How to Stop Drinking Alcohol: Killing Alcohol Addiction
Regardless of the reasons why you are considering giving up alcohol, in this page you are going to find loads of tips on the best ways to quit drinking, signs of alcoholism and the withdrawal symptoms you’re going to experience after you quit.
Keep reading to find out more about how to stop drinking alcohol completely and embrace a healthier lifestyle. Rather than pondering ‘how can I stop drinking’ it’s time to take a positive step and seek help from your nearest alcohol support service.
Symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal
If you have been drinking heavily for months or years you’ll experience the following symptoms of alcoholism when you try to go cold turkey.
Quitting alcohol is a slow and painstaking process during which you are likely to experience both mental and physical problems.
Some of the most common alcohol withdrawal symptoms are listed below:
- Shaky hands
- Nausea
- Anxiety
- Headache
- Insomnia
- Excessive sweating
- Hallucinations
- Seizures
- High blood pressure
- Fever
- Palpitation
- Confused state of mind
Ways to Stop Drinking Alcohol / How to Give Up Drinking?
If you find yourself questioning everyday ‘am I an alcoholic?’ then the answer to the question is yes. Now, the first thing on your agenda should be to ask for help to stop drinking and find out how to give up alcohol.
Alcohol is known to kill over 240 people every day so giving up drinking is definitely the thing to do if you’re a regular drinker. That being said, it also needs to be mentioned that overcoming alcohol addiction can get ridiculously hard without the support of your friends and family.
Now let’s take a step by step look at the things you can do to remedy your drinking problem.
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Admit the Problem Before You Stop Drinking Alcohol
If you are into alcohol abuse but still tend to compare your drinking to other normal drinkers then your first step should consist in admitting that you have an alcohol problem.
Start visualizing yourself 5 years down the line with the same level of alcohol dependence. Do you feel comfortable with what you see? If not, then start taking the first step today.
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Announce Your Intention to Quit Drinking Alcohol
Tell all your friends and family about your plans to kick the drinking habits and explain why. This would make them understand why you are suddenly refusing a chilled beer or a trip to the bar.
Frequently reminding your near ones about the reasons why you want to quit drinking would encourage them to keep you on the right track and provide the right motivation for helping an alcoholic.
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Resist Temptation to Drink
If you are wondering ‘how to quit drinking?’ then the first thing to do is tell yourself ‘I want to stop drinking’ several times a day and avoid circumstances and company where you might be tempted to have a drink.
This would entail choosing no-alcohol restaurants on your eat-out nights, avoiding friends who used to be your drinking companions or even arrange for no-alcohol parties at home.
If you want to quit drinking in favor of a more active and healthier lifestyle then go for a run or a swim during the time in which you usually drink. Getting engaged with an activity that interests you is one of the best ways to avoid alcohol.
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Giving up vs. Drinking with Moderation
If you want to give up alcoholism and pave the way for a healthier lifestyle then you can also start with cutting down on the amount of drink as opposed to giving up totally.
Reducing the amount of your daily poison is a super effective stepping stone to stop alcohol consumption completely in the near future.
Cutting down on your daily dose of drinks isn’t as difficult as it sounds. All you need to do is stop binge drinking, designate 3 days a week as no-drinking day and of course go for a 30ml drink instead of a 60 ml one. You’ll find apps which would track the amount of alcohol you are consuming in units, calories and cash.
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Reward Yourself on Every Progress You Make
Coping with alcohol problems isn’t an easy task so it is important to reward yourself with a little something whenever you start to see the signs of progress.
For instance, after spending an alcohol-free week or month you can treat yourself in your favorite restaurant or buy yourself some nice clothes.
If you previously used to drink in front of the TV then try replacing your whiskey glass which a glass of something else you’d like to savor.
When you stop drinking alcohol you’d be literally shocked to see your monthly savings. Put that saving to good use buy buying yourself things you like.
Detox from alcohol is a rather time-consuming process during which you need to set yourself achievable goals and set an incentive to make yourself keep pursuing that goal.
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Change Your Attitude
If you still haven’t found an answer to the question ‘how do I stop drinking?’ then you surely need to rethink your attitude about the entire situation.
Rather than getting mad at people who are trying to help, you should try and get into the right mindset and take your first step on the path to recovery.
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Empower Yourself
Boosting your self-confidence is one of the best ways to stop drinking. Rather that feeling powerless before the booze you should try and recognize the fact that you and only you have the will to decide what goes into your body and what doesn’t.
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Check into a Rehab
If you are really clueless about how to quit drinking then you should better check into an alcohol rehabilitation center.
At times quitting on your own isn’t possible and going for professional and medical assistance is the easy way to stop drinking in such a scenario.
Wrapping it up
In this article we have provided you with a sketchy idea about how to stop drinking which we hope to be of help. However, if you are serious about giving up your alcohol addiction then start talking to your loved ones and go for professional assistance immediately.
