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The simple way to stop drinking I was a chronic alcoholic for more than 25 years. I started every day with a drink and rarely stayed sober. Over the course of my life, my alcoholism cost me numerous romantic relationships, friendships, jobs, and even nearly my life on several occasions. The sad thing was that I knew alcoholism was killing me, but I didn’t do anything about it. Even though I mentioned ceasing, when it came to “putting my money where my mouth was,” I was unable to halt because I did not want to. Fortunately, I eventually awoke, acknowledged the harm my alcoholism was doing, and resolved to act on it before it killed me.
Why should you give up alcohol?
Your quality of life and the lives of everyone you associate with will improve if you stop drinking. You are less likely to harm yourself or others and develop serious health issues. Your relationships with family, friends, and coworkers will improve, and your children will be less likely to follow in your footsteps. There are a few good reasons not to drink:
Save your relationships with your family by preventing irreparable damage to your liver and brain. If you are pregnant, drinking will harm your unborn child and cause conditions like fetal alcohol syndrome.
Improve your productivity at home, at work, or in school. Avoid potential legal issues related to alcohol, like drinking and driving. Avoid an unwanted pregnancy.
I think that going it alone is the best way to stop drinking; it will be hard at times, but you will come out stronger and with more power. A “higher power” isn’t necessary; all you need is yourself and the conviction to stop drinking. You probably don’t realize how strong and capable you are—I didn’t at the time, but I do now!
If you want to stop drinking, follow these steps.
Set a date for when you will stop drinking and decide why you want to stop. Inform your loved ones of your intention to quit drinking and ask them to be considerate and refrain from drinking with you at first. Try not to drink for 30 days; I read once that breaking a habit takes 30 days. Change is the most difficult thing we face in life, and changing learned behavior is difficult but doable. It won’t take long before you feel at ease being around alcohol without being bothered by it, and the new good behavior will also become a habit.
Accept that alcoholism is a learned behavior and a “choice.” The alcoholism disease model is flawed because it implies that we have little to no control over our behavior. You are committing to doing so each time you reach for the bottle.
You can take steps today to stop drinking, but I bet that’s a little scary, isn’t it? You can stop drinking today. The issue is that a portion of you really doesn’t want to quit, and I wouldn’t be surprised if you felt panicked just thinking about it. To succeed, you must really want to quit; otherwise, you are wasting your time. Are you willing to give up drinking?
I was able to quit drinking because of the following:
Be aware of your drinking patterns and learn what makes you drink and how to avoid doing so. It’s possible that you need to evaluate the places you frequent or the business you keep.
Make a list: Make a list of all the reasons you want to stop drinking, as well as all the problems and negative effects that it has caused. The disputes, fights, and job losses, among other things
Make an appointment to see a doctor to find out how severe your addiction is and what medications are available to help you get through withdrawal. Take your previous list with you so that you don’t forget anything and be completely honest with your doctor about how much you drink. When I found out that I was drinking more than ten times the safe limit, I was horrified.
I had been an alcoholic for a long time, but I was able to stop drinking at home without having to go to the hospital. However, I needed medication to help me get through the withdrawal process. Diazepam was prescribed to me for a week, and it was very helpful. Additionally, the doctor may recommend medication, such as Antabuse, which makes you feel sick if you drink. This kind of drug will only keep you sober while you are using it, not for the long term, in my opinion.
Recognizing your alcoholism or other addiction is the first step toward recovery. Your alcoholism is a “learned condition,” which means that it is a habit that you have developed over time. Maybe you became physically dependent like I did, but you can get through the withdrawal process with medication, and then all you have to do is “unlearn” the habit. It really isn’t that hard, and I truly believe that anyone can quit drinking on their own if they can do it.
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