Struggling with a drinking problem? Do you wonder whether you have already become an alcoholic? You might even wonder whether it’s time to quit drinking altogether. But, is it necessary to quit drinking? Well, if these are the kind of questions lingering in your mind, you probably should stop drinking alcohol. If you can’t quit alone, get professional treatment for alcohol addiction.
Many lives are ruined by excessive alcohol consumption. Hundreds of alcohol-related deaths occur every day. However, ditching alcohol is not easy when your body is used to having it every day. The thought of quitting alone is scary. For some people, quitting alcohol is a ridiculously hard thing to try.
But, quitting is not the hardest thing to do. It is what follows after quitting. The first step of the sobriety journey is the hardest to make for some people. Nevertheless, people still quit and recovery from alcoholism. You just need to know what to do and how to go about the quitting process. In some cases, the process starts with a single call to AddictionResource alcohol helpline. This line is manned by rehab professionals that understand the predicament of alcoholics and their loved ones. They provide all the information people need to quit or help the people they care about quit drinking.
If you’re struggling to ditch alcohol, the following steps can help you quit drinking successfully.
- Admit Your Drinking Problem
Many drinkers think in very simple terms. They believe they are either normal drinkers or alcoholics. However, many problematic drinkers lie in the gray area. That’s where drinkers who have already become alcoholics or on the way to becoming alcoholics lie. Most people with a drinking problem already know it. The challenge is admitting that drinking is a problem they have to deal with.
If you have a thought cycle that involves comparing how you drink to the way others do it, wondering whether drinking is a problem to solve, and taking drinking assessments only, try the following:
- Pose the right question- Don’t wonder whether you have already become an alcoholic. You’re already an alcoholic if you’re having this thought. Therefore, ask yourself whether drinking is hindering you from leaving the kind of life you desire. If yes, you have admitted your drinking problem.
- Don’t compare your drinking with that of others- Comparisons won’t help you in any way. You have a unique life to live. Therefore, if drinking is a problem, you are the one to deal with it. The decision to call an alcoholic hotline is yours to make. You don’t need to compare yourself to others or seek self-justification. Just make decisions based on what you want to achieve.
- Think about your future- Think about your life in the next 5 years. How will it be if you continue drinking? If you’re not okay with what comes to mind, you have a drinking problem to address.
- Know Your Reasons to Quit Drinking
Alcohol has been associated with many health problems including the increased risk of cancers. But, when it comes to quitting, a person needs more than the long-term benefits of quitting. People prefer the instant gratification that comes with their move. Long-term benefits of quitting alcohol include preventing health-related problems and enhancing your wellbeing.
Short-term benefits of quitting include:
- Reclaiming the time lost drinking and nursing hangovers.
- Engaging in more meaningful and beneficial talks with friends, family, and workmates.
- Saving money that can be invested in more important ventures.
- Improved sleep because alcohol stops throwing the body off balance.
Other long-term health benefits of quitting alcohol include improved brain activity, better liver function, weight loss, enhanced immune system, and lower cholesterol levels.
- Prioritize Sobriety
Once you’ve decided to quit alcohol and called an alcohol abuse hotline to seek guidance, make sobriety your priority. Making a partial commitment is a recipe for failure. So, come up with rules and stick to them. Avoid going to the bar at night. Stop buying the six-packs of beer and fight the feeling that you can drink one beer and get away with it. Instead, make sobriety a priority and focus on solving your drinking problem.
- Avoid Drinking Friends
Alcohol might play a major role in your life socially. In that case, you will have a hard time hanging out with family members or friends that drink yet you want to quit. Therefore, tell them you have decided to quit. This should be followed by cutting off people that call you whenever they want you to join them in their drinking. If the only thing you have in common with a person is drinking, you need to end your relationship with them.
- Let People Know Your Choice
Tell other people about your decision to quit drinking. Calling an alcoholism hotline alone is not enough. You need people to make you accountable when it comes to accomplishing your goal to quit drinking. Letting other people know your choice will also ensure that they don’t call you whenever they want to go out to drink. And, when a person offers you alcohol and you decline, they most likely won’t offer you the same drink again.
- Understand That It Won’t Be Easy
The most painful part is usually the first 3 days of quitting alcohol. This is the time when the body gets rid of alcohol. As such, a person experiences severe alcohol withdrawal. Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal are unpleasant and can be life-threatening. They may include elevated temperature, excessive sweating, insomnia, increased breathing rate, blood pressure, and pulse. In extreme cases, a person experiences seizures. It is such symptoms of withdrawal that necessitate the need for professional help to quit drinking.
- Be Positive
Quitting drinking alcohol won’t be easy. However, you will be successful if you have the right attitude. Therefore, don’t be angry when people try to assist you or despise yourself for going through a hard time. Instead, be positive and focus on your recovery. Having the right attitude will help you deal with the stress you’re likely to face when fighting alcoholism and eventually achieve your recovery goal.
- Check into Alcohol Rehab
If unable to quit alone even after calling an alcoholics hotline and getting the guidance you need to deal with your drinking problem, check into a reputable rehab. Here, you will find knowledgeable and experienced professionals that will help you deal with your drinking problem. You can go into an inpatient or outpatient rehab depending on your predicament.
It might seem hard to quit alcohol completely for some people because their bodies are used to having it. However, you can successfully quit drinking alcohol if you follow these steps and seek the right professional assistance.
