In general, many who don’t identify as alcoholics have started questioning how alcohol impacts their health, in some cases even taking breaks from drinking. Becoming aware of where, when, and why you consume alcohol lets you assess your own habits. Are you relying too much on drinking to help you deal with social anxiety? Are you having two drinks with dinner when you’d prefer to have one? If you have a family history of alcoholism, or have struggled with substances in the past, this awareness can be especially important. Alcoholics Anonymous and many rehab programs often present abstinence as the only option.
Because everyone’s body reacts differently, there’s not a lot of research that proves tapering can decrease the effects of alcohol withdrawal. The tapering down process can take place for the first several weeks or even months of the alcohol recovery timeline. There are many factors that can affect how long weaning off alcohol will take. Other people use medication-assisted treatment, which can help reduce alcohol cravings as you cut back. Lastly, engaging in alcohol therapy can also make a major difference in your healing journey. A therapist will work with you to create a personalized plan for cutting back and provide ongoing guidance and accountability.
- Although alcohol abuse may sometimes take the appearance of a choice, at its core it is an addiction—and addiction is best thought of as a disease or a disorder.
- Medical experts now use the term “alcohol use disorder” rather than “alcohol abuse” to address the concern of excessive drinking.
- These symptoms may start a few hours or a few days after your last drink of alcohol.
- Find activities that are mentally and emotionally nourishing and bring you joy, and identify ways to connect socially with friends, says Witkiewitz.
- This can be tough, especially if you feel that their drinking is hurting you.
While this process isn’t enjoyable, there are so many benefits in the new sober life that you’re creating for yourself. You’ll look and feel healthier, have more energy, and save money. Alcohol withdrawal usually lasts for a few days, but some effects may linger for months. Symptoms are most severe around day 34, and the total process can last for 2 to 10 days. The symptoms of alcohol withdrawal can range from mild to serious.
Therapy can help you understand why you drink and learn new habits so you can live a healthy lifestyle that doesn’t rely on alcohol as a crutch. It can also help you gain a new perspective as you consider how your life will change without alcohol. Or maybe it’s a pregnancy that sober living boston made you realize it’s time to stop drinking. Or maybe you’re just looking to improve your health, wake up hangover-free and give your liver (and your heart and brain) a break. Most people experience the most severe symptoms from about 36–72 hours after stopping drinking.
Challenges of Tapering Off Alcohol
While cirrhosis scars from excessive drinking are irreversible, quitting alcohol and leading a healthier lifestyle can help your liver heal from alcohol-related liver disease. This can be tough, especially if you feel that their drinking is hurting you. However, approaching the subject with a clear message of support, and without judgement, is generally the most effective strategy. As Johann Hari explains in his Ted Talk,7 addiction is partially a disease of shame and isolation.
Common medications include benzodiazepines to help treat symptoms like anxiety, insomnia, and seizures. You might also take anti-seizure meds and antipsychotics, along with other drugs. When the alcohol level suddenly drops, your brain stays in this keyed up state. Over time, your central nervous system adjusts to having alcohol around all the time. Your body works hard to keep your brain in a more awake state and to keep your nerves talking to one another.
Done With Alcohol? Here’s How To Stop Drinking
You don’t have to let the fear of alcohol withdrawal stop you from cutting back or quitting. You may decide to seek medical treatment for your withdrawal symptoms or decide to enter a professional detox or rehab center. You may be able to detox at home and still attend outpatient therapy or support group meetings. The brain compensates for the depressive effects of alcohol by increasing its activity. When people who are dependent on alcohol drink, they feel normal.
However, individuals who suffer from alcohol addiction require professional rehab. If you’re unable to reduce how much you drink, you may have a disease called alcoholism that requires professional addiction treatment. Alcohol rehab helps you taper off alcohol, and it treats other side effects and causes of alcoholism. You should plan to taper for between three and seven days depending on how much you’re used to drinking. Slowly reduce the amount of alcohol you consume each day until you reach sobriety. If you begin to experience serious withdrawal symptoms, drink enough to make the symptoms subside.
Essentially, tapering provides less intense withdrawal symptoms but over a longer amount of time. These symptoms may start a few hours or a few days after your last drink of alcohol. Sometimes, symptoms may be severe enough to require medical treatment at a hospital or rehabilitation facility. But some people choose to manage alcohol withdrawal themselves.
“Try sober Mondays or sober Mondays through Wednesdays,” he says. If you feel comfortable doing so, discuss your challenges with your primary healthcare professional. Finding a therapist can also be a great starting point if you’re uncomfortable opening up to your healthcare professional. At the end of the day, one https://soberhome.net/ 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.
Tell family members and friends you want to get healthier.
Still, for some people, disulfiram remains an effective choice. One option, if you feel you have a milder drinking habit, is to quit drinking by yourself. While this can be difficult, it can be a workable solution for some people. That said, you need to make sure you are safe, and that you have a plan you can stick to.
Helping people with drug or alcohol dependence feel valued, and that they have a worthwhile life to live outside of their addiction, often plays a big role in recovery. Once established, this change in a person’s brain chemistry impacts their thinking, and their ability to weigh the consequences of drinking versus not drinking. It also results in severe cravings, often strong enough that a person can think of little else. For this person, daily life may begin to seem difficult to manage without alcohol. Taking a break for a month can give you some perspective on how much you drink, and what it feels like when you don’t. For some people, this can be a motivating step towards sobriety or moderation.
Naltrexone in particular is prescribed to help people achieve moderation, or control their consumption on social occasions. It works by reducing the pleasurable effects of alcohol, blocking the reward cycle in your brain that can lead to runaway consumption. Belinda Gordon-Battle is a licensed clinical therapist and life consultant based in Miami while providing therapeutic services across the globe. BGB, as her clients and colleagues call her, is an advocate of “removing the stigma” and normalizing the therapeutic process. She incorporates cultural relevance and non-traditional interventions and strategies to strengthen her clients’ steps towards goals of behavioral, emotional, social and mental wellness. Talk with a healthcare professional if you’re concerned you may experience detox symptoms when quitting drinking or cutting back.