Last activity on February 7, 2026
In this section, we will review six methods for home detox that I wish I’d known about so that I could have quit drinking a lot sooner – before I ended up incurring thousands of dollars for inpatient detox.
Pro Tip: Feel free to start these strategies at the same time that you begin all of the supplements in the Nutrient Repair section of this course. Starting those supplements early, even if you’re still drinking, can help you to build the biochemical resilience you’ll need to get off of alcohol!
If you detox under medical supervision, you will likely not be allowed to use supplements. Simply begin your supplement regimen as soon as you get home.
If you’re in the kind of shape I was in when I quit drinking, you need to be medically monitored while you detox. A hospital stay is necessary if you’re suffering from hallucinations, having seizures, or otherwise losing your mind, as I was when I finally quit drinking.
If you go that route, I can tell you what will probably happen. Doctors will check your vitals, ask you some questions, and inject you with a benzodiazepine. Nurses will watch you for a few days and you’ll be given oral benzodiazepines 1-3 times per day. You will feel much better after a few days, and be discharged.
However, your alcohol cravings will likely be very intense after you detox. You will be in severe need of nutrient repair and a fundamental shift in your lifestyle and mindset.
Even if you end up in a rehab center for an extended period of time, these places have relapse rates of 80-90% on average. Once you get home, you won’t want to miss out on the strategies that this course will arm you with!
If you assess that you can quit drinking safely at home, this section will be of immense help to you.
We will overview five home detox plans, and you can pick one depending on your particular needs and preferences:
The first four detox plans above are “tapers” because they involve using another compound that can help you get off of alcohol, and then tapering off of that compound. Kava does not need to be tapered because it is not physically addictive. The all-natural detox plan can be used on its own for mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms, or in conjunction with any of the other plans.
If you are a heavy drinker with no withdrawal symptoms, yet you struggle with pestering alcohol cravings, this last detox plan can help you refocus away from alcohol. You can also immediately begin the program of nutrient repair that we will discuss in the next section.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. These plans are for informational use only. Always check with your doctor before quitting drinking or trying new supplements, medications, exercise or alcohol recovery programs.
This method is not often recommended because it does require willpower. However, countless people throughout history have succeeded in using this plan. Drugs are a recent phenomenon – alcohol addiction is not!
For anyone who experiences withdrawal symptoms upon quitting drinking, an alcohol taper is far superior to quitting cold turkey.
Quitting alcohol suddenly can result in withdrawal symptoms that are extremely uncomfortable or even dangerous. The severity of alcohol withdrawal depends on two factors:
There is no valor in “toughing out” alcohol withdrawal symptoms. No one will “learn their lesson” by suffering unnecessarily. Alcohol addiction simply doesn’t work like that.
Repeated experiences of alcohol withdrawal create brain trauma that is similar to post-traumatic stress disorder. They increase the likelihood that anxiety and depression will persist farther into the future. In turn, protracted anxiety and depression increase the likelihood of future relapses.
If you are a daily drinker and you decide to taper down on alcohol at home, a good rule of thumb is to decrease your number of drinks by two per day. (A drink is one beer, one shot, or one glass of wine.) So, for someone who drinks 15 beers per day, the taper might look like this:
No matter what your favorite drink is, beer is the best option for tapering because it is digested more slowly, and so the effects of the alcohol last a bit longer.
A taper is harder to achieve with hard liquor, because less is required to get drunk and it only takes an extra swig to seriously mess up your taper. Wine is also tough because alcoholics are not likely to open a bottle without finishing it.
The taper schedule above is an example that might need to be altered depending on any withdrawal symptoms that pop up. If your pulse reaches 100 beats per minute or higher, slow down on the taper.
You can also speed up the taper if you are not experiencing any withdrawal symptoms. Some people have been able to taper off of alcohol within 3 days, by halving the amount they drink each day.
It’s important to write down your alcohol taper if you decide to use this method! Doing so will create accountability so that you don’t slip.
Before I quit drinking for good, I utilized a similar tapering schedule as the one above. I did this many times throughout the course of several years.
My problem was not that tapering with alcohol didn’t work, but that I didn’t have sufficient resolve to stay away from alcohol after I finished it. (More on this very common problem later on.)
Many people are unable to taper off of alcohol, for various reasons.
Above all, tapering successfully off of alcohol requires a willingness to be slightly bored, anxious, or depressed for the sake of the end goal. Slight versions of all these mental states are temporary though, and better than intense cold turkey withdrawal!
The circumstances of your life – especially if you have a lot of responsibility – may make you feel like you don’t have the luxury of indulging in these negative emotions.
