How to Wean Off Alcohol Safely and Effectively
Because alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, quitting drinking can cause your body to have too much of an excitatory substance called glutamate as it tries to rebalance. This can trigger alcohol withdrawal symptoms, which can be dangerous in some cases. Quitting cold turkey is the preferred method of withdrawal, but only if done under http://tomatocart.ru/space-uid-1478.html medical supervision, where symptoms can be treated as they occur. For those at risk for severe withdrawal symptoms, medically-supervised detox is often the safest choice for beginning their sobriety or moderation journey. Others may discover after consulting with a doctor that it’s safe for them to quit alcohol cold turkey if they choose to.
How Long Does it Take to Wean Off Alcohol?
Educate your loved ones on dangerous symptoms, too, so they can look out for you and get you medical attention if you need it. To successfully taper your alcohol use, finding what works best for you is important. Find an accountability partner or someone you can call to keep you on track when you want to drink. Build a network of people you can go to when you need help, join a support group or see a therapist.
Strategies For Weaning Off Alcohol
But if heavy drinkers cut back on their average number of drinks too quickly, they may be at risk of life-threatening withdrawal symptoms. It’s physically dangerous, and it may also cause emotional https://www.boltonma.us/how-to-pick-the-best-real-estate-pricing/ instability. Discussing these issues with a loved one can help you avoid relapse. As a Certified Professional Recovery Coach, I often speak with people who want to wean off alcohol.
Consider Medically Assisted Detox
Once it begins to leave your body, early symptoms of withdrawal begin. Nanci Stockwell of Advanced Recovery Systems discusses the risks of detoxing at home and the benefits of detoxing from alcohol and other drugs in a safe environment. If you or someone you know needs help detoxing from alcohol, The Recovery Village Ridgefield Drug and Alcohol Rehab is here for you.
Can Tapering Your Alcohol Intake Reduce Withdrawal Symptoms?
- Withdrawal usually begins 6 to 8 hours after the last drink and peaks within 72 hours.
- If you’ve been drinking for a long time, you may experience withdrawal symptoms when you quit drinking.
- Alcohol tapering is a medically guided strategy for managing alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
This is a highly personal decision, which can be made through self-reflection, and with the support of a medical professional and your peers. If it’s safe for you to quit cold turkey, you may find that cutting alcohol out entirely from the start helps you https://abatec.ru/en/mozhno-srazu-posle-seksa-sovershat-namaz-obyazatelnye-deistviya/ clearly uphold your boundaries. Or, you may find that quitting all at once is too drastic and decide to start by practicing harm reduction. A popular way to taper off alcohol is to gradually reduce the number of drinks you consume over a period of time.
- Tapering off is a standard medical practice for many other drugs.
- Many people can recover by going to a specialized rehab center that uses proven treatments.
- Glutamate receptor rebound also appears to contribute to the withdrawal symptoms described above.
- Research indicates that those with higher levels of dependence may require a slower taper to minimize withdrawal symptoms.
Unsupervised Medical Care
- Alcohol causes serious changes in the brain, and prolonged symptoms such as sleep problems, mood changes and fatigue may take months to overcome, according to the U.S.
- Shortly after detox I relapsed and spent the next months trying and failing to taper.
