If a drinker wonders how he can stop drinking alcohol on his own, then this is already the first step in combating alcohol addiction. A psychiatrist and narcologist shares his professional experience on how to help a person solve this problem and achieve success in the independent fight against the green snake.
Is it always possible to stop drinking on your own and how not to miss this opportunity?
If we talk about the stages of development of alcoholism, it is possible to stop drinking forever at the first stage, when only psychological dependence on alcohol has been formed. In the second stage, the problem is aggravated and complicated by the integration of ethyl alcohol into metabolic processes with the development of physical dependence. At this stage, it is possible for the patient to stop drinking alcohol, but it is extremely difficult. In the third and final phase of alcoholism, the patient does not even have the question of how he can stop drinking alcohol on his own. He is no longer able to adequately assess the situation, the desire for alcohol becomes irresistible, has a physiological character and is complicated by the development of a number of psychological, neurological and somatic disorders. In this case, you will have to resort to compulsory treatment for alcoholism.
Therefore, it is important not to ignore the first signs of alcohol addiction, analyze the situation and strive to overcome the craving for alcohol. A person should pay attention to the following points:
Switch from occasional drinking to regular drinking. If you used to drink only on holidays and no more than once a week, but now you regularly drink every Friday after work in a "warm" company, you should think about it and try to stop this dangerous tradition. Harmless alcoholic gatherings on Friday could soon become a problemLibations on Saturday, hangovers on Sunday and the development of alcoholism on weekends continue. And this is a direct path to severe alcoholization of the body with all the resulting negative consequences for mental and physical health, problems with loved ones and work.
Increased alcohol consumption and difficulty controlling. Lack of a sense of proportion does not allow a person to stop drinking alcohol in a timely manner and becomes the cause of severe alcohol poisoning.
Change in social environment and leisure time. Old friends become uninteresting, the addict prefers the company of drinking friends, previous hobbies are replaced by the search for ways to satisfy a more attractive alcoholic hobby.
A rather ominous sign of the beginning of the transition from stage 1 of alcoholism to stage 2 is an increase in alcohol tolerance, when an increasing amount of alcohol is required to achieve the effect. It is manifested in the fact that the patient can drink a lot of alcohol without causing obvious intoxication and a subsequent hangover. Many even brag about their "superpower" without realizing that this is a sign of the progression of alcohol addiction.
Celebrate only with alcohol and invent new reasons for drinking. The most typical is stress relief, for which there are more than enough reasons in our daily lives. Any holiday or sad date, even an insignificant event, can be a reason to celebrate with alcohol.
Difficulty communicating with family, friends and work colleagues. Without the usual dose of alcohol, a person becomes irritable, suspicious, restless, aggressive, his autonomic nervous system suffers, and inadequate mental reactions to the actions and words of others appear.
In addition, it is possible that ethyl alcohol has negative effects on the liver, manifested by nausea, vomiting and digestive problems. In practice, damage can occur to any organ, especially to those that were originally affected by a disease. For example, in hypertensive patients, blood pressure problems worsen; with weakened pancreatic function, alcoholic pancreatitis can develop; the kidneys suffer from the constant diuretic and toxic effects of alcohol.
What psychological atmosphere should contribute to solving the problem of how to stop drinking alcohol on your own?
To rephrase this question, we can put it this way: How can you stop drinking alcohol at home on your own? Of course, this can only happen in a favorable psychological environment at home and at work. The most important thing required of others is:
Minimize all temptations. In conversations about parties and corporate events, you should not mention alcohol, have a supply of it in the house, combine vacations and picnics with drinking alcoholic beverages, and visit wine and vodka shops. It is also necessary to avoid drinking binges.
It is obligatory to reward a drinker's achievements, even if he has abstained from drinking for just one day. The difficult journey of self-healing from alcoholism requires the full support of family and friends.
