Quitting Alcohol When You Feel Like Giving Up: Finding Hope and Support Summit Behavioral Health
“What I did is I stopped drinking and socialised even more. I made loads of plans to see friends at brunches and going out and doing walks,” Dr Alex says, as he found it aided keeping his mind off of it and helped boost his mood. “If it’s something you can’t avoid or you don’t want to drink, I would be honest with the people that you’re socialising with, tell them you’re not drinking, let them know,” he recommends.
Have a Plan
Some people just need a short, focused counseling session. Others may want one-on-one therapy for a longer time to deal with issues like anxiety or depression. Alcohol use can have a big effect on the people close to you, so couples or family therapy can help, too. Eating well and ensuring you are staying hydrated can stop dehydration and some of the nutrient deficiencies that come from prolonged alcohol use and withdrawal.
Expert Tips For Reducing Your Alcohol Consumption
Your peers can offer understanding and advice and help keep you accountable. Alcohol use disorder is what doctors call it when you can’t control how much you drink and have trouble with your emotions when you’re not drinking. Some people may think the only way to deal with it is with willpower, as if it’s a problem they have to work through all on their own. Keep the big picture in mind through a goal such as reducing your A Guide To Sober House Rules: What You Need To Know drinking overall in a week, month, or year,” Dr Lee said. Choosing a drink with less alcohol content can help people taper.
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“I’ll go to my personal page and see all my friends with champagne and drinking, or even with a hangover. A lot of the time on Instagram and social media, you only see alcohol glorified. You never see someone with their head down the toilet or suffering in bed with a hangover,” Alisha adds. Navigate acute alcohol withdrawal with knowledge and regain control.
- It affects between three and five percent of people who are quitting drinking and can be fatal.
- “Replacing time or events spent drinking with other enjoyable activities is helpful.
- Research shows that most people believe that drinking can make them feel better.
- However, using this method can help you avoid severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms and decrease the risk of a relapse.
- In between drinks, you can have soda, water, or even a non-alcoholic beer or mocktail.
Recognizing Withdrawal and Evaluating Drinking Habits
- When I quit drinking in November, it was unceremonious, unannounced, and driven by something I really didn’t quite understand at the time.
- One way drinkers try to mitigate their fear is through some insurance or self-imposed barrier.
- If your goal is to reduce your drinking, decide which days you will drink alcohol and how many drinks you will allow yourself per day.
- Ask yourself how alcohol influences your social interactions, mental well-being, and physical health.
Keeping a drink diary is a powerful tool for anyone looking to reduce their alcohol consumption. By recording each drink consumed, individuals gain insights into their drinking habits and how these patterns align with their goals. This practice fosters self-awareness and accountability, helping to identify triggers and times when cravings are strongest. Whether you’re struggling or just want some extra guidance, consider reaching out for support from professionals who are trained in addiction treatment.
They see the pain and struggles and reality of addiction that you may feel others can’t begin to comprehend. Acknowledge what sparked your desire to drink and hone in on that trigger. Assess what needs to change to decrease the impact or frequency of that trigger. If it’s stress-related, find healthy https://thecinnamonhollow.com/a-guide-to-sober-house-rules-what-you-need-to-know/ ways to manage and cope, including going to therapy, delegating tasks and surrounding yourself with people who can support you. If it’s local haunts, take different routes to avoid those locations.
A healthy fear of the consequences is important, but using them alone to curb your alcohol consumption has another serious drawback. We tend to gauge how we should behave by our environment. By this metric, it’s easy to justify consuming alcohol to excess because so many people are doing it. The best relapse prevention is staying busy, staying away from old drinking environments, and making sober friends. If you do drink, do everything in your power to avoid a heavy binge.
The truth is no two people’s reasons to quit drinking—or their journeys to quitting—are going to be the same. Factors that influence what your experience will likely include how much you drink and your overall physical and emotional health. If you’ve become dependent on alcohol, cutting it out of your life may produce withdrawal symptoms, such as a rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, sweating and shaking. Psychological symptoms can include irritability, anxiety and restlessness.
Establishing alcohol-free days is an effective method for moderating drinking habits. By designating specific days of the week as alcohol-free, individuals can assess their reliance on alcohol and encourage healthier routines. This strategy allows people to reflect on their cravings and recognize patterns that may lead to excessive consumption.
AA and Other Peer Support Groups for Alcohol Addiction
But the idea of alcohol tapering, the gradual reduction of alcohol, might seem counterintuitive. After all, you’re trying to stop or lessen drinking, not continue. However, using this method can help you avoid severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms and decrease the risk of a relapse.
Talking with an addiction therapist or medical specialist can assist you in your goal to stop drinking. As a specific example, an analysis of the electronic medical records of over 73 million people—including 1.26 million people with alcohol use disorder (AUD)—was published in Nature (1). Stopping drinking can help improve both the length and the quality of your sleep, which is crucial to good mental and physical health.