Do you have problems with alcohol?Do you doubt whether you are an alcoholic or not?Wondering why you need to drink?If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you are on the right path to recovery.Alcohol kills more than 240 people every day.However, it is scary to admit that you are an addict, and it is difficult to recognize that you are an alcoholic.
Caring for it isn't the hardest part.The hardest part of the journey to sobriety is recognizing yourself as sober in the first place.However, people can recover from alcoholism more often than you might think.It's hard, but it's possible.
GUIDE – HOW TO STAY SOBER
IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM
A drinker tends to think that he is healthy, that alcohol is just a way out of the problem and that he can stop at any time.This is now not the case.Drinking alcohol once becomes a habit and then an insurmountable addiction.As the old saying goes, “The first step is admitting you have a problem.”
If you find yourself comparing your alcohol consumption to that of others, try these three things:
- Ask the right question.Stop wondering whether you are an alcoholic or not.If you are asking yourself this question, you are probably an alcoholic.
- One of them.Instead, ask yourself if alcohol is preventing you from living the life you want.If so, then the first step has been taken;
- Stop comparing.Comparisons are of no use.This is someone else's life.You are a person with a complex, unique destiny.
What if you drink less than Vasya's neighbor who lives down the street?If you have a problem, you have to fight it.Comparing your own alcohol consumption with that of others only leads to self-justification.Think about your future self.Imagine if you had the same drinking habits in five years.Is that what you're aiming for?If not, it's time to solve your drinking problem.Recognizing the problem is the path to recovery.
UNDERSTAND WHY YOU SHOULD STOP DRINKING
Long-term benefits are rarely enough to motivate people to stop drinking.We often prefer instant gratification.Quitting drinking is no exception.The long-term benefit lies solely in maintaining health and well-being.
Here are 4 short-term benefits:
- Get back lost time.
Anna is a moderate drinker.She drinks three times a week, 2-3 drinks a day.Each time she “loses” about 3 hours of productive time while drunk.Every year Anna loses a month and a half.That's a lot of wasted time that could be used productively.Don't forget the extra time Anna loses while recovering from a hangover.
- Find someone to talk to.
Conversations strengthen character and help us grow.These benefits disappear when you are drunk.It may seem terrible to meet new people without drinking, but the damage alcohol does is even worse.
- A reason to get rich.
How easy it is to spend money when buying alcohol;he can easily spend 1000-3000 rubles or more per week.After 6 months, giving up drunkenness can save more than 70,000 rubles, and this is the price of a good trip.Are you ready to pay 12,000 rubles?per month because of health problems?
- Better sleep.
Alcohol is a depressant, meaning it causes exhaustion.It also disrupts sleep patterns and creates an imbalance throughout the body.Stop drinking, it is a guarantee of peace and health.
Quitting alcohol is the healthiest decision you can make.Normalization of weight, improvement of liver function, reduction of cholesterol levels, strengthening of immunity, clear mind, emotional state - these are the small benefits of a sober lifestyle.
MAKE SNEAKYNESS NORMAL
Abstaining from alcohol should be the top priority in your life.Set your own rules and don't break them.Say “no” to yourself, put sobriety on a pedestal and don’t put it away until you understand that your problem is solved.
Don't listen to anyone, listen to yourself. You gave your word - keep it.There should be no obstacles that could stop or change the decision.There is no task that is impossible for a human being;If desired, the mountains are subject to human power.
Fire up your drinking buddies
Easier said than done, right?Whether alcohol is an important part of your social life or just something that brings you together.Difficulties arise when friends and family drink around you.
- Step one- Say you can't be around and drink for a while.
- Step two- Cut out everyone you drank with.This may be the most difficult step in deciding to live a life without alcohol.The most important thing is to remember that true friends understand and support.A strong social circle is the best thing a person has.This includes people who help get out of a vicious environment.
- Step three- Don't isolate yourself.Approach people and inspire them with interesting ideas.Look for an alternative to alcohol.Man is not an animal.He is always passionate about ideas and can and knows how to take actions that improve the quality of life.
Perhaps your sincere desire for a sober life will become contagious to your former comrades and you will be able to pull out yourself and the lost souls, which will enhance the taste of victory.
APPLY YOUR CHOICE
Don't be afraid to tell others about your problem.This increases the responsibility for achieving the goal.Notices can prevent the offer of a drink.If you answer without hesitation to any offer of support from the company that you are an alcoholic, they will no longer tempt you, but they will not stop inviting you to good companies.
A confession is not a boast, it is simply a reason to understand that you are limited in what you can do.Alcohol is too expensive a pleasure that you pay for with your life.
Stop drinking
The first 72 hours are the most difficult part of recovery.As your body rids itself of alcohol, acute withdrawal symptoms occur.Alcoholics experience excruciating pain and often require professional help.
Pain after quitting alcohol is evidence that the body is healing.Withdrawal symptoms can occur as early as six hours after the last sip:
- Increased temperature, increased pressure, difficulty breathing and rapid pulse.
- Excessive sweating.
- Tremor.
- Insomnia.
- In extreme cases, cramps can occur, some of which are life-threatening.
Cleansing the body is an important step in the recovery process.At the same time, many recovering people relapse and seek healing in the same alcohol.In this case, you cannot do without professional help.Don't be afraid of it, medical help is good.This will reduce the pain and make the recovery process much easier.
CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE
- Even if you admit that you have a problem, you need to change your attitude towards the situation.
- Don't be angry with people when they try to help.Don't be afraid to ask for help.
- Don't feel bad about yourself, you've had a difficult journey.Recognize that you are taking the right steps toward recovery.
- Be prepared for difficulties and bad attitudes of others, but you have taken the first step that will not let you stop.
REHABILITATION CENTER
Sometimes it is impossible to give up alcohol alone.You're in too deep to figure things out without professional help.There are both inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation programs available to provide you with the help you need.
The selection allows you to find the necessary program that allows you to pause and change your image.The main thing is to find yourself and enjoy life without alcohol.
2+ WEEKS AFTER RELEASE
It can take up to two weeks for your body to completely detoxify from alcohol.
When the person is discharged, the following symptoms appear:
- Anxiety and depression.
- Feeling of aggression, hostility.
- Weakening of sexual desire.
- Nightmares.
Don't let that bother you.Positive effects cover all negative emotions.
…AND THAT JAZZ
The worst thing can be a craving for alcohol that lasts a lifetime.Even after all traces of alcohol have been removed from the body, the brain still wants to return to its usual chemical balance.But knowing the cause of these symptoms is the key to fighting addiction.
Develop and implement new hobbies and habits that exclude the bottle.Play sports, lead a healthy lifestyle, look for interesting and enthusiastic people who won't let you give up.
It's always helpful to have the support of friends who understand what you're going through.Go to war with your addiction.Recovery is a lifelong process towards a wonderful feeling of freedom.