Maximum involvement of the addict in family leisure, joint events for a healthy lifestyle. These include games with children, family walks and trips to nature, sports, hikes with non-drinking friends. You can even get a pet, especially a dog, with which you have to walk regularly, thereby teaching the drinker self-discipline and responsibility.
Creating such an atmosphere will help restore the joy of life without alcohol, the joy of a previously loved activity, easy human communication, the beauty of nature and a breath of fresh air without the admixture of alcohol fumes.
What are your specific recommendations for how to stop drinking?
To stop drinking alcohol, I can give the following practical tips:
Before you stop drinking on your own, design an action plan that analyzes the causes of your addiction. Before doing this, it is still advisable to consult a psychiatrist-narcologist who will tell you how best to get rid of a dangerous addiction. You may be able to stop drinking immediately and forever, or perhaps it is better for you to gradually reduce your dose of alcohol. Try to strictly adhere to the developed plan regarding the amount and frequency of alcohol consumption. At the same time, the number of sober days per week should be greater than the number of "drunk" days.
To control the entire process of self-healing, keep a diary in which you carefully track what you drink, note all your successes and moments of stressful situations. Pay special attention to situations in which you felt the desire to use alcohol to solve problems and how you courageously refused this opportunity.
You can visualize your desires by hanging posters in your apartment with slogans about the dangers of alcohol, your photos before and after alcohol abuse, drawings or photographs on the topic of your ideas about happiness - a family photo with the happy faces of loved ones, a model of a car, that you want to buy, a piece of paradise outside the city, admiring work colleagues, etc.
Avoid companies where alcohol is an integral part of leisure activity. Drinking buddies will never be your allies.
Do not relax with alcohol on the weekend, but rather enjoy your enjoyment while communicating with loved ones or on the sports field. Physical activity promotes the production of the happiness hormone, which can completely replace alcoholic euphoria. Confidence in your strength and fitness will help you manage stress and increase your sense of independence.
Do a job or hobby that you love. This benefits your intellect and distracts you from constant thoughts about drinking. Do something good for yourself at least three times a day - for example, buy your favorite fruit at the market, buy an interesting book at the bookstore, buy a new hook or fishing lure at the sporting goods store. Don't save money on this, believe me, a bottle of vodka will cost no less, but will do much more harm.
Try to discuss your problem with the people around you who have already quit alcohol. Don't hesitate to ask them for advice; As a rule, such people are willing to share their successes and methods in dealing with alcohol addiction with their fellow sufferers.
Adjust your daily routine, get enough sleep and eat right. Avoid foods that used to be a popular snack when drinking - spicy, salty, dried, etc. For example, dried gobies can be a trigger for drinking beer.
Mornings and waking up should always be pleasant - the usual sweet "stretches", invigorating water procedures, a delicious breakfast, favorite music and even "hugs" with your faithful dog.
Drink plenty of water - this intensively removes alcohol residues and its breakdown products from the body.
Don't get tired of praising yourself for every sober day or resisting the temptation to drink. "Oh, well done! "This will help create a positive emotional background and increase self-confidence.
And also learn to say no to persistent offers to drink. Of course, you cannot completely do without parties or corporate events; the conditions of modern life often require such communication. Remember, you don't have to drink alcohol just because it's offered to you. Be diplomatic, polite, but firmly refuse to drink alcohol. Don't be afraid to seem like a black sheep, because that's better than depending on the next dose of alcohol and turning into an avid alcoholic. Then society will definitely turn its back on you.
Remember that it is not always possible to get a positive result on the first try. However, this should not stop you from getting rid of alcohol addiction. The key to quitting alcohol for good is method and persistence. Whatever you do, don't be disappointed; In any case, on the second or third try you will be able to lead a completely sober lifestyle. You may need professional psychological support, but this is only possible if you have weak willpower and an unstable nervous system. Accept help in any form - there is nothing wrong with that, it just gives you a wider range of effective options for recovering from addiction on your own.