I have been in this predicament, as I actually failed more alcohol tapers than I succeeded in finishing.
Fortunately, there are other substances that you can switch to temporarily and then taper off of. These other methods can grant you considerable relief from alcohol withdrawal.
Some of them, like kratom and kava, are much less dangerous than alcohol, and you can even use them as a last resort to deal with your worst post-acute withdrawal symptoms instead of turning back to alcohol.
Which taper plan you utilize will depend on your own experience, and is entirely up to you. Make sure to consult with a doctor before quitting drinking or beginning any taper plan.
This method will require you to get a prescription of benzodiazepines from your doctor.
Benzodiazepines are commonly used for alcohol withdrawal symptoms in hospitals, detox centers, and for patients who can be expected to safely detox at home.
Basically, alcohol withdrawal patients are switched from alcohol to these powerful drugs, and then weaned off of them over the course of several days or up to a week.
Benzodiazepines powerfully stimulate GABA receptors and thereby reduce anxiety, prevent convulsions, and help with sleep. Because they vary in terms of strength and their length of effects, doctors choose between them depending on the patient’s symptoms. These drugs are usually prescribed only for a short duration to prevent tolerance, which builds quickly.
Despite the risk of addiction, some former alcoholics are able to use benzodiazepines for situational anxiety or occasional insomnia.
Be sure to discuss dosage and timing of benzodiazepines with your doctor. Do not take benzodiazepines or any other prescription drugs except under a doctor’s supervision.
Note: As of January 2020, the FDA has declared phenibut to be a “research chemical” rather than a dietary supplement.
My Preferred Phenibut Source: Absorb Health Phenibut. 1/8 of a teaspoon is slightly over 200 mg.
I did not use phenibut for alcohol withdrawal. I use it situationally and in small doses, most often to prevent discomfort on long turbulent flights.
Phenibut is most often used to induce relaxation and boost cognitive function.
Using phenibut for alcohol withdrawal symptoms can provide temporary peace of mind and help prevent a short-term relapse.
Phenibut is very similar in structure to GABA. Pure GABA supplements are less effective than phenibut because they are are not well absorbed across the blood-brain barrier. This is why I do not generally recommend GABA supplements; I have found them to produce no effects at all.
As with benzodiazepines, the main risk with using phenibut for alcohol withdrawal is that tolerance and dependence can develop with daily use of moderate to large doses. Unlike benzodiazepines, phenibut does not require a prescription from a doctor (this could change).
Phenibut creates a sense of calm by activating mainly GABA-B receptors. Benzodiazepines activate mainly GABA-A receptors. Alcohol activates both of these receptors.
This is significant because in very severe cases of alcohol withdrawal, benzodiazepines are more appropriate than phenibut because the GABA-A receptors need to be taken care of.
However, a growing number of people have experienced great relief from using phenibut after quitting alcohol.
Note: Phenibut and alcohol should never be combined. The mixture can be dangerously sedating and lead to blackouts. The same is true with regard to combining benzodiazepines and alcohol.
The trick with phenibut is to ONLY USE AS MUCH AS YOU NEED and then taper your way down to zero as soon as possible.
Back when my drinking habit was equivalent to a bottle of wine per night, a phenibut taper might have helped me feel more comfortable if I’d decided to quit drinking.
At this point in time, my alcohol withdrawal symptoms consisted of intense boredom, inability to focus, and mild depression.
If I had known then what I know now, here is how I would have proceeded with a phenibut taper:
Note: Phenibut dependence can occur in 10 days at a sustained dose of 1-3 grams per day. The half life of phenibut is about 5 hours, but because it is processed slowly by the kidneys, its effects can linger for up to 12 hours. There are horror stories on the Internet about people who have used large doses for months at at a time. Do not do this!
In my opinion, even 1 gram is a pretty large dose of phenibut.
I use phenibut situationally, once every few months. I only use about 100 mg and it makes things like airplane turbulence and drunk people at events much less annoying.
The most I’ve ever used in one day was 1 gram, and this amount made me feel a bit too relaxed. I have not desired to feel that way again because I’m a get-up-and-go kind of guy. Moreover, I try to respect my brain, and throwing unnecessary amounts of relaxants at it for no reason is stupid.
If you respect its potential for abuse, phenibut can be a very effective compound for a home detox from alcohol. I have talked to people who are convinced that it saved them from alcohol addiction.
My Preferred Kratom Source*: PurKratom Green Maeng Da powder (try their variety pack to sample different strains). 1 teaspoon is 2.3 grams.
