The goal of tapering down is to make a gradual change while causing less stress on your body, both physically and emotionally. Withdrawal symptoms can vary in severity and depend on many factors, such as drinking history, metabolism, age, medical condition, what other substances or medication how to taper off alcohol at home you take, and more. Because everyone’s body reacts differently, there’s not a lot of research that proves tapering can decrease the effects of alcohol withdrawal. A popular way to taper off alcohol is to gradually reduce the number of drinks you consume over a period of time.
Alcohol Tapering Schedule
Understanding your habits and your motivations to quit drinking can help you understand the change you’re making in your life and reinforce why it’s important. Dr. Streem suggests starting with the World Health Organization’s Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/who-sober-alcoholics-are-and-what-it-means-to-be-sober/ It can be a particularly helpful way to help you get a clearer understanding of your drinking habits and your relationship with alcohol. It’s a 10-question screening test that gives you research-backed, personalized advice for quitting or reducing your intake of alcohol.
Find Professional Treatment
This will be the basis of the protocol to taper off the substance to increase the chances of success. Belinda Gordon-Battle is a licensed clinical therapist and life consultant based in Miami while providing therapeutic services across the globe. BGB, as her clients and colleagues call her, is an advocate of “removing the stigma” and normalizing the therapeutic process. She incorporates cultural relevance and non-traditional interventions and strategies to strengthen her clients’ steps towards goals of behavioral, emotional, social and mental wellness.
- The median (IQR) age at index was 34 (28-44) years, and 3462 participants (60.0%) were male.
- Discontinuation was defined as a gap in buprenorphine prescriptions of at least 14 consecutive days.
- As the name suggests, this method involves gradually reducing the amount of alcohol you drink over time, so you consume less and less alcohol each day or week.
- The main downside of tapering off is that it requires discipline.
Consider professional support
- BetterHelp can connect you to an addiction and mental health counselor.
- It is only advisable to direct taper if the preferred drink is beer with a low alcohol percentage.
- “You could use a calendar, journal or any number of tracking apps.” Drink Control Alcohol Tracker or Less are two examples of free tracking apps available on iOS devices.
However, they may still decide that tapering down feels most achievable for them. If you’re not sure if cold turkey or tapering is right for you, you can join the Monument Community to hear from others who have confronted similar questions. Whatever method you use to taper down, your plan should also be approved and monitored by a healthcare profession to ensure your safety. Working with a physician on the Monument platform can help determine what timeline will work for you based on your past drinking habits and risk of withdrawal. Whatever schedule is chosen, it’s important to commit so you can build upon your progress and avoid withdrawal symptoms as much as possible. If you drink heavily on a regular basis, it can be dangerous to stop alcohol cold turkey.