohol.

Self-Care Alternative – Medically Monitored Detox

The alcohol withdrawal symptom delirium tremens (DT) is estimated to kill up to 5% of those attempting to quit suddenly after chronic usage. This is a staggering number considering that many other drugs do not even have the possibility of lethal withdrawals. For this reason, experts advise that alcohol cessation be monitored safely with steady effort between oneself and a physician.

When you quit drinking cold turkey, your body suffers from a cascade of changes caused by the sudden shift. Since alcohol depresses central nervous system activity, quitting drinking can cause an imbalance of an excitatory neurotransmitter called glutamate. This excess glutamate triggers alcohol withdrawal symptoms, which can be dangerous in some cases. Programs such as inpatient or outpatient rehab, medical detox, individual or family therapy and support groups are available. Through these programs, our caring and dedicated staff can help you on your road to recovery.

Does an instance of alcohol withdrawal mean that I can never safely drink again?

They typically peak within three days, though some symptoms may last for weeks. Healthcare providers and therapists can offer guidance tailored to our unique circumstances, monitor our progress, and provide assistance if we encounter difficult withdrawal symptoms. Regular drinking causes the body and brain to become dependent on alcohol over time.

If you are struggling with severe alcohol use or addiction, tapering off alcohol at home may not be a safe option. The most effective option for alcoholics to stop drinking is to find a treatment program that offers medical detox services. If you are interested in medical detox, contact one of our Vertava Health treatment specialists to find alcohol detox programs near you. If you want to know if tapering off alcohol is the best detox method to reduce or avoid withdrawal symptoms, you’re in the right place. However, in order to safely taper off alcohol use, medical supervision is highly encouraged. It’s not advised to taper off alcohol, as an at-home detox can make relapse more likely.

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be both physical and psychological and often include:

If you drink frequently, you can become physically dependent on alcohol, meaning that your brain needs alcohol to function normally. If you stop drinking, your body needs to rapidly adjust to the absence of alcohol, leading to withdrawal symptoms. This allows your body to break its dependency without causing alcohol withdrawal. This process can last several days, weeks, or months depending on your tolerance level, history of use, and other factors. If you are a candidate for tapering, you can simply cut back a few drinks a week at will until you no longer drink at all. If you experience withdrawals, you may have an AUD and should suspend the tapering and enroll in a detox program.

It’s best to reduce your drinking by a small amount each day to avoid the shock to your system. So, if you normally have 6 beers a day, you could be done tapering within one week. It’s always best to consult a physician on the best strategy, especially if you drink heavily.

Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and Suicide

Others must taper at medical detoxification programs, where they receive 24/7 medical supervision. If you regularly drink a lot of alcohol and then stop, you may experience uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. Alcohol withdrawal is one of the most dangerous and it should be treated as such. https://ecosoberhouse.com/ is made easy when a health care professional is in your corner. Throughout that process, he learned the importance of helping others and living by spiritual principles. Throughout his recovery, James has used his personal story to help make a difference in the lives of others.

• This can affect every aspect of their lives, from losing their job to affecting their personal relationships.
• The main methods include reducing the amount of drinks you consume every day, reducing the number of days that you drink, or even swapping your usual drink for one you don’t like.
• Smaller drinks with a higher percentage of alcohol are stronger than the same size drink containing a lower proof liquor.

Mark joined the medical team at The Freedom Center in September 2018 as the Medical Director. He received his medical degree in Mexico with further certification from Rutgers Medical School in New Jersey. He then attended New York Medical College for his residency training. Vanessa is certified in addictions counseling by Maryland’s Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists, with credentials as a clinical supervisor. She comes to The Freedom Center with over 14 years of direct experience in residential and outpatient treatment between the private and federal sectors.