Defeating alcohol addiction is a long and rough journey. Sometimes, it might even feel impossible. But, that’s most certainly not the case. If you’re truly prepared to quit drinking and willing to get the help you need, you can stop drinking and quit—regardless of how much you drink or how easily you can fall back into it. If you really want to give up alcohol addiction, you most certainly will be able to. Regardless of whether you need to stop drinking by and large or simply fall back into more beneficial quantities, there are tips you can use to make progress today.

How to get over alcohol addiction

A great many people with alcohol addiction don’t choose to make a significant improvement all of a sudden or change their drinking propensities immediately. Getting over an addiction is usually a continuous process and can take years. You can’t expect to give up alcohol immediately. In the beginning, it might even seem as though there’s no progress being made. For some people, even after conceding to the fact that they have a drinking issue, they may often stall and not look for any alternatives to fixing it. But this is natural, and you shouldn’t beat yourself up for it. 

It’s essential to recognize your uncertainty about a bit of drinking. In case you don’t know whether you’re prepared to change, or you’re battling with the choice, it can help to consider the expenses and advantages of every decision. Once you have a list of pros and cons and have clearly seen that alcohol is hindering the rest of your life, then you can move to the next step.

Also Read : Impact of Alcohol Addiction on Mental Health

Set Objectives and Plan for a Change

The best way to see any viable change in your drinking habits is to set long term and short term objectives for yourself. Make a calendar or mark a date on your calendar and think to yourself: how do I see myself on this date? Am I still battling with addiction? Or, have I stopped drinking x amount of drinks each day and toned it down to x amount of drinks?

By setting goals for yourself, you will be able to help yourself and others around you who want to see you get over your alcohol addiction by setting achievable goals that you can keep track of.

Tips to Help You Achieve Your Goals

After you’ve defined your objectives to either stop or curtail your drinking, record a few thoughts on how you can enable yourself to achieve these objectives. For instance: 

Set goals: Pick a point of confinement for the amount you will drink. Ensure your limit isn’t more than three glasses or bottles daily—and attempt to plan some liquor free days every week. Presently write your drinking objective on a bit of paper. Put it where you can see it, for example, on your fridge or bathroom mirror. 

Keep a “journal” of your drinking: To enable you to achieve your objective, keep a “journal” of your drinking. For instance, record it each time you have a drink during the week. Attempt to keep your journal with you all the time. This will help you see the amount you drink and when. You might be astounded.

Watch it at home: Attempt to constrain or rid liquor from your home. It’s a lot simpler to abstain from drinking if you don’t keep drinks around. 

Pace yourself while drinking: When you drink, taste your beverage gradually. Enjoy a break of thirty minutes or one hour between beverages—or drink a soft drink, water, or stop after every mixed beverage. Drinking on an empty stomach is never a smart idea, so ensure you eat food before you drink. 

Alcohol-Free Days: Pick a day or two every week when you won’t drink at all. At that point, attempt to quit drinking for a week. Consider how you feel physically and genuinely on such days. When you succeed and feel as though you have improved, you may think that it’s more straightforward to stop drinking for good.

Also Read : What is Addiction? What are Different Types?

Professional Help

Unlike drug and tobacco addiction, a lot of people can treat their alcohol addiction quite easily on their own. Many can stop drinking without anyone’s support or with the assistance of a 12-step program. Others might turn to support groups both on- and offline. If this doesn’t seem to work for you, then don’t worry. Which choice is best for you depends upon the amount you’ve been drinking, to what extent you’ve been drinking and your living and mental conditions.

Examples of Alcohol Treatment

  1. Private treatment, or ‘rehab’, includes living at a treatment center while experiencing extensive treatment every day. Private treatment regularly endures from 30-90 days. 
  2. Partial hospitalization is for individuals who require constant medical checks and monitoring but have a steady living environment. These treatment programs typically require you to meet your doctor at the clinic for four to six hours daily, for around three to five days a week. 
  3. Intensive outpatient programs (IOP) focus their efforts on preventing relapse and can frequently be booked around work or school.
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