How to Stop Drinking Alcohol
How To Stop Drinking Alcohol
Unfortunately, no formula will tell you exactly how to stop drinking alcohol. However, if you or someone you know needs help with alcohol abuse, don’t get discouraged. Just because there is no simple ‘cure’ doesn’t mean it isn’t possible to stop drinking alcohol.
Do I Have To Go To AA To Learn How To Stop Drinking Alcohol?
No….BUT – When I was first beginning my journey in sobriety, I found that being around other people who could relate to my struggle was very helpful. I do advocate a twelve step program, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only way. It just happens to be what worked for me early on. 9+ years later, I don’t go to AA and haven’t been to an AA meeting in more than 5 years, but in the beginning, I do think AA can be incredibly valuable.
For me, the biggest obstacle in trying to figure out how to stop drinking alcohol was admitting that I even had a problem. I didn’t know much about alcohol abuse or alcoholism, and I certainly didn’t know how to stop drinking alcohol. I had never really known anyone who considered themselves to be an alcoholic. This is probably one reason I missed so many blatant signs of my own alcohol abuse. Had I known what to look for, I might have been able to ask for help sooner.
In order to learn how to stop drinking alcohol, I first had to acknowledge the problem. I realized that my life was an absolute mess, primarily due to my drinking (and drug use). Once I was able to admit this and ask for help, people were able to get me the help I needed.
One of the best ways to stop drinking alcohol is to check into an alcohol rehabilitation center. That was crucial to my early stages of recovery. It gave me a chance to focus only on my recovery without having to deal with everyday things. An alcohol rehab center can offer a safe way to learn how to stop drinking alcohol. If you have been drinking for a long time and have been consuming a lot, there can be dangerous alcohol withdrawal symptoms. At an alcohol rehab, they will help you deal with these withdrawal symptoms safely.
At an alcohol rehab, they also offer a lot of other help. You will have a chance to work on some of the underlying reasons why you started drinking in the first place. Many people view drinking as a symptom of your problems. Without exploring the real cause of your problems, it won’t be easy to stay sober. Rehabs will offer substance abuse counseling, individually and in groups. You will be living with other alcoholics and people who can relate to what you are going through. It can be challenging to get and stay sober in the ‘real world,’ but practicing in an inpatient alcohol treatment center can make all the difference.
Sober Living Homes
Another advantage of going to an inpatient rehab facility is their ability to help you find sober living homes once you get out. Sometimes it’s best for people not to jump right back into their old lives, but to transition a bit more slowly by living with other sober people. When I first tried to get sober, it was hard because I didn’t go to rehab. I never really got any time away from my life. I had to deal with everything around me and staying sober, with no time off to work on my problems. Once you leave rehab, you have to go back to your life, and there are problems to deal with.
However, when I relapsed and went to rehab, it was easier to stay sober after spending time in rehab and a sober living house.
You can find sober living homes on your own. You don’t have to go to rehab first. It just makes the process and the transition a lot easier if you have professional help.
Once you are out of rehab and have a few weeks of sobriety, it’s really important to start building a support system. For me, this meant attending alcoholics anonymous meetings.
Many people are turned off by the ‘religious’ aspect of a twelve-step program, which is completely understandable. I am not religious at all, and I had a hard time talking about God and other things of that nature. However, I learned that I could go to meetings, take what works for me, and leave the rest. This allowed me to look past some of the parts of the meetings that I didn’t like.
Meetings allowed me to meet other sober people and relate to people going through what I was going through. Going to meetings, getting a sponsor, beginning to work the steps, and really putting together a sober support system is what kept me sober for a while in the beginning. Without support, it’s tough to stop drinking and to stay sober.
That support doesn’t have to be people from AA meetings. Any kind of support you can get is great. AA meetings and the program kept me sober initially, and it was a huge part of my life, but I don’t think that’s the only way to do it.
The best piece of advice I can give to anyone who wants to learn how to stop drinking alcohol is to keep an open mind and be willing to accept help.