Tapering Off Alcohol vs Quitting Cold Turkey
However, tapering can sometimes be unsafe if you attempt to do so on your own without a doctor’s knowledge. For example, if you start to suffer from alcohol withdrawal symptoms despite http://davai-pozhenimsya.ru/my-cat-wants-to-kill-me-what-should-i-do-survival-tips.html an attempt to taper, your symptoms may worsen before you have the chance to seek medical attention. For this reason, even at-home tapers should be done under a doctor’s care.
Some people use the cold turkey technique as they believe it will be easier to cease taking the substance completely straight away. They may also think if they cut the substance out entirely, they will feel less tempted to use it again while quitting. A doctor can supervise your tapering progress, helping you manage your http://72s.ru/c78-39013.html cravings and prevent relapse. Overall, getting professional help can improve your chances for long-term sobriety. A substitution taper refers to switching strong liquor for an alternative that contains less alcohol, like beer. Once you’ve changed to a less alcoholic option, you can gradually reduce your drink amount.
How to Wean Off Alcohol & Safely Taper Drinking
In addition to the title of Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Kevin is also licensed by the state of Maryland as a Clinical Drug and Alcohol Counselor. He holds a Master of Science degree in Counseling and has over 26 years of experience as a substance use/mental health counselor with the Montgomery County Government. Whether https://angliannews.com/basic-recommendations-for-the-care-of-linoleum.html he’s leading groups or providing individual and family therapy, Kevin’s passion for serving those suffering from substance use disorders is always on display. When he’s not busy treating The Freedom Center’s clientele, you might find Kevin engaged in his other passion as an actor/director in the local theater community.
- When done under medical supervision, tapering off alcohol has few downsides.
- Further, mental health disorders like anxiety and depression are extremely common in those who struggle with drinking, and these disorders can make it even harder to stay sober.
- I now enjoy working with others and helping them get through the hard times of early recovery.
- Erin decided to switch careers and went back to school to obtain her Addiction Counseling certification.
So, if most of us aren’t physically dependent on alcohol, then why is it so hard to stop drinking? Why do we try to taper off or ease our way out of it rather than just stopping all at once? As you navigate this question, it can be helpful to think about how you typically prefer to approach change.
Why Alcohol Withdrawal Occurs
If they do, there are several health risks, some of which can be life threatening. There are several health benefits to stopping smoking, drinking alcohol, and taking drugs. By going cold turkey, a person’s body can begin to recover immediately from the damage the substance was causing. The support of medical professionals and psychologists can help you in this process. Alcohol withdrawal occurs when neurotransmitters that combat the effects of alcohol on the nervous system suddenly have nothing to counteract them. Essentially, when an individual drinks, the brain amplifies certain activities to counterbalance the depressive effect alcohol has on it.
- Essentially, tapering provides less intense withdrawal symptoms but over a longer amount of time.
- There are many factors that can affect how long weaning off alcohol will take.
Reach out to a Recovery Advocate today to learn more about our treatment options or to get started. After acute treatment, you will receive comprehensive therapy and counseling through clinical stabilization services and partial care. Reducing the amount of the chosen substance consumed daily is known as a direct taper, but it may not be effective for everyone. It is only advisable to direct taper if the preferred drink is beer with a low alcohol percentage. These beliefs have been formed over time and attach each one of us individually. How, then, do we go about dispelling the beliefs if we do want to stop drinking—gradually or all at once?