But Dr. Streem knows that it can be hard to recognize signs of alcohol abuse in ourselves. Often, people with alcohol use disorder find that other people in their lives spot their addiction long before they do. Whatever your reason to quit drinking, know that you’re doing yourself a favor. Alcohol impacts our sleep, relationships, weight, risk for serious chronic conditions and more.
If you must get drunk during your taper, do yourself a favor and just get buzzed, not completely trashed. If you’re lucky enough to have a supportive friend, a roommate, or a family member that lives with you who can assist, that is ideal. Tell them what you’re planning on doing, give them a copy of your planned taper schedule, and have them hold all the alcohol to portion out and give to you as needed.
Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal can be dangerous
But if you still have control over your drinking and want to drink less, you may be able to self-taper. However, it is important to be aware how to taper off alcohol of the risks of attempting a taper on your own. Sometimes, people think that if their symptoms are mild, they don’t need medical help.
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. A taper can be especially helpful for those who find they cannot stop drinking without experiencing negative symptoms.
Sample Alcohol Tapering Schedule
Over the next few days, additional symptoms may also appear. The safest way to taper off alcohol is with a doctor’s help. By looking at your medical history and alcohol intake, your doctor can determine whether you need to taper in a medical detox facility or can safely detox at home.
- When you taper your alcohol, you slowly reduce your alcohol intake over time.
- People who have successfully tapered from alcohol before may be especially likely to benefit from this strategy.
- Counting each drink you consume may seem simple, but all drinks are not created equal.
- Whether you feel like you drink too much alcohol, or you have an alcohol abuse issue, quitting drinking cold turkey can be dangerous.
For people who experience mild alcohol withdrawal symptoms, there are safe ways to detox at home. People who experience tremors, shakes or confusion when they quit drinking should consider medically supervised detox. You should talk to a doctor about the safest way to detox if you experience any withdrawal symptoms when you stop drinking.
Setting Up A Taper Schedule
It has a lot of water and you can find them in the 4.5-5% range. I wouldn’t recommend getting anything above 7% for your taper. If you don’t like beers, drink beers (find ones with lower alcohol, some have high concentrations). If you are already at risk of heart attacks or strokes because of conditions such as obesity or preexisting high blood pressure, monitor your blood pressure carefully. From what I understand, most hospitals WILL give you 3-5 days worth of benzos to taper with at home.
