Need support to safely taper off alcohol? You’re in the right place
If you think you might be physically dependent on alcohol, How to Safely Taper Off Alcohol is your essential guide to stopping drinking. In this short course, you’ll discover the essential information you need to make informed choices about how to stop drinking, with practical guidance on what to expect, realistic advice on making a plan to cut down gradually, and regular check-ins on your wellbeing.
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms are often unpleasant, sometimes dangerous and occasionally fatal. So stopping safely is a high priority. If you are dependent on alcohol, going cold turkey or making significant reductions can trigger the onset of withdrawal symptoms. So How to Safely Taper Off Alcohol has been designed to help you create a plan to reduce your alcohol consumption gradually while avoiding the most serious withdrawal symptoms.
This course is based on the best available evidence and practice on managing alcohol withdrawal without medication and has been developed in consultation with a clinical consultant psychologist specialising in addiction recovery. This course combines in-depth learning with regular wellbeing check-ins and is filled with all the information, tools and support you need to stop drinking safely.
Who is this course for?
Around one in four people starting Club Soda courses are at risk of experiencing some alcohol withdrawal symptoms if they stop drinking suddenly. This specialist standalone course has been created to address that risk by offering people who might be dependent on alcohol a self-guided journey towards being alcohol-free.
This course may be right for you if any of these statements apply to you:
- You drink more than half a bottle of spirits, one and a half bottles of wine or six pints of beer every day (equivalent to 150ml or 5 fl oz of pure alcohol)
- You sometimes have a drink soon after you wake up to relieve shakes or sweats
- You have had withdrawal symptoms in the past when cutting down or stopping drinking, such as sweating, shaking, feeling sick or anxious
If you think you may be dependent on alcohol and consequently need to taper off alcohol in order to stop safely, this course is for you. It might be that you are unwilling or unable to seek medical support at this time. Or you might have been advised by your doctor to cut down gradually, and you are looking for advice about how to do this.
This course will give you the advice and information you need to make informed decisions about the support you need, including deciding that you want to wean yourself off alcohol without medication.
Can you safely taper off alcohol without medical support?
Because of the risks and potential complications involved in managing alcohol withdrawal symptoms, you should not take this course if:
- You have a previous history of complicated withdrawal, for example, if you’ve previously experienced delirium tremens (DTs) or fits
- You experience confusion or hallucinations
- You are currently using benzodiazepines, such as Xanax, Librium, Valium or Klonopin
- You have epilepsy of a history of fits
- You are malnourished and at risk of Wernicke’s encephalopathy
- You have severe diarrhoea or vomiting
- You have active suicidal thoughts or are at risk of harming yourself
- You have any acute or poorly controlled physical or mental illness, such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, diabetes, or significant liver or renal impairment
- You are currently using other drugs, especially any opiates
If any of these statements apply to you, you should seek specialist support to help you stop drinking. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you need inpatient treatment, but it does mean that a healthcare professional should oversee your withdrawal from alcohol.
You might also want to consider looking for additional support if:
- Your living environment is unstable, for example, if you live with other people whose drinking is chaotic
- You have had multiple previous unsuccessful community detoxification
- Your children or other dependents would be at risk as you withdraw from alcohol at home
Finally, you should know that this course, How to Safely Taper Off Alcohol, is focused solely on the practicalities of gradually reducing your consumption until you are free from alcohol. So while this course will help you stop drinking, there may be additional work to do if you want to stay stopped. As you look to create a life beyond alcohol, you might consider our in-depth course, How to Stop Drinking.
What you’ll get in How to Safely Taper Off Alcohol
Sign up for this course today, and you’ll get:
- An onboarding process which includes a detailed assessment of your risk of experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms
- 7 lessons with in-depth material to prepare you to stop drinking safely
- Daily motivation nudges direct to your email inbox every morning for as long as you need them
- Four downloadable worksheets that you can use to reflect on your withdrawal risk, establish a baseline for your drinking habits, create a plan to safely wean yourself off alcohol and self-assess any withdrawal symptoms
- Regular self-guided check-ins on your wellbeing, with simple questions to help you notice what’s happening and decide what to do next
- A bonus video featuring Laura Willoughby (Club Soda founder) exploring your options for community treatment in the UK
- Connection with other members of the Club Soda community through our private Club Soda group on Telegram, a secure private messaging mobile app, so you can keep in touch wherever you are
- Free access to our Wednesday workshops exploring different aspects of changing your drinking, so you can ask questions and get the support you need.
The small(ish) print
Is there any reason I shouldn’t do the course?
You must not stop drinking suddenly if you think you are physically dependent on alcohol. By signing up for this course, you agree that you will not make sudden or large reductions in your drinking habits.
How to Safely Taper Off Alcohol encourages you to prioritise stability and wellbeing, taking a cautious approach that minimises withdrawal symptoms. The onboarding process for How to Safely Taper Off Alcohol includes a detailed self-assessment questionnaire that can help you understand your risk of experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms. But this course is not a substitute for personalised medical advice. If you experience severe withdrawal symptoms and you are not confident to continue, you must seek medical help.
When will my course start?
You can join How to Safely Taper Off Alcohol at any time. Once your payment has been processed, you will be automatically enrolled in the course. We’ll email you a receipt and a welcome message, so you’ll know you’re signed up. And if you’re new to Club Soda, you’ll also get an email inviting you to create a password for the website.
If you can’t log in or don’t receive any emails from us, please check your spam folder first. And if you still can’t find the email, please get in touch, and we’ll look into it.
How does the course work?
All the course materials for this course are hosted securely and privately on our website. The course is divided into seven main lessons, plus bonus material, which you can work through at your own pace. Everything you need is in the course materials.
Is there a time limit on finishing the course?
No, and you should put yourself under pressure to stop drinking quickly. Our top priority is your safety and wellbeing, so there’s no expiration date on your course. It is yours for as long as you need it.
What about emails?
You’ll receive a daily motivational nudge by email each day. You need to be subscribed to our regular email newsletter to get these emails – we use the same system to send them. You can subscribe when you buy the course or sign up for the email newsletter. We’ll send you these emails for as long as you want them, and you can update your preferences or unsubscribe at any time.
Occasionally, depending on the time of day you sign up, there can be a slight delay in starting your daily nudges. If you haven’t received a nudge within 72 hours, please contact a member of the team.
How do I join the Club Soda group on Telegram?
You’ll find the instructions to join our Telegram group once you’ve logged in and begun the course. You are welcome to be part of our group on Telegram for as long as it’s helpful to you. If you have any difficulties getting started with Telegram, do get in touch.
Who’s behind the course?
How to Safely Taper Off Alcohol has been developed by Dru Jaeger, one of the co-founders of Club Soda and the author of How to Be a Mindful Drinker, a comprehensive guide to cutting down, taking a break and quitting drinking. Dru is a writer, researcher, coach and mindfulness teacher with more than a decade of experience in healthcare policy. This course has been developed with guidance from a consultant clinical psychologist specialising in addiction recovery, and draws on the best available evidence and practice in managing alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
And finally…
While we make every effort to run our programmes as advertised, we reserve the right to change course content, dates, trainers and moderators if necessary. We also reserve the right to suspend any member who does not keep to our Club rules and terms and conditions.
