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When you stop drinking, various things happen to your mind and body. However, the nature and intensity of these effects can vary depending on how much and how frequently you drink. Tell trusted family and friends about your decision and ask for their support in helping you stay sober.
- And having access to resources to support yourself can also be a game-changer.
- “Furthermore, consistent use of alcohol to induce sleep only increases the need to use alcohol in the future to get to sleep,” he explains.
- The advantage can be that you push through the physical symptoms quickly, and come out the other side ready to change your habits.
- Like other symptoms, the impact on mood depends on the amount and duration of your alcohol use.
- Psychologists can also provide referrals to self-help groups.
- Some elements of the program, including the belief in a higher power, aren’t the right fit for everyone.
But it’s also one of the most important questions you’ll answer on your road to recovery. As temptations arise or the disease of substance use disorder tells your body to give in to temptations, you’ll want to consistently return to your why. You may have tried to stop drinking many times in the past and feel you have no control over it.
Avoid loneliness.
The original medication for alcoholism is disulfiram, also known as Antabuse. This prescription drug causes you to feel ill when you drink any How to Stop Drinking amount of alcohol, and is now considered a fairly harsh way of quitting. Still, for some people, disulfiram remains an effective choice.
By this point, most physical withdrawal symptoms should have subsided and you should start to feel less anxious and more positive. It’s important to remember that they are only temporary and will usually subside within a few days. For individuals with severe alcohol dependence, however, withdrawal symptoms can be more severe and may require medical attention.
How To Recover from Alcoholism
While giving up alcohol can be a challenge, it’s important to remember that the benefits are well worth it. All videos and content are the exclusive property of Piedmont Healthcare and may not be used by any third parties for any other purposes. Because of stigmas around addiction, Dr. Prylinski says, some patients may be nervous to broach the topic.
Your best chance of recovery is by getting combined mental health and addiction treatment from the same treatment provider or team. Recovering from alcohol addiction or heavy drinking is not a quick and easy process. In general, the longer and more intense the alcohol use, the longer and more intense the treatment you’ll need. But regardless of the treatment program’s length in weeks or months, long-term follow-up care is crucial to your recovery. Once you’ve passed the initial stage of withdrawal, the process of recovering from alcoholism can still take some time. Changing daily habits, avoiding drinking triggers, managing anxiety or insomnia as your internal chemistry rebalances, and rebuilding your social life are among the challenges you may face.
Make a coping plan for unavoidable triggers.
All of this is accessible from your smartphone, on your schedule. While cirrhosis scars from excessive drinking are irreversible, quitting alcohol and leading a healthier lifestyle can help your liver heal from alcohol-related liver disease. Often they struggle with depression or anxiety and drink as a way to self-medicate. It is important to acknowledge that you think there may be an underlying mental health issue that results in drinking.
- Quitting drinking can have many important benefits for your physical and mental health, but there are many other types of benefits you may experience as well.
- When you’re having a good time, you find it hard to stop, especially in the company of friends having the same amount.
Whether you want to cut back on your alcohol intake or give it up all together, we’re here to help with that goal. Alcoholics Anonymous is free and available all over the country. Despite its dreary church hall image, I found the atmosphere in most meetings to be surprisingly convivial and often hilariously funny.
Make a plan.
Even moderate amounts of alcohol can significantly impair driving performance and your ability to operate other machinery, whether or not you feel the effects of alcohol. Eliminating your access to alcohol is crucial, especially in the early days of sobriety. There will be temptations around you that you can’t control—so focus on what is in your control. If you drink to ease the pain of loneliness, then make a conscious effort to connect with others.
It can also help you gain a new perspective as you consider how your life will change without alcohol. One of the best places to find support outside of your network of family and friends is at support groups, like AA (Alcoholics Anonymous). People in AA are either working to become sober or are in recovery. They see the pain and struggles and reality of https://ecosoberhouse.com/ addiction that you may feel others can’t begin to comprehend. When you’re working to quit drinking, writing can help you come to terms with and realize things about your relationship with alcohol that you didn’t know before. Simply being here, reading tips on how to quit drinking, considering the possibilities of your future is a positive first step.