This stage typically starts 3–5 years after you’ve stopped drinking. People often need to address past trauma or familial issues during this time. During this stage, most people focus their energy on coping with cravings and resisting the urge to drink. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), recovery is a process that involves remission from AUD and quitting heavy drinking for good. By avoiding alcohol, you’re taking a big step toward improving physical health. As you begin to notice those health benefits, you’ll likely feel more energized and inspired to keep up your progress.

Because of this, it’s important to plan around the alcohol detoxification process carefully. Although detoxing from alcohol at home can have benefits, the early stages of sobriety pose a dangerous risk for medical complications. 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. That said, If you’ve been drinking excessively, then stopping drinking cold turkey can lead to withdrawal symptoms.

Risks of Self-Detox and Quitting “Cold Turkey”

1. The symptoms of alcohol withdrawal can range from mild to serious.
2. Most people recover from alcohol withdrawal within a week, but people with severe dependency may experience withdrawal for multiple weeks.
3. If you’ve been unable to quit on your own, you should consider attending an alcohol rehab center.
4. Some people prefer to perform self-detox in the comfort and privacy of their own homes.

Recovery from alcohol addiction generally follows the stages of abstinence, withdrawal, repair, and growth. Within just a month of not drinking, your body can begin to reap the benefits. Your liver can start to heal, your risks of heart disease and cancer go down, and you may begin to sleep better. Exploring, in writing, what you find difficult and when you most want to drink can help you notice patterns that offer more insight into your alcohol use.

The time it takes to taper will how to stop drinking out of boredom depend on how long you’ve been drinking, how much you’ve been drinking and a variety of personal factors. If you’re addicted to alcohol, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to recover without some form of addiction treatment. You may be able to detox at home and recover from alcoholism with the help of support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous. However, medically supervised detox and professional rehab are more likely to help you maintain long-term sobriety. Lack of control over alcohol intake is a common symptom of alcoholism. Addiction, tolerance and physical dependence encourage people to drink more alcohol over time, not less.

More on Substance Abuse and Addiction

Pull the letter out and read it to yourself when you feel tempted. It’s even helpful to read it out loud, as this has been shown to help you retain the information more effectively. Overall, the process can take weeks, and you might still feel withdrawal symptoms for months.

However, if you have a mild alcohol use disorder, it may be possible to detox safely at home. Be sure to receive a medical diagnosis if you would like to detox from alcohol at home. No health professional will be present if and when people experience severe withdrawal symptoms, such as seizures or death. While it’s the right decision, it may put them at risk of experiencing withdrawal. For their safety, stopping alcohol use should be handled under medical supervision.

How to Manage Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms at Home

Dopamine also assists with the body’s sense of attention, motor coordination, cognition and mood. As the body begins to build a higher tolerance for alcohol, the brain becomes more dependent on the substance for feel-good neurotransmitters. When chronic heavy drinking is suddenly stopped, dopamine production alcohol storage ideas also halts, causing physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms. Just because you’re detoxing at home doesn’t mean you should do it alone.

How To Deal With Alcohol Withdrawal

Some people may feel so “broken” does water flush alcohol out of urine that they almost feel they can no longer experience joy and confidence, or have healthy relationships again. The mental challenge of this stage is not to let anything make you feel defeated. So far, there’s no consensus on the medical definition of recovery in alcohol treatment literature. At the end of the day, one 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.

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. 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.

It’s best to avoid these people during and following withdrawal. Early symptoms of alcohol withdrawal usually start about six hours after the last drink. Early symptoms include headache, sweating, tremors, vomiting and difficulty concentrating. 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.