Alcohol Detox at Home How to Detox from Alcohol Safely

Tapering alcohol is beneficial because you can avoid alcohol withdrawal symptoms. This is because when you drink heavily for months or years, your body can start to depend on alcohol to function normally. When you are physically dependent on a substance like alcohol, your body adapts accordingly. If you’re having trouble quitting alcohol, many resources are available to help. You can talk to your doctor about medications that may help ease the process.

Licensed medical professionals and highly qualified addiction specialists at The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper can help guide you toward a life without alcohol. 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. Mild anxiety, for example, can turn into overwhelming agitation or even hallucinations. When symptoms become that serious, it can be difficult to seek help. Seeking help as early as possible during the withdrawal process is the best way to stay safe as you cleanse your body of alcohol.

Why Should You Taper?

For this reason, you should always talk to your doctor before attempting to quit drinking. In particular, it alters the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid . When you drink a lot over a long period, your brainreducesthe amount of GABA it makes. This means that if you quit drinking cold turkey, your brain will not have enough GABA. This can cause your brain to become hyper-excitable and leads to withdrawal symptoms.

The schedules provided here are illustrative only, as someone’s individual needs may require deviation or alteration to this schedule. Dangerous for someone who is more likely to suffer serious withdrawal symptoms. Can be difficult to remain focused, chances of returning to previous drinking habits are high.

Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

It is also important to note that the degree of symptoms will depend on how much alcohol you have been using, the frequency of use, and how long you have been drinking. If your drinking is minimal, you may experience mild withdrawal.

Compare what you have recorded in your drinking diary with your drinking goal. Tracking detailed information in your drinking diary may help you to identify patterns and triggering events that lead to drinking. The limits of the recommended guidelines may be too high for people who have certain medical conditions or for some older adults. By setting a social limit for yourself, you are creating a safe zone. This is where you can still have a drink, but not to the point of compromising your sobriety. These goals can be only drinking socially, limiting yourself to so many cocktails a week, etc. Disorder exists for which a benzodiazepine is an indicated treatment.

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In your drinking diary, include information about what and how much you drank as well as where you were. It may be useful to note what you were feeling and thinking leading up to and at the time of drinking. Is alcohol beginning to take up more and more of your time, budget, and life? You may be wondering how to begin the process of ridding yourself or your loved one of alcohol use once and for all. Your body needs time to adjust to the changes it will experience. Respect your body’s need to heal and avoid any extreme activity levels beyond what you would normally do.

Someone who has been drinking heavily for a long period of time may struggle with cravings and alcohol withdrawal symptoms, leading to relapse. Because alcohol withdrawal symptoms vary from person to person, anyone struggling with an alcohol use disorder should seek professional medical assistance before considering an alcohol taper. Some people can just quit drinking alcohol cold turkey without having significant withdrawal symptoms. Other people, however, may suffer significant withdrawal symptoms when they suddenly stop drinking. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider. If youdrink heavily, this includes making sure you have a safe plan for quitting alcohol.

Pros and Cons of Tapering Off Alcohol Intake

When you quit cold turkey without supervision, you’re more likely to relapse and binge drink, which increases the likelihood of overdose. These symptoms how to taper off alcohol can last for several days or weeks depending on how much alcohol you drink regularly and the length of time you have been drinking excessively.