There is no single advice on what to do to get a person to stop drinking.Each organism and each situation is unique, which means the solution in each specific case will be unique.
Awareness of the problem of the need to give up alcohol
The fight against alcohol addiction begins the moment a person realizes that he is sick.Many alcoholics are confident that they can quit at any time and deny the existence of addiction, but in fact they continue to drink.And it’s not even that people lack willpower.They simply cannot adequately assess the harm they cause to themselves, their health, and their relationships with others.
For such people, the admonitions of loved ones or the arguments of specialists are empty words.Even if they are persuaded to undergo treatment, everything will end, at best, in a short-term abstinence from alcohol, and then the situation will return to its previous course.
So the basis for successful treatment of alcoholism is the alcoholic’s understanding of the problem and his strong desire to change his life.
Finding the reason
It is much easier to fight addiction if you know the cause of its occurrence.The analysis will help you understand what aspects you need to pay special attention to during the treatment process.There are several main factors that cause the development of alcoholism.This is the influence of the environment, numerous stresses, habit, hereditary predisposition.
Most often, a person, upon reflection, can himself determine the main factor that led to addiction to alcohol.A psychotherapist can also help with this.
How did it all start?
It will be useful to remember how the addiction began.This will also help to properly structure further therapy.Perhaps it all started with a couple of bottles of beer in the evenings to relax after a hard day at work.Or colleagues at a new job celebrate all the holidays marked on the calendar.Or maybe alcohol helped to forget about frequent family quarrels.
Gradually, the habit becomes more and more ingrained, and now alcohol is consumed more and more often, and on weekends the dose doubles.
State of affairs today
Most often, people come to the understanding that it is time to stop drinking when the addiction is already quite strong.A person drinks almost every day, the amount of alcohol increases, the body gradually begins to malfunction, family relationships deteriorate, and problems begin at work.
One of these factors or a combination of them can play a dominant role in a person’s decision to give up alcohol.The decisive factor may be the wife’s application for divorce, dismissal, or a sharp deterioration in her health.
It’s not easy to make such a decision, but it’s even harder to start acting in the right direction.Moreover, it practically does not matter what exactly a person refuses.Stopping drinking wine is as difficult as stopping drinking vodka.
Quitting drinking is not as easy as it seems
Despite what many coaches promise, there is no easy way to stop drinking on your own.Quitting alcohol, especially after prolonged abuse, is always stressful for the body and psyche.
If physical dependence has already been formed, then at first the person will suffer from poor health.Thus, the body will require the usual dose of ethanol, which it has already managed to integrate into metabolic processes.
In addition, studies have proven that some time after a person stops drinking, he begins to experience mental disorders (growing anxiety, irritation, a sharp deterioration in mood).Symptoms like these are one of the main reasons why many people relapse.The main thing is to be patient and go through the withdrawal period.
How to stop drinking correctly?
There are two main ways to stop drinking.The first, as a softer one, suggests gradually giving up alcohol.It consists in the fact that the doses of alcohol are gradually reduced until they become acceptable or reach zero.The advantages of the method include a low likelihood of withdrawal symptoms.But the huge disadvantage is that the risk of failure is very high.
The second method involves a sharp and complete cessation of alcohol.The advantage of the method can be considered its high efficiency due to the absence of relaxing factors in the form of an authorized dose.The disadvantages include a high likelihood of developing withdrawal symptoms.The method is not recommended for people who are on a drinking binge.
It is strongly recommended that the choice of technique be entrusted to a narcologist, who will make a decision based on the patient’s condition.
Eliminating the causes of alcoholism
Having identified the factors that caused the development of addiction, those who quit drinking must eliminate them in order to quit drinking alcohol as quickly as possible.If alcoholism is caused by constant stress and anxiety, you should try to find a solution to existing problems and reduce the likelihood of stressful situations to a minimum.
If the main reason for drinking is the company of persistent friends, you should change your social circle.The usual evening pastime with a bottle on the sofa in front of the TV can be replaced with a walk or going to the gym.
Help from a narcologist, taking medications
One of the most effective ways to stop drinking alcohol is to take special medications.Based on their operating principle, they are divided into three groups:
- eliminating hangover symptoms;
- reducing cravings for alcohol;
- causing aversion to alcohol.
These tools are quite good at helping to overcome addiction, especially in the early stages, but there are situations when coding is indispensable (in particular, if the disease is advanced).
