How to Taper Off Alcohol The Recovery Village Palm Beach at Baptist Health

Switching to beer from hard liquor is safer because it is easier to control the amount of beer that is consumed and is harder to binge drink. Consuming a lighter alcoholic drink like beer also makes it easier for someone to stay hydrated throughout the taper. It is important to only attempt a taper while under a doctor’s care. However, understanding how an alcohol taper works and what the process is like can help you prepare yourself and find the support you need. Daily drinking can have serious consequences for a person’s health, both in the short- and long-term. Many of the effects of drinking every day can be reversed through early intervention.

It does this by providing compassionate care and evidence-based content that addresses health, treatment, and recovery. At a rehab clinic, an alcohol withdrawal taper can be provided to slowly get you back to normal life. This form of tapering would likely involve medications to eliminate withdrawal symptoms.

Start Alcohol Detox at Charlotte Detox Center Today

Along with withdrawal symptoms, it may be even more difficult to cut back or taper your alcohol use if you suffer from an alcohol use disorder (AUD). AUD makes it difficult to control alcohol use — it may seem like the alcohol is controlling you. A taper may not be right for you if you find yourself frequently drinking more than you intended, trying to cut back and not being able to, or you feel that your alcohol use is affecting your life. People with AUD may be unable to quit drinking alcohol on their own or have attempted to quit before and relapsed. As many as 71%8 of people who go through alcohol detox experience symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.

Some people choose to taper more quickly by cutting the amounts in half–for example 20, 10 5, 2, 0. But if you start having major withdrawal symptoms like bad shakes or pulse over 100 or high blood pressure you are tapering too fast and should slow it down. Monitoring you pulse and blood pressure can be a very good idea while you are tapering especially if you have high blood pressure. If your pulse exceeds 100, your blood pressure goes very high, or you have irregular heart beat then this means that you are tapering too fast and you need more beer. Stopping alcohol use is the first step of the recovery journey, but staying sober for longer and longer periods is the goal. Getting professional treatment and long-term support are two of the most valuable strategies for avoiding relapse.

Determining If You Need to Taper Off

As the Family Nurse Practitioner, Deirdre performs history and physical exams, and works with clients to diagnose and treat dual diagnosis clients. Insomnia is a common https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/alcohol-and-headaches-why-does-alcohol-cause-migraines/ symptom of alcohol withdrawal, especially in the early stages of recovery. In fact, sleep disturbances can persist for months despite continued abstinence.

Even if your situation seems like someone else’s, your body may respond differently to the tapering process. You may receive medication to ease withdrawal symptoms—such as anti-diarrheal medicines or over-the-counter pain relievers. A doctor may prescribe a benzodiazepine as part of the tapering process. All of these withdrawal symptoms are common during acute alcohol withdrawal syndrome.

Tapering Off Alcohol vs. Quitting Cold Turkey

Tapering will normally create less severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms but will spread them out over a prolonged period. Essentially, tapering provides less intense withdrawal symptoms but over a longer how to taper off alcohol amount of time. If you drink heavily on a regular basis, it can be dangerous to stop alcohol cold turkey. For this reason, you should not suddenly quit drinking without talking to your doctor.

• The success of these strategies will depend on how much you drink and what you drink.
• Stopping alcohol use is the first step of the recovery journey, but staying sober for longer and longer periods is the goal.
• If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms consistent with DT, call 911.
• Quitting alcohol can be extremely hard, especially without medical support.
• With professional help, you can increase your chances of tapering successfully.
• Throughout history alcohol has been used for a number of different issues, including tapering off to overcome alcohol use.

However, tapering can be dangerous if you have severe AUD, leading to uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. If you start noticing these symptoms, contact a medical professional immediately. Medically assisted detoxification (detox) is an inpatient program that keeps you stabilized during alcohol withdrawals.

Alexandra oversees all operations with The Freedom Center to ensure clients are given the best chance at success. She works with The Freedom Center team to develop and implement policies, procedures and oversees Intakes and Transportation. Alexandra works with Admissions and Clinical Departments for scheduling client admissions, transfers, discharges and outside appointments while maintaining positive relationships with all clients. Her primary focus is to provide all clients with a safe, structured environment while coordinating their care.

When you’re learning how to taper off alcohol properly, you will have to make a lot of decisions. One of those decisions will be what you will do when friends or family pressure you to drink. While many may choose to attempt the process alone, it’s highly advised that you undergo the process under the supervision of a trained medical team via either inpatient or outpatient treatment.

External triggers are people, places, things, or times that offer opportunities to drink and remind a person of alcohol. Internal triggers are thoughts, emotions, or physical sensations that cause a person to drink. Being exposed to either form of a trigger can result in unwanted relapse. 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.

James is a CCAR Recovery Coach and believes in developing meaningful relationships, and providing highly individualized therapy and client care. In 2017, James had the opportunity to combine his business experience and passion for recovery to start The Freedom Center. If you only drink two to three drinks per week, you can easily quit cold turkey without experiencing major withdrawal symptoms. However, tapering off may be the way to go if you drink heavily or have more than six drinks per week.

By weaning yourself from drinking, you give your brain the chance to adjust the amount of GABA it produces. The purpose of alcohol tapering is to avoid some of the more dangerous symptoms of detox. The length of time for alcohol tapering depends entirely on your baseline of use. Ask loved ones to look out for signs of alcohol relapse to help you stay on track with your recovery process. The best way to safely quit drinking is by following the advice of a doctor or treatment center.

• For this reason, you should not suddenly quit drinking without talking to your doctor.
• In 2017, James had the opportunity to combine his business experience and passion for recovery to start The Freedom Center.
• Enrolling in an alcohol detox program will offer you the ability to safely and comfortably overcome the detoxification process.