Give yourself personal rewards such as taking yourself to a special, non-alcoholic meal, buying yourself a meaningful item, hosting a sober celebration, or planning a day out. Make sure to share your successes with your loved ones and especially your sober support network. You should include strategies to both reduce drinking and prevent relapse. Identify specific situations, emotions, environments, and people that motivate your drinking. Examples of triggers could include stress, social gatherings with alcohol, certain friends, and bars.
Benefits of Weaning off Alcohol
If you abruptly stop consuming alcohol, your brain may not have enough sensitivity to GABA, which can result in hyper-excitability and withdrawal symptoms. Whether you’re sober curious, know for sure you’re ready to quit, or fall somewhere in between, Dr. Streem shares advice for how to stop drinking. If you’re living with alcohol use disorder (also known as alcoholism), you’ll likely benefit from additional medical interventions.
What Happens When You Cut Back on Drinking Alcohol?
If you are worried you or your loved one might have an alcohol use disorder, there is hope — reach out to Dove Recovery alcohol rehab in Columbus, Ohio. We will help you find the resources you need for alcohol use disorder. Did you know most insurance companies will cover the cost of drug and alcohol detox?
Insurance May Cover Alcohol Detox
Set up therapy, counseling and support groups, a plan for sober living, and follow-up medical evaluations. If you find it difficult to cut down on your number of drinks per day, try making your drinks weaker by using less alcohol per drink. You may also find it easier to stick to your taper schedule if you avoid certain places and situations. Learn more about alcohol withdrawal here and, once again, speak to a doctor first.
Accessible Ways to Stop Drinking Alcohol
This method works best with gradual reduction, as alcohol withdrawal symptoms can start within 12–24 hours after stopping drinking. Generally, alcohol-free days are better towards the end of a gradual reduction, not towards the beginning. The amount of time it takes to taper off of alcohol can vary greatly from person to person. Some people can taper quickly and quit alcohol completely, while others may take longer.
How Art Therapy Can Aid in Addiction Treatment
This includes early symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, such as mild tremors and anxiety. The reason for this is that alcohol withdrawal symptoms can quickly snowball and worsen. Mild anxiety, for example, can turn into overwhelming agitation or even hallucinations. Seeking help Sober House Rules: A Comprehensive Overview as early as possible during the withdrawal process is the best way to stay safe as you cleanse your body of alcohol.
- Note that Disulfiram it is not a cure to alcoholism, and a full therapy must be used.
- If you’ve been drinking heavily for a long time and think you might experience withdrawal symptoms, it’s best to talk with a medical professional before you begin a taper.
- To lower your alcohol consumption, try to stick to only one alcoholic drink per hour.
- For this reason, you should not suddenly quit drinking without talking to your doctor.
- This excess glutamate triggers alcohol withdrawal symptoms, which can sometimes be dangerous.
Slowly tapering your alcohol use can help you manage mild withdrawal symptoms and decrease the risk of AUD. However, you may experience withdrawal symptoms or relapse if you’re not tapering correctly and safely. It’s always best to speak with a healthcare provider when changing your relationship with alcohol. Every person has unique needs, and tapering off may not be an adequate solution to reduce or stop drinking. It is best to consult with a medical professional first before reducing or stopping alcohol use. Depending on a variety of factors, it could be dangerous for you to reduce or stop drinking without medical support.
Family and friends can provide encouragement and support when you stop drinking. By opening up about your relationship with alcohol, you might also encourage others to explore their own drinking habits. It is important that your recovery plan has a list of people who can support you as you wean off alcohol. Tapering off alcohol gives the body time to adapt to the lack of alcohol.
- Heavy drinking can lead to a reduction in the sensitivity of your brain to the amount of GABA produced.
- Generally, light to moderate drinkers should plan to taper for a week or more.
- This can be done by reducing the number of drinks, increasing time between drinks or choosing a weaker drink with a lower alcohol content.
- Gradual reduction strategies include slowly decreasing the amount of alcohol consumed over time and extending the time between drinks.
- From the stomach, most of the alcohol travels to the small intestine.
- These CNS adaptations can contribute to the wide range of symptoms experienced during alcohol withdrawal, including anxiety, agitation, tremors, and seizures.
This journey is often non-linear, and your goals can change over time. But, as many in recovery will tell you, it is only the first chapter in a long process. As a rule of thumb, HAMS (a harm reduction support organization) suggests reducing your consumption by two standard drinks per day until you reach zero. For example, if you typically have 10 drinks per day, you could cut back to 8 the first day, then 6, 4, 2, and finally none.
Quitting alcohol cold turkey can be dangerous and should only be done under medical supervision. Suddenly stopping alcohol consumption can cause withdrawal symptoms, including seizures, hallucinations, and delirium tremens. By gradually decreasing the number of drinks consumed per day or per week, you can taper off alcohol in a controlled manner. Remember to consult with a healthcare professional or addiction specialist to determine the appropriate reduction rate for your circumstances. Patients who experience more severe alcohol withdrawal should receive pharmacotherapy to treat their symptoms and reduce their risk of seizures and delirium tremens.
Alcohol depresses your nervous system2, so your body creates more receptors for neurotransmitters, or messengers, to stimulate the nervous system. At the end of the day, one of the most important tools you have at your disposal is self-compassion. Instead of criticizing yourself for having a hard time or slipping up and having a drink, remember that no one’s perfect. What matters most is your ability to maintain an open, curious outlook as you learn what does and doesn’t work for you. Satisfying hobbies can distract you from wanting to drink, but they also help you relax — something everyone needs to do.
An example of a short-term goal would be to reduce alcohol consumption by half within the next month. An example of a long-term goal would be to achieve complete abstinence from alcohol within six months. If you or someone you know needs help detoxing from alcohol, The Recovery Village Ridgefield Drug and Alcohol Rehab is here for you. Contact us today to speak with a representative and begin on the road to lasting addiction recovery. Each of these challenges requires a unique approach and often the support of professionals, loved ones and support groups. Understanding and preparing for these difficulties can greatly enhance the chances of successful recovery.