Is Tapering Off Alcohol Safe? Is It Better to Taper Off Alcohol?
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It’s especially influential if you have an alcohol use disorder. Don’t try to reduce your alcohol intake based on what feels right. Over time, the doctors will gradually reduce the number of benzodiazepines you are taking. Once you are not experiencing any symptoms of withdrawal, your doctor will stop your intake of benzos and you will be ready to attend inpatient or outpatient addiction treatment.
They may have a mild-to-moderate substance use problem without being chemically dependent. Still, they may need to consider cutting back for other physical, mental, and social health reasons. For one thing, it creates tangible goals for the person tapering to reach, helping to build their confidence in themselves and the belief how to taper off alcohol that they can eventually stop drinking completely. If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms consistent with DT, call 911. DT can be fatal, and a person going through them should have medical support in a hospital or rehab facility. Tapering off alcohol is a reasonable strategy for anyone who desires to stop drinking.
The Potential Harms of Going Cold Turkey
Severe or major alcohol withdrawal aka Delirium Tremens (D.T.s). This usually occurs more than 48 hours after a cessation or decrease in alcohol consumption. It is characterized by disorientation, agitation, hallucinations, tremulousness, racing heart, rapid breathing, fever, irregular heartbeat, blood pressure spikes, and intense sweating. When untreated about one person in five will die of D.T.s. Some people refer to shakes as D.T.s but this is inaccurate. Tapering is meant to reduce the withdrawal symptoms from quitting alcohol, but this isn’t a guarantee. As mentioned above, many people will still experience some level of withdrawal, just to a lesser degree. 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.
Alcohol withdrawal often involves restlessness, anxiety, and insomnia, among other symptoms. People tapering off alcohol may begin experiencing early withdrawal symptoms within 6 to 12 hours after their last drink. Medical detox programs for alcohol dependency commonly offer medications to ease the discomfort or pain of withdrawal. This is a benefit that isn’t available to all who attempt to taper at home. Medicines can be used to reduce nausea, severe anxiety, other flu-like symptoms, and treat seizures. By receiving professional help, you can tailor the decrease in alcohol consumption to a method that will be safe for you and your circumstances.
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If you have taken antidepressant medications in the past, your doctor probably instructed you to slowly decrease the amount of medication you are taking rather than quitting them cold turkey. Tapering off substances gradually can prevent withdrawal symptoms from occurring. Once you have completely tapered off alcohol, it is a good idea to avoid alcohol use for a period of 30 days which will allow your body time to adjust to being alcohol-free.
What is the safest way to stop drinking?
Start by reducing your drinking by 10% a day. For example, if you normally drink 20 units a day, try reducing this to 18 units a day. Keep drinking at this reduced level for four days, then try to cut down by another 10%. If you start to have any withdrawal symptoms, it means you're cutting down too fast.
One of those decisions will be what you will do when friends or family pressure you to drink. While this is a valiant effort and it can work for some people, an abrupt cessation of alcohol can be dangerous for those who have a long history of alcohol abuse and addiction. Someone who drinks heavily for many weeks or months is likely to develop a dependence on alcohol. Alcohol can also activate opioid receptors, the same receptors that bind with your body’s natural endorphins and narcotic drugs such as oxycodone and heroin.
