If you are going out, try taking only the exact cash, or set up a spending alert tips to quit drinking on your card. Here are some practical things you can try to help you cut back, you can also watch this video on ways to drink less. Moderation, however, can lead to sustainability for some people.
Health Benefits of Quitting Alcohol
If your goal is to reduce your drinking, decide which days you will drink alcohol and how many drinks you will allow yourself per day. Try to commit to at least two days each week when you won’t drink at all. Most people with alcohol problems do not decide to make a big change out of the blue or transform their drinking habits overnight. Even after admitting you have a drinking problem, you may make excuses and drag your feet.
Emotional triggers
- Eliminating your access to alcohol is crucial, especially in the early days of sobriety.
- Creating a plan is an essential part of knowing how to quit drinking.
- Technically, the American government defines it as one drink a day or less for women, and two drinks a day or less for men.
- And for others it’s a combination of factors that motivates their move to sobriety.
Each drinking relapse is an opportunity to learn and recommit to sobriety, so you’ll be less likely to relapse in the future. If certain people, places, or activities trigger a craving for alcohol, try to avoid them. This may mean making major changes to your social life, such as finding new things to do with your old drinking buddies—or even giving up those friends and finding new ones. Cravings for alcohol can be intense, particularly in the first six months after you quit drinking. Good alcohol treatment prepares you for these challenges, helping you develop new coping skills to deal with stressful situations, alcohol cravings, and social pressure to drink. Are you ready to quit drinking or cut down to healthier levels?
More on Substance Abuse and Addiction
Let friends, family members, and co-workers know that you’re trying to stop or cut back on drinking. If they drink, ask them to support your recovery by not doing so in front of you. To drop the number of drinks you have each week, start with a daily limit. The federal government’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends not drinking at all, but suggests that if you do, keep it under two drinks a day for men and one for women. Exploring, in writing, what you find difficult and when you most want to drink can help you notice patterns that offer more insight into your alcohol use.
Lifestyle Quizzes
Start by talking to any doctors, nurses, or therapists you may already be seeing. Talking with an addiction therapist or medical specialist can assist you in your goal to stop drinking. The more supportive people you can involve in your quest to quit https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/how-to-stop-alcohol-cravings/ alcohol the better. Encouragement from family, friends, and others you trust can be an invaluable source of strength as you make this change in your life.
Health Categories to Explore
- Laying it all out in black and white can take time and some serious self-examination.
- Of course not, in fact – most people who stop drinking with Allen Carr’s Easyway do so without any unpleasantness at all.
- It’s equally important not to be too hard on yourself if you slip up every once in a while.
- Live an alcohol-free life and be on your guard not to fall back into the trap.
- So far, there’s no consensus on the medical definition of recovery in alcohol treatment literature.
In addition to feeling less anxious and having better digestion, you may notice bigger changes a few months into sobriety. For instance, your doctor might find that your heart and liver are in better shape, or your skin may have a certain new glow. Medical experts now use the term “alcohol use disorder” rather than “alcohol abuse” to address the concern of excessive drinking. With less alcohol in your life, you’re likely to have clearer skin, better sleep, and you may see a boost in your overall mood. Some people also lose weight as they taper off their drinking. Within just a month of not drinking, your body can begin to reap the benefits.
Talk with a doctor.
Very often the people in your life — friends, family, co-workers — are affected by your drinking in ways you might not even realize. They may be worried or afraid for your health and safety, or they may fear your drinking puts their safety at risk. As a specific example, an analysis of the electronic medical records of over 73 million people—including 1.26 million people with alcohol use disorder (AUD)—was published in Nature (1). Stopping drinking can help improve both the length and the quality of your sleep, which is crucial to good mental and physical health. Build a sober social network – If your previous social life revolved around alcohol, you may need to make some new connections. It’s important to have sober friends who will support your recovery.
Recognizing the things in your life that trigger your desire to drink will further empower that decision. As your mind and body try to tell you that you need another drink, understanding what’s at the root of that thought or feeling is key in reaching a healthier state of sobriety. There are effective treatment approaches that can help you quit, so talk to your doctor or a mental health professional if you need more help finding options that will work for you. You might turn to friends, family, and loved ones for this type of support, but this can be challenging if your past alcohol use has alienated people in your life. It can also be problematic if the people in your immediate social circle continue to drink or if they don’t support your plans to quit.
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