In this article, we will discuss the best ways to stop drinking. First, you need to understand that quitting drinking is not an easy task but isn’t impossible at all. The process takes lots of determination and hard work and it will quite painful too at some point of time. The good news for you is that medical technology, effective psychological counseling, and integrated communities have made quitting drinking lot easier than ever. There are numerous reasons why you should stop drinking alcohol. Some people want to quit drinking to prevent alcohol-related medical condition such as liver disease. Others need to stop drinking so for religious reasons, or simply as a nice move towards a healthier lifestyle. Whatever the reason would be to quit drinking is always beneficial for you and your health.
Best Way to Stop Drinking:
1.) Talk to Your Doctor
The sudden withdrawal of alcohol can be potentially being deadly. When you start experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms like panic attacks, the shakes, severe anxiety, rapid heartbeat then you should seek immediate medical assistance. The condition can be potentially deteriorated to delirium tremens, which is deadly if overlooked. You have to understand that you can quit drinking alone. There are many medical experts that will help you make the burden easier. Many physicians treating withdrawal from alcohol prescribe benzodiazepines to aid with symptoms. The Benzodiazepines include alprazolam (Xanax), diazepam (Valium), clonazepam (Klonopin), and lorazepam (Ativan), are psychoactive drugs used to relax the anxiety and quell panic. They are also relatively safe and are rarely fatal when you overdose.
2.) Try to Avoid the Place Where People Usually Drinks
You must have some buddies that also drink but in order to stop drinking you need to leave some of your old buddies and watering holes behind. It is quite important to maintain distance with people who drink or with whom you used to drink and the place where you people used to drink. The problem is that if you roam around such people and place then it would be difficult for you control the temptation. The other problem is that they will force you to drink with them and the chances are you could not say no to them. Instead, you make a friend who only drink occasionally.
Avoid visiting the place where you will likely to drink like the beach. Just convince yourself to not to visit such places this year and you will be fine. As we have already said quitting drinking is very tough so you have to deal with the hard situation. Do not go to your friend home where you usually used to drink a lot. You need to shield yourself from anything that makes you drink for at least one complete year. This is the time to protect your sobriety and you have to understand that everyone else right now is not important.
3.) Gradually Reduce Your Drink Quantity
Any great structure does not build in a day or you can’t get success immediately. Every accomplishment needs step by step movement. That also hold good for quitting drinking. Not drinking for a day or week does not mean you have successfully quit the drinking. However, drinking is a kind of habit which will go gradually over time. If you have decided not to drink at all at sudden then it will not work. Try to reduce the amount of alcohol you consume day by day. Going from a heavy drinker to cold turkey at sudden is a recipe for withdrawal symptoms like a physical and emotional disaster.
You just need to reduce your drink quantity by one, it’s a success. However, this small step is your first step to curb your drinking amount. By limiting your drink by one is no great success but you need to reduce the amount every week. This will help you avoid withdrawal symptoms naturally and you won’t feel the burden stop drinking. Try to cut down the total number of drinks by one every week to quit drinking easily.
4.) Have Food or Water Before You Drink
Eating and drinking water before drinking will naturally reduce your interest for drinking. Your stomach will not have much space for a drink and thus you will automatically avoid drinking. Although if you even want to drink then also you can’t be able to drink too much. Eating a meal will help you drink to your safe limits by inhibiting the desire of drink. Now, the benefit of drinking water before drinking is that it will help you feel better by eliminating harmful toxins from the body. Drinking lots of water will keep you hydrated and make you feel fresh and better. Men and women both are advised to drink at least eight glasses of water a day. Women can drink six glasses of water which is totally fine.
5.) Don’t Try to Explain Quitting to People
There is no problem in telling other people that you are on the road to quite drinking. But the fact is most people do not drink like alcoholics do. So, they never understand the fact that we have a problem with alcohol. Of course, there are also some people who have the problem too. The fact is people can’t understand your hard work and the problem the would only say “You don’t have a problem!” If you are at a party and people say when you do quit drinking, then just say that I will only have diet coke as I’m trying to watch my weight but do not explain that you are quitting drinking. The thing is they will automatically figure out if you hang out with them quite often.
6.) Don’t Give Up on Yourself
It is no surprise that you will definitely find people that will try to demotivate you. There are several people who give excuses like, “I’ve tried so many times, and I just can’t do it.” Or “I’ve been drinking for so long and it probably won’t make any difference,”. These little statements are enough to hinder your progress so do not bother them. Some people also feel hopelessly defeated if they are diagnosed with something highly progressive like cirrhosis of the liver. Stopping drinking can extend your life no matter what’s going on. If you are wondering how much time it will take then it is entirely up to you.
You need to consider only positive expect not the negative one to stop drinking naturally. Try to get motivation from the people who successfully quit drinking. However, maintain a good distance from the people who have negative thoughts about quitting drinking. Don’t think it is too late as there is no age limit to try to quit drinking. Your willingness to quit drinking not only makes you victorious but also lights a hope to other people.
7.) Don’t Let Guilt Consume You
Some people feel a sense of guilt and foolishness over not quitting drinking sooner. They need to realize that you can’t correct the past but your future in your hands so don’t pass blame on anyone. While drinking alcohol people think that it is more important than anything else in their life but they are wrong as nothing is more important than you. Death does not benefit anyone but you can do various good things to other people when you are alive. Hence, you must throw the repressive rule of alcohol and start once again from the beginning.
8.) Remember the Reasons Why You Quit
Everyone stop drinking for some good reasons so you need to cherish your reasons. There are many things we do without any reason that also include drinking. However, there is an important reason behind, and that is our life which is continuously at the stake because of the bad habit. If you carefully think then you will find that there is no reason why you get habitual of drinking. When you will consider quitting drinking then you have several reasons. Here is the possible reason you should quit drinking:
- “I don’t want to miss work because I have a hateful hangover again.”
- “I don’t want to be ugly to my spouse because I have had one too many again.”
- “I don’t want to embarrass my child in front of friends again.”
- “I don’t want to get a DUI (again).”
- “I don’t want to hide bottles all over my house again.”
- “I don’t want to drunk dial my friends and relatives and act like a fool again.”
- “I don’t want to lose this marriage the way as I lost my first marriage to the ruins of alcohol again.”
