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Stop Drinking Alcohol: The social aspect of drinking is widely understood, as is its use as a stress reliever. It could potentially be a treatment for anxiety or sleeplessness.
However, drinking typically accomplishes nothing to alleviate these worries over the long run. There are also some substantial drawbacks.
As a result, you should consider if a break is necessary. You’re not alone either. With the #SoberCurious movement and month-long sobriety challenges, more and more individuals are examining the part that alcohol plays in their lives.
These suggestions might assist you in coming up with a strategy that works for you, whether you want to make cuts or take a long sabbatical.
1. Examine the health consequences of alcohol
There are various ways that alcohol may harm your health. Even a small amount of alcohol might make you feel sleepy, disoriented, or hungover. Drinking more increases your likelihood of seeing further negative health impacts, such as:
- sleep disruption intestinal problems
- memory issues
- increased sadness, agitation, and anxiety
- conflicts and other disputes with family members
2. Investigate your connection with alcohol over a period of time.
Knowing why you’re doing something is a crucial first step toward giving it up.
- Determine how much you actually consume.
- Even if you don’t believe you are dependent on alcohol specifically, you may still be concerned that you may be.
Say that when you abstain from drinking, you don’t experience any urges. But “a short drink” frequently develops into three or four. When you’re having fun, it’s difficult to quit, especially when you’re around pals who are also enjoying themselves.
Consider your drinking habits and your alcohol triggers.
It’s possible that your worries are more about why you drink than how much. Many individuals turn to alcohol to dull their emotions or cope with difficult situations better. It’s typical to drink to ease anxiety before a challenging talk or a first date.
But if you find it difficult to deal with problems without alcohol, you might want to think about whether drinking keeps you from developing more effective coping mechanisms for your emotions.
According to Virginia-based therapist Cyndi Turner, LCSW, LSATP, MAC, who specialises in addiction therapy and alcohol moderation, knowing why you drink is crucial.
These consequences may start to compound over time.
She continues by saying that understanding the causes of your drinking might aid in your search for more effective solutions. Some typical alcohol triggers are:
stress in relationships social gatherings
working problems and insomnia
You may make plans to help manage the impulse to drink by being more aware of your alcohol triggers and motivations.
3. Think about your strategy.
You could be aware of your desire to completely stop drinking. However, you could be unsure about stopping entirely and unwilling to attach yourself to that objective.
That’s totally OK. The most crucial thing is to examine your drinking patterns and find a technique to reduce them that works for you.
Without complete abstinence, it is still possible to improve one’s relationship with alcohol and make more thoughtful knowledgeable drinking decisions.
prudence management
Turner uses a strategy known as “moderation management,” which is one of several alternatives to complete sobriety.
It puts an emphasis on finding the best strategy for your situation, not someone else’s, with a view to minimising alcohol consumption and the associated consequences that come along with it.
Of course, achieving total sobriety isn’t a terrible objective, but it doesn’t have to be the only one.
Not quite certain about your final goal? That’s also okay. Just be aware of your alternatives.
4. Discuss it
Sharing your decision to stop drinking with others may inspire you to continue with your resolution.
Include your family.
When you stop drinking, your family and friends may encourage you and support you.
Sharing your experiences with alcohol might inspire others to examine their own drinking patterns.
Perhaps your partner, sibling, or roommate is also thinking about making a change. By giving up drinking, you may encourage one another while boosting your motivation and accountability.
Turner emphasises the value of having a dependable support person when going to gatherings where alcohol will be served. When you’re not alone yourself, it’s frequently simpler to decline a drink.
Find a neighbourhood
Developing new connections with those who refrain from drinking might be quite advantageous.
Turner emphasises that “the more support you have, the better.”
Here are a few concepts:
Why not ask a different coworker to check out the brand-new bakery down the street instead of putting your resolve to the test by going to the normal happy hour with your colleagues?
Consider forming connections with folks who don’t place high importance on drinking in their lives.
Miss the ambience of the bar? You might be able to go to a sober bar and mingle without drinking depending on where you reside.
To locate others interested in activities without alcohol, go via applications like Meetup.
Knowing what to say
People may query you as to why you decline a drink.
You’re not required to provide specifics, however, it might be useful to be prepared with the following response:
- “I’m reducing my spending for my health.”
- I dislike how drinking makes me feel.
- Having stated that, all you need to say is “No, thanks.” You might feel more at ease and certain when you find yourself in an alcohol-related scenario by practising your rejection beforehand.
Since the majority of people are unlikely to notice or remember what you do, try not to worry about how others might see you.
Keep your answer straightforward if you want to give loved ones a more thorough explanation but are unsure of what to say:
- “I’ve been drinking a lot lately without really knowing why, and I want to take some time to reconsider that behaviour.”
- “I see that I drink when I don’t want to confront my feelings, and I want to become better at processing my emotions without drinking.”
- I’m sick of drinking just because everyone else does since I don’t actually like it.
