How long it takes depends on factors like how much you typically drink. A person who drinks more alcohol will probably have a longer taper than a person who drinks less alcohol. 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 how to taper off alcohol 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. You need to make your own schedule and determine what’s best for you. If you try a slower taper, you risk dragging it out too long and decreasing your chances of quitting.

• Weaning off alcohol involves gradually decreasing the amount of alcohol you drink.
• Further, if you start to develop alcohol withdrawal symptoms during the taper, your doctor may instruct you to pause or slow the taper as a result.
• If you drink heavily, your doctor may recommend quitting with the help of a medical detox center.
• If you’ve been drinking for a long time, tapering off can cause withdrawal symptoms.
• I’m not saying smoking weed all day is a healthy coping skill.

If you taper off alcohol slowly or with medical supervision, the brain has time to adapt without causing severe side effects. When you slowly taper your alcohol intake over time instead of quitting cold turkey, you reduce the likelihood of withdrawal symptoms. By weaning yourself from drinking, you allow your brain to adjust its sensitivity to GABA. 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.

Benefits of Getting Professional Help for Tapering Off

AUD makes it difficult to control alcohol use — it may seem like the alcohol is controlling you. A taper may not be right for you if you frequently drink more than you intended, try to cut back but cannot or feel that your alcohol use is affecting your life. People with AUD may be unable to quit drinking alcohol on their own or have attempted to quit before and relapsed. Just as what is a useful method for one person may not be for another, what is a safe method for someone may not be for someone else. This is why it is essential to determine your method of tapering and your tapering schedule with the supervision of a medical professional experienced in an alcohol addiction recovery treatment.

If you’re interested in medication-assisted treatment, medication to curb cravings can be a helpful tool for reducing your consumption. Deciding to taper off alcohol is a slower process that requires planning, but it can decrease both the chase of experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms and relapse. That said, tapering off alcohol doesn’t completely eliminate withdrawal symptoms. Alcohol withdrawal is dangerous and it’s important to be careful throughout the process.

Can Alcohol Addiction be Safely Tapered Off?

Serious symptoms caused by delirium tremens include hallucination and seizure. The amount of time it takes to detox from alcohol depends on several factors, including whether you’re detoxing at home or with medical supervision. Detoxing at home usually takes longer because you should be cautious to avoid serious complications. You should start by determining how much alcohol you drink per day in terms of standard drinks. A direct taper means drinking the regular substance of choice but lowering the amount that’s consumed every day. Someone should only direct taper if their drink of choice is beer with a low alcohol percentage.