Alcohol Tapering How to Taper Off Alcohol Safely

Support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous or sober living houses can help you get connected with peers who are going through the same journey as you are. This is a 12 step intervention for alcohol abuse and addiction that can help lead to recovery from alcohol https://ecosoberhouse.com/ abuse; sober living houses provide mutual sobriety support to help you remain alcohol-free. Deirdre graduated in 2012 from Pace University and completed her bachelor’s at Columbia University in New York and has her Master of Science in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Medication to curb cravings can be a helpful tool for reducing your consumption. Chlordiazepoxide ; 50 mg every 6 hours for four doses, then 25 mg every 6 hours for eight doses. Use distractions, have a trusted friend to talk to and keep a reminder of your reasons to quit in a place that’s easy to reach, such as a wallet or phone. Choose drinks with a consistent ABV to make it easier, and either measure your drinks out or drink prepackaged servings .

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However, if you attempt to taper on your own without a doctor’s knowledge, tapering can sometimes be unsafe. For example, if you start to suffer from alcohol withdrawal symptoms despite an attempt to taper, your symptoms may worsen before you have the chance to seek medical attention. For this reason, even at-home tapers should be done under a doctor’s care. In these cases, talk to your doctor before trying to cut back on your drinking. For those at risk for severe withdrawal symptoms, medically-supervised detox is often the safest choice for beginning their sobriety or moderation journey.

Regular alcohol use does, however, have downsides that sometimes go unrecognized. Measure the amount of alcohol in each drink to keep an accurate count of the number of drinks. Use an onlinedrink size calculatororcocktail content how to taper off alcohol calculator. Alcohol tapers are a strategy used to slowly decrease the amount of alcohol a person consumes. Evan O’Donnell is an NYC-based content strategist with four years’ experience writing and editing in the recovery space.

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This medical supervision allows for some patients to quit drinking cold-turkey without compromising safety. 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 calledglutamate.