People who experience tremors, shakes or confusion when they quit drinking should consider medically supervised detox. You should talk to a doctor about the safest way to detox if you experience any withdrawal symptoms when you stop drinking. If you’re living with alcohol use disorder, quitting drinking is important for your health. But quitting on your own can pose risks to your health and is unlikely to be successful. Rehabilitation facilities can help you on your path to sobriety by addressing alcohol withdrawal symptoms and becoming involved in sober living support groups, like AA.
- This is why many people dependent on alcohol will choose to taper down their usage rather than stop drinking altogether.
- The condition encompasses a spectrum from mild to severe, with various physical and psychological symptoms that signal its presence.
- You may want to talk with a loved one or therapist about why it happened and what you can do differently next time.
- Others may discover after consulting with a doctor that it’s safe for them to quit alcohol cold turkey if they choose to.
- Unlike a home environment, medical detox services have the professional support and resources necessary to treat severe withdrawal symptoms.
- Depressants are so-called because they depress activity in the central nervous system.
Cons of Tapering off Alcohol
It can be a particularly helpful way to help you get a clearer understanding of your drinking habits and your relationship with alcohol. It’s a 10-question screening test that gives you research-backed, personalized advice for quitting or reducing your intake of https://virginiadigest.com/top-5-advantages-of-staying-in-a-sober-living-house/ alcohol. For example, healthcare providers usually don’t take patients off antidepressants suddenly; rather, they gradually reduce the dosages. That said, If you’ve been drinking excessively, then stopping drinking cold turkey can lead to withdrawal symptoms.
Medications Used When Tapering Off Alcohol
Talk therapy is an important part of treatment for alcohol use disorder, but Dr. Streem says just about anyone who is making a life change, like quitting drinking, can benefit from therapy. Whether you’re sober curious, know for sure you’re ready to quit, or fall somewhere in between, Dr. Streem shares advice for how to stop drinking. If you’re living with alcohol use disorder (also known as alcoholism), you’ll likely benefit from additional medical interventions.
How To Wean Off Alcohol Safely and Effectively
In turn, you can suffer from increasingly severe withdrawal symptoms every time you try to stop drinking. If you start to experience significant withdrawal symptoms when you stop drinking, a taper can provide a much safer method to detox from alcohol. Top 5 Advantages of Staying in a Sober Living House Tapering can be done by using alcohol itself or various medications; however, can only be done safely under the supervision of a physician. Before beginning a tapering schedule, speak with your doctor about the risks of detoxing at home.
Symptoms Of Alcohol Withdrawal
Our admissions specialists will help you find the facility and treatment program best suited to the recovery needs of you or your loved one. Our knowledgeable and compassionate team is available 24/7 to help get you or someone you care about into treatment and answer any questions or concerns you might have. Licensed medical professionals review material we publish on our site. The material is not a substitute for qualified medical diagnoses, treatment, or advice. It should not be used to replace the suggestions of your personal physician or other health care professionals.
Can You Taper Off Alcohol Safely At Home?
What Happens to the Body When You Stop Drinking?
- These symptoms can range from mild discomfort to severe health issues, making the tapering process difficult without proper guidance and support.
- Monitoring you pulse and blood pressure can be a very good idea while you are tapering especially if you have high blood pressure.
- At Monument, you can join a free community of over 60,000 members also working to change their relationship with alcohol, and explore treatment options like therapy and medication to stop drinking.
- Support groups, from Alcoholics Anonymous to SMART Recovery, are one free way to find a community of people on the same journey.
- Most healthcare professionals recommend a medically-assisted detox as the best way to get off alcohol.