Join a supportive discussion about the challenges you may encounter in the earlier days, including physical, emotional, and social changes. Alcohol also inhibits the glutamate receptor--which is the cause of staggering, slurring, and general interference with muscular coordination. Glutamate receptor rebound also appears to contribute to the withdrawal symptoms described above. As such, there is only limited guidance available about the best ways to taper. Stopping alcohol use can be difficult, but there are steps that you can take to make it safe and effective. Chris Elkins worked as a journalist for three years and was published by multiple newspapers and online publications.

Take our short alcohol quiz to learn where you fall on the drinking spectrum and if you might benefit from quitting or cutting back on alcohol. Learn more about alcohol withdrawal here and, once again, speak to a doctor first. Excessive drinking has numerous impacts on your body and mind, ranging from mild to severe. Learn which signs to look out for, and how to care for your well-being. Dependence is often accompanied by tolerance, which is when it takes more and more alcohol for you to achieve the same effects that you experienced when you first started.

Symptoms Of Alcohol Withdrawal

This is especially true of heavy drinkers who are surrounded by the triggers that encourage drinking and lack the support needed to encourage change. Tapering off is a standard medical practice for many other drugs. For example, healthcare providers usually don't take patients off antidepressants suddenly; rather, they gradually reduce the dosages. Verywell Mind's content is for informational and educational purposes only.

The rationale is simply that you're less likely to drink much of a beverage you don't like. Limit yourself to one drink per hour, for example, or substitute a glass of water, juice, or Gatorade between each alcoholic drink.

Does an instance of alcohol withdrawal mean that I can never safely drink again?

It’s also important to note that there are several ways to taper off alcohol successfully. The main methods include reducing the amount of drinks you consume every day, reducing the number of days that you drink, or even swapping your usual drink for one you don’t like. how to taper off alcohol If you want to cut back your alcohol consumption or stop drinking alcohol altogether, tapering may help. Tapering is the process of gradually weaning off alcohol rather than quitting cold turkey. The process of tapering yourself off alcohol begins with planning.