Unfortunately, there’s little to no evidence that tapering off reduces the effects of alcohol withdrawal, some of which can be severe or even life-threatening. Quitting with proper medical supervision may be more important than whether you stop gradually or all at once. It depends on how much you drink, how often you drink, and how dependent you are on alcohol. If you’re only drinking occasionally, you may be able to cut back gradually or stop altogether without any withdrawal symptoms.
When you are detoxing from alcohol at a rehab center, nurses and doctors monitor vital signs, provide adequate nourishment and treat complications if they occur. 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. Another clue that can be an indication of an unhealthy relationship with alcohol is if you make “rules” around drinking. It’s common for the first symptoms to appear within a few hours after your last drink.
How Long Does it Take to Detox from Alcohol at Home?
It includes a logging section you can use to keep track of your daily alcohol intake, along with some withdrawal warnings. If you notice severe hallucinations, extreme brain fog, the world slows down around you; you feel drunk when you’re not, you may have warning signs of delirium tremens (DTs). Always have one of your drinks late at night before you go to bed, to prevent this from happening while you’re sleeping.
There are also a number of anti-craving medications to help you avoid drinking again, or even help with your tapering process. Finally, finding a therapist or a recovery coach can help you develop new coping mechanisms and move forward in your life. 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. The main downside of tapering off is that it requires discipline.
Finding An Alcohol Rehab
It’s best to cut out cross-training in the final two to three weeks before the marathon too. Drop leg or lower body weight training and spinning at the beginning of your taper period. For swimming, reduce the volume of https://ecosoberhouse.com/ yardage in swimming by 20 to 30 percent during the first two weeks of tapering. You can continue yoga or pilates during the first and second week of the taper, and then discontinue them during your final week of taper.
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 how to taper off alcohol cutting alcohol out entirely from the start helps you clearly uphold your boundaries. Or, you may find that quitting all at once is too drastic and decide to start by practicing harm reduction.
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