When you’re craving alcohol, there’s a tendency to remember the positive effects of drinking and forget the negatives. Remind yourself of the adverse long-term effects of heavy drinking and how it won’t really make you feel better, even in the short term. The symptoms listed above may be a sign of a severe form of alcohol withdrawal called delirium tremens, or DTs. This rare, emergency condition causes dangerous changes in the way your brain regulates your circulation and breathing, so it’s important to get to the hospital right away. Distance yourself from people who don’t support your efforts to stop drinking or respect the limits you’ve set.
Drink water.
It might even be for a challenge, to https://ecosoberhouse.com/ buddy someone else who is giving up alcohol, or to raise money for charity. Alcohol dependence and addiction are serious medical conditions. Minor symptoms of alcohol withdrawal can be overcome with rest and at-home remedies, and it is possible for some people to taper off alcohol without supervision. However, individuals who suffer from alcohol addiction require professional rehab.
- According to a recent National Institutes of Health (NIH) survey, two-thirds of U.S. adults report drinking alcohol in the past year, and 52% say they’ve consumed alcohol in the past month.
- We do not offer individual medical advice, diagnosis or treatment plans.
- The level of care you need often depends on the severity of your condition.
Useful stop drinking articles & news
If you’re having trouble doing the same things you used to do, try new hobbies to fill your time. Join a gym, learn a new skill, or find sober social groups you can enjoy. Crystal Raypole has previously worked as a writer and editor for GoodTherapy. Her fields of interest include Asian languages and literature, Japanese translation, cooking, natural sciences, sex positivity, and mental health.
Health Benefits of Cinnamon, According To Experts
You might even find that once you tell a friend that you’re going to stick to mocktails or limit yourself to two drinks tonight, they decide to join you. It’s not just how often you drink, it’s how much alcohol you’re consuming in a sitting. It’s important to know how much alcohol is in your drink and slow down the amount you’re drinking. Like any habit you want to change, the first step to drinking less alcohol Substance abuse is to figure out what is motivating you to cut back. Josh Lee is a clinician and researcher with a focus on medication-assisted treatment of alcohol and opioid use disorders.
Handling setbacks in your recovery
But, it might also come with seemingly some How to Stop Drinking discomfort or disappointment from friends. Those moments can be thought of as a “them thing, and less of a you thing,” says Shani Gardner, LCSW, a therapist at Soulful Grace Therapy. Switching up your behavior might make people question their own and result in them projecting onto you. Approach that with kindness and compassion—but don’t take it personally, she says.
Maybe you’ve never been interested in logging your innermost thoughts, but journaling can be a great tool to track your feelings as you work on quitting alcohol. Research shows that most people believe that drinking can make them feel better. However, when alcohol makes up part of your typical routine, drinking can become something of an automatic response, especially when you feel stressed or overwhelmed. It’s possible to develop a better relationship with alcohol and make more mindful, informed choices about drinking without total sobriety.
How to Quit Drinking (or at Least Cut Back)
- An important first step is to learn more about alcohol use disorder and your treatment options.
- AA and other support groups can be helpful in quitting drinking, but you can find assistance in other ways.
- Many people in recovery discovered that mental health disorders, such as PTSD, anxiety, depression, ADHD, etc., and trauma helped to fuel their unhealthy relationship with alcohol.
- For 3 to 4 weeks, write down every time you have a drink and how much you drink.
Remove all alcohol from your home or ask a friend or family member to do it for you. This includes beer, wine, and liquor, as well as products that contain alcohol such as rubbing alcohol and vanilla extract. Keep a list of emergency phone numbers on hand that includes contact info for your doctor, the police, a nearby hospital, and someone you trust. And consider joining a support group such as Alcoholics Anonymous. Try bottled beer instead of pints, or a small glass of wine instead of a large one.
Addiction Treatment Programs
Detox can be done on an outpatient basis or in a hospital or alcohol treatment facility, where you may be prescribed medication to prevent medical complications and relieve withdrawal symptoms. Talk to your doctor or an addiction specialist to learn more. Since alcohol is relatively easy to get, legal to consume for those 21 and older, and is somewhat socially acceptable, it is one of the most widely-used intoxicating substances.