Santuyadav Content
With a profound understanding of the complexities surrounding addiction, Sydney has dedicated her career to improving the lives of individuals struggling with substance abuse. With herself and her staff their main goal is to provide a safe, nurturing environment taper off alcohol for our clients. Through her relentless pursuit of excellence, Sydney empowers individuals on their journey towards recovery, offering hope and healing to those in need. The amount of time it takes to taper off of alcohol can vary greatly from person to person.
Himself, an alumni of The Freedom Center, Michael brings a personal experience of the program to his role. A resident of Gaithersburg, Michael has planted roots and established a network in the local recovery community. Michael’s goal is to connect current client and alumni with resources to strengthen their life in recovery. Erin has a master’s degree in management from University of Maryland, University College, and a bachelor’s degree in special education from Townson University. Prior to entering the substance abuse and mental health field, Erin was a Special Education Teacher for 10 years. Insomnia is a common symptom of alcohol withdrawal, especially in the early stages of recovery.
Strategies For Weaning Off Alcohol
Whichever method you choose, what is most important is to commit to your alcohol tapering schedule, so you can be sure that you have avoided the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal as much as possible. 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 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.
- Tapering or weaning means ramping down your alcohol use until you get to zero—or to a more moderate level of drinking that you prefer.
- Someone will slowly diminish the amount they drink with the intention of avoiding the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal completely and will hopefully be able to avoid a relapse as well.
- By looking at your medical history and alcohol intake, your doctor can determine whether you need to taper in a medical detox facility or can safely detox at home.
With his expertise, experience, and passion for helping others, David is an asset to the Freedom Center, empowering individuals on his recovery journey. Nonetheless, quitting cold turkey might be the only way for people who don’t have an alcohol use disorder (AUD). In this case, having a strong support system, attending AA meetings, and talking with an addiction counselor is key to a successful detox process. The safest way to taper off alcohol is to do so with a doctor’s help.
Strategies for Tapering Off Alcohol
If you’ve been drinking consistently for a long time, it’s a good idea to consider the safest way to stop when it’s time to cut back. However, weaning off alcohol isn’t always necessary for people who want to cut back or stop drinking. The most significant factor is whether or not you’ve become chemically dependent. However, it’s important to note that people with moderate to severe alcohol addictions may struggle with sticking to a taper schedule and end up relapsing to heavier alcohol use. It’s physically dangerous, and it may also cause emotional instability. Discussing these issues with a loved one can help you avoid relapse.
Insomnia, anxiety and paranoia — the opposite effects of alcohol — are the expected results. Thus, a user will likely seek out alcohol again to rid themselves of the uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. Addiction experts have not conducted many studies on alcohol tapering. As a result, little information is available regarding the best way to taper.
Weaning (or Tapering) Off Alcohol: What it Means
Spring Hill Recovery Center provides residential treatment for addiction and co-occurring mental health issues. However, some conditions may require treatment beyond our capabilities, and we reserve the right to medically discharge a patient for a higher level of mental health care. During alcohol detox, doctors closely monitor your heart rate, blood pressure, and other vital signs.
Long-term alcohol use can lead to developing an alcohol use disorder (AUD) and physical dependence. If your body becomes physically dependent9 on alcohol, you may experience symptoms of withdrawal when you stop drinking. Studies have shown that https://ecosoberhouse.com/ between 13 and 71%9 of people going through alcohol detox develop withdrawal symptoms. Factors such as pattern of alcohol use, other medical conditions, genetics, and how your body responds to alcohol can all play a role in withdrawal symptoms.
Treatment Services
Throughout his tenure at The Freedom Center, he has strategically built relationship with referring providers, hospitals and local government leaders. Corey has continued to grow The Freedom Center brand, educate his local community on Substance Use Disorder and become a pillar of the local recovery community. Corey’s mission is to provide quality behavioral health care to local community members who reach out in need, regardless of their financial situation. Outside of The Freedom Center, Corey enjoys playing golf, hiking and most of all being the best father to his three young boys.
- Our knowledgeable and compassionate team is available 24/7 to help get you or someone you care about into treatment and answer any questions or concerns you might have.
- Research has shown that professional help improves your ability to overcome an addiction to alcohol or cut back if you have found it difficult.
- DT can be fatal, and a person going through them should have medical support in a hospital or rehab facility.
- In order to create a tapering system that works for you, you need to know how much you personally drink each day or week.
- As the Medical Director, Mark works with the staff to coordinate the appropriate level of care for each individual client.
- There are many reasons why a person hesitates to get sober and healthy, and one of the biggies is the dread of quitting alcohol.
Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, or a substance that reduces arousal and stimulation. Alcohol, or ethanol (the type of alcohol in beverages), is an intoxicating or strong ingredient found in beer, wine, and liquor. Alcohol is produced by the fermentation, or the breakdown, of yeast, sugars, and starches. Is alcohol beginning to take up more and more of your time, budget, and life? You may be wondering how to begin the process of ridding yourself or your loved one of alcohol use once and for all. BetterHelp offers affordable mental health care via phone, video, or live-chat.
What is Tapering Off Alcohol?
With that being said, tapering is a lot safer than going cold turkey. Although going cold turkey on opioids is dangerous and can cause significant withdrawal symptoms, quitting alcohol cold turkey can be fatal. If you struggle with drinking, the safest way to quit is under a doctor’s care.
- 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.
- Getting professional treatment and long-term support are two of the most valuable strategies for avoiding relapse.
- Symptoms of delirium tremens can develop within 48 hours and, in some cases, have fatal consequences without proper treatment.
- For example, if you normally drink 6 glasses of wine each night, you can try reducing that to 5 glasses of wine a night.
This may work for many people, but in practice each individual will respond best to a different pace, and each doctor will have their own recommendations. The risk of tapering too slowly is that you won’t stick with it, while the risk of tapering too fast is severe withdrawal. If you experience dangerous signs such as high blood pressure, racing heart, or arrhythmias, slow your taper and seek assistance. Research has shown that professional help improves your ability to overcome an addiction to alcohol or cut back if you have found it difficult.
Alcohol and Metabolism
Because alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, quitting drinking can cause your body to have too much of an excitatory substance called glutamate as it tries to rebalance. This can trigger alcohol withdrawal symptoms, which can be dangerous in some cases. The main downside of cold turkey is how unpleasant and risky it can be. If you drink heavily, alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be harsh, dangerous, and even fatal.