- Modify your surroundings
Drinking may become a sort of instinctive reaction when alcohol is a regular part of your routine, especially when you’re anxious or overwhelmed.
Making a few adjustments to your environment to assist prevent alcohol triggers can have a significant impact on your ability to stop drinking. You may not need to entirely rebuild your life in order to succeed.
Throw away your booze.
When you’re attempting to stop, having alcohol around your home may entice you. Knowing you’ll need to go out and make a purchase might dissuade you from taking a drink long enough to locate a suitable diversion.
Have non-alcoholic drinks on available for both you and other people. Being a good host doesn’t need you to serve booze. Allow visitors to bring their own alcohol, and allow them to take it with them when they depart.
If you share a home with roommates, think about suggesting that they keep their alcohol hidden rather than in common areas.
5. Find a new beverage to like.
Making the correct substitution beverage choice might support you in being steadfast in your decision to stop drinking. Even while plain water has many health advantages, it’s not the most exciting option.
You may find something pleasurable to do without missing your favourite beverage if you put a little ingenuity into it.
Do this:
adding cinnamon or other spices to tea, apple cider, or hot chocolate; infusing plain or sparkling water with chopped fruits or herbs; or combining juice or lemonade with sparkling water
Change up your routine to stay occupied.
One of the easiest methods to stop a pattern of drinking at a particular time of day is to divert your attention to something else. The most beneficial activities are those that regularly get you outside and moving.
Consider the following:
- Consider taking a walk or meeting your pals for a hangout at the park or another alcohol-free area if you often meet up with friends for drinks after work.
Why not try a new spot that doesn’t offer alcohol instead of heading to your typical restaurant for dinner and drinks?
- You’ll have the opportunity to do something unusual without being tempted to drink.
- To pass the time and save money, make it a practice to cook at home.
Having a few different coping mechanisms available might assist when your desire to drink is more influenced by your mood than any certain time of day:
Try affirmations, deep breathing exercises, or meditation as alternatives to drinking to reduce anxiety.
Reach out to a loved one or watch a favourite movie to make yourself feel better when you’re feeling lonely.
6. Get ready for a possible alcohol detox
When they dramatically reduce or quit drinking, those who are highly reliant on alcohol may begin to suffer what is known as alcohol detox. As your body starts to flush alcohol from your system, this occurs. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms, such as: can be brought on by detox.
- anxiety
- headache
- fatigue
- insomnia
- mood in change
- shakes
- sweating
If you’re worried you could encounter withdrawal symptoms after you stop drinking or cut back, speak with a healthcare provider. You may devise a strategy to get through it together.
7. Schedule self-care time.
Giving up alcohol may be quite tough. Alcohol can be used to treat mental discomfort, but the additional stress might increase the temptation to drink, making achievement seem even more improbable.
Making significant changes can be challenging, but strong self-care habits can help you deal with overwhelming emotions and look after your body and mind.
Prioritize your health
Being in peak physical condition can increase resiliency and mental fortitude, enabling you to withstand situations that make you want to drink.
You’re taking a significant step toward bettering your physical health by abstaining from alcohol. You’ll probably feel more energised and motivated to continue your development as you start to experience those health advantages.
Additional pointers:
- Remain hydrated.
- Frequently have balanced meals. Include meals that give you more energy and improve your mood.
- If you can, engage in frequent physical activity. For pleasurable activities to keep active, try roller skating, dancing, hiking, or cycling.
- Prioritize getting more rest. Most adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours each night.
Rekindle passions
Alcohol is a common way for individuals to deal with boredom. In addition to helping you relax, which is something everyone needs to do, satisfying hobbies may divert your attention from the need to drink.
The time is now to pursue an old passion if you’ve lately discovered that you miss it.
Even when you are unable to physically engage in activities with people, technology makes it simpler than ever to learn new skills and develop unique connections.
You might try:
- home improvement tasks
- creating or portraying models
- video or board games
- volunteering to read a nice book while relaxing
Keep a diary
Maybe you’ve never been interested in writing down your private thoughts, but keeping a diary might be a terrific way to keep track of your emotions while you try to give up drinking.
You may be able to identify patterns that provide additional understanding into your alcohol usage by exploring in writing what you find challenging and when you feel the most like drinking.
You can identify times when drinking doesn’t assist with the issues you’re attempting to handle by contrasting the emotions that arise when you drink with the emotions that arise when you refrain from doing so.
A journal also provides a helpful location to describe your motivations for quitting and come up with alternatives to drinking.
8. Understand why
Along the journey, you can encounter challenges that tempt you to drink. Remember the factors that led you to reduce or stop drinking. If you want a concrete reminder to look at when you need it to help urge you to stick with it, consider writing them down and having notes on hand.
— Ends —
So my brothers and their sisters, if you love your life, then from today onwards give up bad habits and do something big in life so that people will remember you.
— Thank you —