Research shows that most people that have an alcohol problem started as casual drinkers and later graduated to become binge drinkers. In fact, the majority of addicts want to quit from the vice but they just don’t know where to start. Now that we are in the midst of a global pandemic, alcoholics are really having a hard time specifically because the bars have been closed indefinitely. On the other hand, the desire to quit from this vice is usually driven by knowing the risks that are associated with it. For a start, those who indulge in alcohol put themselves at high risk of contracting certain diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes. Besides that, alcohol tends to damage the liver with time. The problem is that most people end up relapsing after they have tried quitting for just a few days. Continue reading below to discover tips on how to stop drinking alcohol once and for all.
Start your Journey Gradually
Quitting alcohol is a long journey that starts with a single step. On the other hand, you can’t wake up one day and quit abruptly an expect to have an easy time. If you rush things, the withdrawal symptoms will actually overwhelm you. Some of the symptoms can trouble you include headache, vomiting, nausea, shivering, loss of appetite and aggressiveness. The surest way of countering these symptoms is by taking a gradual approach. To get started, simply reduce the amount of alcohol that you consume on a daily basis. And for the sake of monitoring your alcohol consumption, it’s important you record the number of bottles you have taken in a day in a journal. As you progress, you can opt to avoid alcohol on specific days. You should continue with the trend until you are able to go for several weeks or months without drinking alcohol.
Keep yourself Busy
It’s easy to go back to drinking alcohol when you are idle. For the sake of avoiding a relapse, it’s recommended you find an activity that can keep you busy throughout the day. That way, you will not think about alcohol as your thoughts will remain focused on whatever you will be doing. Instead of watching TV, you can opt to paint some nice drawings that you can sell later to make some money, read books at your local library, grow some crops in the garden for domestic consumption or go for a hike. By doing either of these things, you will be able to get satisfaction by the results you will get from your input.
Avoid Tempting Situations
Alcoholics have a tendency of hanging out together. Since you want to stop indulging in alcohol, it’s important you avoid situations that can tempt you to go back to the old habit. You should avoid hanging out with your drinking buddies as much as possible. Such friends are actually bad news as they will offer to buy drinks when you really don’t want to drink. In addition to that, you should avoid going to occasions where alcohol is served. If you have to attend to parties or weddings, make sure you take alternative drinks such as fruit juice cocktail, milk or tea. The other thing is that you must never keep alcohol in your house as you will be tempted to drink.
Find a Support Network
Most alcoholics go back to their former habit simply because they don’t have a support network. In fact, they feel emotionally drained as they don’t have someone to share with. Once you have decided to quit alcohol, you should inform your friends and relatives so that they can support you all along. You should also join groups of other people that are battling with the same vice. Besides that, you should seek assistance from a counsellor so that you don’t feel stressed out. All in all, quitting alcohol is not a walk in the park. There will be days that you will feel like throwing in the towel. Your success depends on your determination and patience.
