Alcohol can cause many issues for your life and health, so what are effective strategies to quit drinking? Read on.
Are you regularly waking up with your head pounding, regretting your actions the night before?
“This is the last time!” you say.
But simply declaring you’ve quit drinking doesn’t usually do the trick.
There are many strategies to quit drinking. All of them will take strength and perseverance. I’m an author of a book on habit building and habit breaking ( “Happy Habits”) So I pulled together some effective strategies to help you break the habit of drinking too much.
However, before moving onto these 5 tips to learn how to quit drinking, it is important to explain that there are different types of drinkers. For some people, alcohol has become an addiction to the point where they rely on drinking to make their mental health more manageable. In other words, the physical benefits of quitting would go hand-in-hand with the negative consequences for their mental health. If this sounds familiar, you probably want to hear the words from a former alcohol addict who explains:
“I couldn’t quit until I finally decided to attend a center for alcohol detox near me”.
Indeed, these specialist centers also include a full mental health assessment so that you can learn to manage the initial mental health factors that force you to drink.
If you know that there is no underlying mental health conditions to worry about, such as depression, anxiety, or PTSD, the following 5 tips are just right for you.
Seeking help from a support group takes bravery. It takes recognizing you struggle with alcohol addiction and getting over your fears of what others may think. That type of strength is admirable.
Joining a support group such as Alcoholics Anonymous is one of the most effective ways to quit drinking. There you will find peers who are fighting the same battle. You will be guided through a process that will help you mentally overcome your addiction and start on a path to recovery.
Quitting cold turkey may seem like the best way to quit alcohol, and certainly the fastest way, but it works only for some people. Quitting cold turkey can lead to withdrawal symptoms that could potentially be hazardous to your health.
Going through alcohol withdrawal symptoms will essentially lead to behavior that is opposite to the effects of alcohol. Instead of the sedative effect produced by alcohol, your brain will become very active. You may have trouble sleeping and experience tremors.
Tapering your alcohol consumption until it reaches 0 could be an effective alternate strategy if you are experiencing withdrawal symptoms.
This is easier said than done, but no one said quitting drinking would be easy. If the majority of your time has been consumed by consumption, find other ways to fill that time. Take up a new hobby or one that you once enjoyed like playing a musical instrument, gaming, riding a bicycle, or drawing. Use the time instead to build relationships in your life or tend to the ones that you’ve been missing.
I also recommend taking up the hobby of meditation. It’s an empowering self care ritual – which will help you to calm the anxiety – which might be leading to the habit of drinking too much.
Your mission: Learn to manage urges when they strike, and remind yourself why quitting alcohol is important to you.
Another good practice: Journaling. It’s a good idea to write down your reasons for quitting in a journal – so you can read over your goals for yourself and your life – whenever you need a helpful reminder. I offer a helpful journal – with writing prompts – called Instant Happy Journal.
Anyone who is in the process of quitting drinking can benefit from counseling. Therapy sessions will give you the tools you need and a personalized strategy that you can use to quit. Consult the resources provided by the Stop Drinking Expert. They will be able to counsel you to succeed in your quest to stop drinking.
What is it that triggers you to drink? If it’s being around certain people or a certain activity then rearrange your routine and avoid those people and places. If its a certain time of day then plan an activity to do during that time instead of drinking. Taking the time to identify and avoid triggers as an effective strategy that takes reflection and discipline.
Quitting drinking is a challenge that many people with alcohol addiction will face. With the many strategies to quit drinking out there, find several that work for you, and practice them every day.
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