*Note: Feel free to use this course’s special coupon to get 25% off any order at PurKratom: RECOVERY
If you suffer from mild to moderate alcohol withdrawal symptoms, you can switch to kratom for 1-3 weeks and then gradually taper down your dose to zero.
Kratom is a member of the coffee family, most often found in Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Kratom leaves have long been chewed or made into tea by people in these countries, who discovered that they could relieve pain and increase their energy levels without side effects.
Millions of Americans have already used kratom to get off opiates and other drugs. There have never been any deaths solely attributable to kratom. However, there have been deaths due to disreputable companies lacing kratom with powerful drugs like fentanyl (100 times stronger than morphine).
Around 5 million Americans have used kratom to quit opiates, alcohol, and other addictions. Many also successfully use this plant as a natural remedy for chronic pain, depression, and PTSD.
The DEA and FDA are under a lot of pressure from pharmaceutical companies to ban kratom, which is cutting into drug industry profits. As of now, kratom is still legal, but this could change overnight.
The natural compounds in kratom bind partially to some of the opioid receptors in your brain. When it does this, it provides mental stimulation and/or pain relief, depending on how much you consume.
Switching to kratom from alcohol may help stimulate opioid receptors that scream for endorphins (the brain’s natural opiates) that are released by consuming alcohol.
Importantly, kratom does not activate GABA receptors. It can provide major relief from moderate alcohol withdrawal, but not severe alcohol withdrawal, which requires GABA agonists to prevent seizures, hallucinations, and other serious symptoms.
Kratom can be addictive with long-term use, but it has a self-limiting factor: upping the dosage doesn’t simply make you feel better. There is a natural plateau for the effects of kratom, and people who intentionally ingest large amounts of it usually end up with a stomachache or a headache.
Note: Kratom amplifies the effects of alcohol in the system, and so consuming both kratom and alcohol can lead to greater intoxication and/or nausea.
Also, everyone is different biochemically, and some people cannot consume kratom because it makes them nauseous, anxious, or stimulated.
Take care with the particular dosage of kratom if you have always had an underlying anxiety problem, since some level of stimulation is usually an initial result of consuming kratom.
In my experiments with kratom, I’ve found that this period of stimulation always gives way to a deep feeling of relaxation and motivation. But everyone is different.
Many people who have used kratom to get off opiates or alcohol report that:
When using kratom for the first time, it’s important to use the smallest effective dose possible. For first time users, this amount is generally 2-3 grams. However, some people require between 5-10 grams to feel any effects.
One teaspoon of kratom is 2.3 grams, and one tablespoon is 6.2 grams.
After experimenting with various methods of ingesting kratom, here is the one I’ve had the most success with:
The French Press method is the one I mention in my very popular article on using kratom for alcohol withdrawal. I do not consume kratom often, but since I wrote that article, I have realized that I do not mind ingesting some plant matter.
Kratom tastes kind of like matcha (whole leaf green tea), just a little more bitter.
There are many different strains of kratom. You will want to find one or two that produce the effects you desire – which in this case, will include relaxation and an end to your alcohol cravings.
Depending on how long you use kratom for, you may want to rotate strains. Using the same strain for many weeks in a row can result in desensitization to that particular strain.
You can either:
Any kratom taper will have to be adjusted to account for individual variations. However, yours might look something like this:
There is no perfect or established way to conduct a kratom taper. I’ve worked with many clients who have pursued this method, and the steps above have worked very well for them.
Actually, one of my allies in addiction recovery is a guy named Matt Finch who has helped thousands of former opiate addicts use kratom to taper off of prescription opiates. He calls it the “transition and taper” method, and the only difference in our case is that we’re transitioning from alcohol rather than opiates.
Matt splits this method into three phases (this is from his eBook on the subject):
The key idea is that if you find kratom to be helpful for reducing withdrawal symptoms, then try to gradually switch to kratom from alcohol and then taper off of kratom.
Note: The FDA recently put out a warning against consuming kratom, attributing 36 deaths to this plant. In my opinion, this is misleading, because many of these deaths can be attributed to prescription drugs and alcohol, which were also found in these people’s systems. By contrast, prescription opiates killed over 20,000 Americans last year and alcohol killed 90,000.
Nonetheless, if the DEA bans kratom, then all of the guidance in this section will no longer apply. I am not recommending that anyone break the law!
There are states and countries in which kratom is already illegal, so make sure you check its legal status in your place of residence.
My Preferred Kava Source*: DrinkRoot Kava (available on Amazon). 1/2 teaspoon is a good dose.
