How to Quit Drinking Alcohol

If you have a drinking problem, talk to your healthcare provider about how to quit safely. While getting sober is an important first step, it is only the beginning of your recovery from alcohol addiction or heavy drinking. An inpatient rehab facility is the most structured treatment environment for those overcoming alcoholism. Generally, these rehabs are geared toward treating the most severe forms of alcoholism and require individuals to remain on-site for the duration of the program – 30, 60 or 90 days. Treatment professionals provide around-the-clock care and will prepare you for life after rehab.

Some people with alcohol addiction may suffer from post alcohol withdrawal symptoms months or even years after they stop drinking. These symptoms of withdrawal can be a trigger for relapse if they are not managed properly. Talk to your healthcare providers for support and guidance if you find yourself unable to manage these triggers.

Online Therapy

But while you can’t do the hard work of overcoming addiction for your loved one, your love and support can play a crucial part in their long-term recovery. If certain people, places, or activities trigger a craving for alcohol, try to avoid them. This may mean making major changes to your social life, such as finding new things to do with your old drinking buddies—or even giving up those friends and finding new ones. Frequent meetings with an alcohol counselor are important for individuals to communicate and receive guidance during their recovery. Counseling opens a line of communication during the good times, as well as the difficult times.

• He or she may not need
  self-help tools, but those resources might work for you.
• You might reach for alcohol when you’re really just thirsty, says Crews.
• Any alcohol addiction treatment program should be customized to your unique problems and situation.
• You might run into obstacles along the way that tempt you to drink.
• Without alcohol, they don’t feel like themselves, and they feel they need it to feel normal.

That means looking at your relationship with alcohol so you can understand why you drink, when you drink and how much you drink. If a person is ready to quit, but needs support, the process is still long and complicated. how to overcome alcoholism Help them familiarize themselves with the resources out there, and figure out how to access the ones that will work best for them. Be there as much as you can as a source of moral and emotional support.

Alternative medicine

There are also online communities, such as Daybreak, and Sober Grid. Each of these options allows you to find allies, people with common goals, and a larger, sober community. None require you to believe in a higher power, https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/alcoholic-ketoacidosis-symptoms-and-treatment/ or work within the 12 steps. The chart below gives more information about each medicine. It also tells what researchers have found about how well the medicines work to treat alcohol dependence and alcohol use disorder.

Knowing all the negative effects alcohol has on your physical and mental health can make it easier to understand why you’re better off without it. There’s no one right way to go about quitting drinking — it’s all about figuring out what works for you and your lifestyle. Here are a few things you should consider and actionable steps you can take. The above groups for family members of alcoholics, as well as traditional therapy options, may help support you.

How Personal Behavior Affects Beating Alcoholism

Becoming more aware of your alcohol triggers and reasons for drinking can help you plan ways to help manage the urge to drink. Learn more about the health effects of drinking alcohol here. Millions of readers rely on HelpGuide.org for free, evidence-based resources to understand and navigate mental health challenges. Please donate today to help us save, support, and change lives.

As it turns out, thinking of alcoholism as a medical condition opens up new solutions for managing it, or solving the problem. Becoming aware of where, when, and why you consume alcohol lets you assess your own habits. Are you relying too much on drinking to help you deal with social anxiety? Are you having two drinks with dinner when you’d prefer to have one? If you have a family history of alcoholism, or have struggled with substances in the past, this awareness can be especially important.