Addiction Alcohol Use Withdrawal and Relapse Pros and Cons of Tapering Down Alcohol Intake By Buddy T Buddy T Facebook Twitter Buddy T is an anonymous writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Learn about our editorial process Updated on December 09, 2020 Medically reviewed Verywell Mind articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and mental healthcare professionals. Medical Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by John C. Umhau, MD, MPH, CPE Medically reviewed by John C. Umhau, MD, MPH, CPE John C. Umhau, MD, MPH, CPE is board-certified in addiction medicine and preventative medicine. He is the medical director at Alcohol Recovery Medicine. For over 20 years Dr. Umhau was a senior clinical investigator at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Learn about our Medical Review Board Print Verywell / JR Bee Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Tapering vs. Cold Turkey Strategies Challenges If you or a loved one are struggling with substance use or addiction, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area. For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database. If you want to quit drinking, you might want to try to taper off first, instead of stopping suddenly, to try to reduce the severity of possible alcohol withdrawal symptoms. If you are a daily drinker, a long-time heavy drinker, or a frequent binge drinker, if you suddenly stop drinking altogether, chances are you are going to experience some form of withdrawal symptoms and if you try to quit "on your own" without any kind of medical assistance, those symptoms could become very severe. Unfortunately, there is little if any research that shows that tapering off actually reduces the effects of alcohol withdrawal. That could be because withdrawal symptoms vary widely from one person to the next, and there is no way to compare results between daily, heavy, or binge drinkers. Rationale for Tapering Down Instead of Cold Turkey We do know that tapering off is a standard medical practice for other drugs. Patients taking antidepressants, for example, are usually not taken off their medication abruptly but have their dosages gradually reduced. We also know that products used to help people quit smoking, such as nicotine patches or gum, are designed to gradually wean smokers off nicotine by slowly reducing the amount of nicotine they consume. Common sense tells us that quitting cold turkey from a 12-beer-a-day habit is going to be more stressful than tapering down slowly. That doesn't mean to suggest that home detox is either an effective or reasonably appropriate. Generally speaking, alcohol home detox is neither the most effective nor the safest method of quitting alcohol. However, it is inexpensive and may be suitable for someone whose job, relationships, and well-being are not in jeopardy. Strategies for Tapering Alcohol Consumption The simplest way to taper off your alcohol consumption is to gradually reduce the number of drinks that you usually drink over a period of time. For example, if you usually drink five glasses of wine every day, try cutting back to four glasses for several days and then try to reduce it to three. Some people taper off by spacing out the length of time between each drink. They may limit themselves to only one drink per hour, for example. Or, they may substitute a glass of water, juice, or Gatorade between each alcoholic drink. Some cut back by mixing weaker drinks with less alcohol. Others try to taper off by changing from the alcoholic beverage that they prefer to one that they do not like. For example, they may try to switch from a beverage that they like (like wine) to one they don't (like beer). That rationale is that they are less likely to drink as much of the beverage they do not like. If you plan to taper your drinking in order to stop, make sure that you limit your intake consistently, avoid fluctuations, and adhere to a weekly reduction schedule with a set date to stop. Tapering is not an open-ended process. Challenges of Cutting Down on Alcohol Intake For some drinkers, cutting down on the amount of alcohol they drink simply does not work. They may cut back for a short period of time, but they soon find themselves back to drinking at their usual level. This is especially true of heavy drinkers who are surrounded by the triggers that encourage drinking and lack the support needed to encourage change. Those who find that they cannot taper off the number of drinks for any significant length of time probably have developed a severe alcohol use disorder or have become what is commonly known as an alcoholic. For others, simply cutting back the number of drinks can bring on alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Moreover, substituting one kind of beverage for another does not help you taper off alcohol if you consume the same number of standard drinks as you usually have. For example, one 12-ounce can of beer contains the same amount of alcohol as a 5-ounce glass of wine or a mixed drink containing 1.5 ounces of alcohol. With these things in mind, you need to weigh the pros and cons of tapering your alcohol use—ideally with someone you trust—to make a fully informed decision. A Word From Verywell If you find that you are one of those drinkers who cannot taper their alcohol consumption consistently or if you find that you begin to experience withdrawal symptoms by merely cutting back, don't give up. 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. Whatever you do, it is better to act than not act. Even if you fail, there are still plenty of treatment options you can turn to. Don't give up. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Learn the best ways to manage stress and negativity in your life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 2 Sources Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Wilson E, Lader M. A review of the management of antidepressant discontinuation symptoms. Ther Adv Psychopharmacol. 2015;5(6):357-68. doi:10.1177/2045125315612334 Ferner RE, Chambers J. Alcohol intake: measure for measure. BMJ. 2001;323(7327):1439-40. doi:10.1136/bmj.323.7327.1439 Additional Reading National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2010) Rethinking Drinking: Alcohol and Your Health. Bethesda, Maryland: National Institutes of Health. NIH Publication No. 15-3770. 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