Recently, in addition to medications, dietary supplements that reduce the desire for alcohol and help you quit drinking are gaining popularity.
Help from a psychotherapist
Those who want to quit drinking without coding should consult a psychotherapist as soon as possible.Many techniques have been developed to rid a person of addiction.Some are based on hypnotic influence, while others use the principle of emotional stress therapy.
But you should not hope that one session with a specialist will guarantee a cure.Most likely, you will need a fairly long course and, of course, the desire and active work of the patient himself.
Group therapy
Communication with those who find themselves in a similar situation and are trying to get rid of addiction will be very useful.It is much easier to force yourself not to drink alcohol when you know that you are not alone and can always get support from people who understand you like no one else.
Such communication can be found in Alcoholics Anonymous clubs or on special websites on the Internet.There people exchange useful techniques, opinions, share their achievements and mistakes.
Physical activity
Physical activity promotes the production of endorphins - hormones of happiness.For a person who quits drinking, physical activity will help not only lift their mood, but also get in shape, improve their health, and tighten their muscles.
The main thing is to act step by step and not overload an already weakened body.A good place to start is swimming, running, rollerblading, skating or cycling.You can go to the gym or go to yoga.
Healthy lifestyle
The best way to start a new life is to give up both alcohol and other bad habits on your own.Smoking, gambling, gluttony - all these addictions often accompany alcoholism.
Alcohol and nicotine addiction are especially common.After drinking alcohol, it is difficult to do without smoking, and smoking gives rise to a habitual desire to drink for many.Therefore, to prevent a person from drinking, it is necessary to remove all provoking factors, including cigarettes.
Additional help with folk remedies
It is very difficult to quit drinking forever using only folk remedies, but they will be an excellent addition to other methods of getting rid of addiction.
The following herbs are recognized as the most effective in treating alcoholism:
- hoofweed;
- lovage;
- sagebrush;
- centaury;
- thyme;
- St. John's wort.
Decoctions and infusions of these herbs cause an aversion to alcoholic beverages.Some of the listed plants have quite a strong effect, so they must be used with caution, following the indicated recipe and dosage.It is best not to self-medicate, but to consult a doctor.
What are the benefits of quitting alcohol?
Recovery from alcoholism helps restore lost health, normalize the functioning of internal organs, and improve the condition of the nervous system.In addition, a person who decides to give up alcohol reduces stress levels, improves relationships with people, and restores damaged social connections.
Health
After a person stops drinking alcohol altogether, a certain amount of time passes until all toxic substances are completely eliminated from the body.Next, the recovery process will begin, which will take quite a long time, but the first results can be seen quite quickly.
After quitting alcohol:
- immunity becomes stronger, a person suffers diseases less often and more easily;
- the functioning of internal organs (liver, pancreas, gastrointestinal tract, kidneys) is improved;
- the condition of blood vessels improves;
- brain functions are restored;
- appearance improves (condition of skin, hair, teeth, nails), the person looks younger and healthier.
Personal life
Quitting alcohol also has an extremely positive effect on your personal life.The opportunity appears:
- restore family and friendships;
- gain peace of mind and self-confidence;
- engage in self-realization;
- find new goals in life.
Society
After giving up alcohol consumption, a person’s social life also changes, and he gradually returns to society.This may be expressed in the following:
- the appearance of new acquaintances;
- the opportunity to get a new promising job or promotion;
- topics for communication with people that do not relate to alcohol gradually appear;
- the person again feels like a full-fledged, respected member of society.
How to refuse to drink in company?
Everyone who quits drinking sooner or later faces the question of how to stop drinking in company.It's important to understand that your own health comes first, and there's nothing weird or shameful about saying no when asked to drink.This must be done politely but confidently so that the proposer understands and accepts the answer.If someone continues to insist, despite the voiced refusal, you should exclude communication with such individuals.
You can motivate your decision and avoid unnecessary questions under the pretext of taking antibiotics, getting tested quickly, or the need to drive.
It is necessary to learn to firmly refuse alcohol and over time such offers will come less and less often.Moreover, most often holidays are spent in the company of relatives and friends, and these people usually know that a person is quitting drinking and will not offer him alcohol.
Conclusion
A person makes the decision to stop being an alcoholic on his own; no one can do it for him.But this decision is the first and, perhaps, the most important step on the path to healing.All further difficulties can be overcome if you firmly pursue your goal.The main thing to remember is that there will definitely be a sure way to get rid of addiction.