Kava is a ground root from the West Pacific that is especially useful as a natural remedy for anxiety and insomnia. Unlike phenibut (and to some degree kratom), it is not physically addictive.
Since kava dependence is basically nonexistent, I use the word “method” rather than “taper.” Many people have used kava for long periods of time with no adverse effects. However, I recommend using kava for only as long as you need it in order to reduce your symptoms (typically 1-2 weeks).
The roots of the kava plant contain natural compounds called kavalactones that stimulate GABA receptors and have been clinically shown to help with anxiety. (source)
Pacific Islanders have long enjoyed the relaxing properties of kava root powder, which offers the following effects:
There are three primary ways in which kava exerts its mild psychoactive effects:
Activation of GABA receptors leads to a sense of relaxation; this is the most pronounced effect of kava. The other two effects are more subtle. The dopamine boost is mild but results in improved sociability, and the CB1 stimulation is barely noticeable in my experience.
Interestingly, kavalactones mainly affect GABA-A receptors, which are also stimulated by alcohol and benzodiazepines. Kava stimulates GABA receptors much more gently than either alcohol or benzodiazepines. Therefore, it is not considered dangerous to combine kava with alcohol.
As with kratom, you can either taper off of alcohol and then use kava to mitigate any remaining withdrawal symptoms, or you can reduce your alcohol intake to a low level and introduce kava in an effort to get off of alcohol completely.
If you want to use the kava method for quitting alcohol, here is what you might do:
Note: There is a persistent myth that kava is inherently toxic to the liver. In fact, kava is not toxic as long as it meets two conditions:
However, kava is processed by the liver and while it is not “toxic,” it can put additional stress on an unhealthy liver. This is true of some other herbs such as valerian root.
Kava is therefore not recommended for people with serious liver problems such as hepatitis or cirrhosis.
I will outline here my all-natural detox plan using only vitamin, mineral, and herbal supplements as well as holistic strategies for restoring your brain and bodily health as quickly as possible.
Some people are not comfortable using phenibut, kratom, or kava, and I totally understand this.
If you are going to use one of the methods above, you can combine it with this plan to make your experience as close to smooth sailing as possible.
Regardless of your detox method, I strongly recommend incorporating aspects of this plan. Light exercise, meditation, and epsom salt baths will help you feel MUCH better as you detox from alcohol at home.
The first part of the plan involves a ritual that you can follow every day at any time, whenever your withdrawal symptoms seem to hit the hardest:
Why did I choose these ingredients? Beyond my extensive experience with all of them – I still use this method to this day to deal with stressful periods – there is a lot of research supporting them:
Make sure you drink lots of water when you follow this regimen.
Taking these supplements once per day will help with insomnia, anxiety, depression and will also start you on the path to nutrient repair. You can find epsom salt at any grocery store. I use a 4 pound bag every time I take an epsom bath to relax.
The second part of this home detox plan involves introducing 30 minutes of exercise to your routine every day.
It does not need to be intense, but you should break a sweat and release some natural endorphins. Exercise releases potent compounds that physically rewire your brain away from addiction.
The third part of this plan involves introducing 30 minutes of total brain relaxation every day.
You can call this meditation if you’d like, or as I like to say, a “time out.” I’ve had great results with transcendental meditation, in which I repeat a mantra over and over again. If this does not appeal to you, then you can use progressive relaxation – focusing on relaxing every body part, from your toes to the top of your head, one at a time.
Here is the best 30 minute YouTube video I have found for positivity and relaxation:
Find a safe place and dim the lights, maybe turn on a himalayan salt lamp if you have one, and let the dial on your brain activity turn down to zero. Sleep is not the goal, but if you fall asleep, that’s okay. Set an alarm if you have to.
The last part of this plan involves cutting your alcohol intake to zero, if you have not done so already.
You can use any of the methods described above to help you achieve total alcohol cessation. If you’re lucky, you might find that the supplementation, exercise, and brain relaxation are all you need to quit drinking alcohol!
If you cannot bring your intake to zero, do not despair. Many of my clients have found that kratom, phenibut, or benzodiazepines were necessary for them to get off of alcohol completely.
Once you get off of alcohol, you will still have some big changes to make in order to transcend those dismal relapse statistics. Frame these changes in your mind right now as opportunities rather than burdens.
We’re all lucky to be alive, regardless of our circumstances at the moment.
Make sure to give yourself credit for what you’ve been able to accomplish so far! You might find, as I did, that the path away from alcohol is really a path toward authentic self-discovery.
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