Is Tapering Off Alcohol Safe? Is It Better to Taper Off Alcohol?

These goals can be only drinking socially, limiting yourself to so many cocktails a week, etc. As you navigate this question, it can be helpful to think about how you typically prefer to approach change. Metaphorically speaking, do you like to dip your toe in first, or cannonball right in? As long as safety precautions are taken, there’s no wrong way to begin a sobriety or moderation journey. This journey is often non-linear, and your goals can change over time. Mark joined the medical team at The Freedom Center in September 2018 as the Medical Director.

This may work for many people, but in practice each individual will respond best to a different pace, and each doctor will have their own recommendations. The risk of tapering too slowly is that you won’t stick with it, while the risk of tapering too fast is severe withdrawal. If you experience dangerous signs such as high blood pressure, racing heart, or arrhythmias, slow your taper and seek assistance.

Tapering off Alcohol: What You Need To Know

We personalize every aspect of your detox and offer counseling, treatment plans, nutrition services and options for continuing rehab treatment at The Recovery Village Ridgefield. Depending on how much alcohol you drink to start with, the amount of time an alcohol weaning schedule takes may vary. For example, those who drink more heavily may need more time to taper than those who drink less alcohol.

• In addition to the title of Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Kevin is also licensed by the state of Maryland as a Clinical Drug and Alcohol Counselor.
• One of the safest ways to quit drinking is through tapering, which involves slowly reducing your alcohol intake over time.
• You will need to follow an alcohol tapering schedule so that you can find the best method for your circumstances.
• Although I didn’t experience any seizures, I certainly wouldn’t recommend it.

Furthermore, connecting with people who have embarked on a similar journey can be incredibly empowering. Support groups, both through our app’s Forum and offline, can offer solace, advice, and encouragement. In order to create a tapering system that works for you, you need to know how much you personally how to taper off alcohol drink each day or week. Keep a log (which you can do in our app!) and figure out how much you drink. When we stop drinking all at once, rather than tapering, these symptoms can be a stressful shock to the system. The discomfort can then cause some to give up completely and return to drinking.

Selecting a Tapering Schedule

If you or someone you love is struggling with drinking, Orlando Recovery Center can help. We offer a full continuum of care and are an in-network provider for a range of insurance companies, including Aetna, Cigna and America’s Choice. Contact us today to learn more about the insurance we accept and find an alcohol addiction treatment program that can work well for your situation. In particular, it alters the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). When you drink a lot over a long period, your brain reduces the amount of GABA it makes. This means that if you quit drinking cold turkey, your brain will not have enough GABA.

When you slowly taper your alcohol intake over time instead of quitting cold turkey, you reduce the likelihood of withdrawal symptoms. By weaning yourself from drinking, you give your brain the chance to adjust the amount of GABA it produces. The idea of detoxing or tapering is to prevent the more severe withdrawal effects. You may still experience some of the less severe withdrawal symptoms.

Have A Strong Support System

Quitting cold turkey means you stop using alcohol all at once without any period of adjustment or replacement therapy. Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal include nausea, vomiting, shaking, headaches, and insomnia. Quitting alcohol can be extremely hard, especially without medical support.

Overcoming this with sheer willpower is going to be difficult, but it can be done. We can keep you safe and comfortable throughout the detox process and provide you with the foundations you need to stay sober. The support of an alcohol detox program may help you wean off alcohol more quickly and with fewer unpleasant side effects. Some detox programs also offer therapy to prepare you for addiction treatment. This condition most often occurs when someone who has long-term alcohol dependence stops drinking cold turkey.

Define Your Alcohol-Free Days

For most people, the safest way to quit is to taper off alcohol gradually. Tapering off gives your body time to adjust to living without the effects of alcohol by slowly reducing your intake over a period of days or weeks. It can also help reduce withdrawal symptoms, which can be severe. When you quit drinking, you should also seek medical advice about any alcohol withdrawal symptoms you experience. This includes early symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, such as mild tremors and anxiety. The reason for this is that alcohol withdrawal symptoms can quickly snowball and worsen.