Stopping drinking can be a difficult task. We’ve just gone through a period called “Dry January”, in which many people try to give up the substance for a month. Some with great success, others not so much, experiencing firsthand just how addictive alcohol can be.
The number of people suffering from alcohol addiction is forever rising, and if you’re looking to address a problem that you think you may have with it, then here are some top tips…
Seek Help
Firstly, if you don’t believe it’s something you are able to tackle on your own, then there’s absolutely no shame in reaching out for help. In fact, it’s the single best thing you can do.
There are a lot of alcohol treatment options out there for you, from home detox support to alcohol rehab centers, which have full programs in order to get you through withdrawal, into treatment, and then recovery.
Alongside this, there are so many support groups out there that can offer the help, encouragement, and advice needed to get through even the most difficult periods when giving up alcohol.
Understand how Alcohol is Affecting you
If you want to give up alcohol, then it’s probably at a point where it is affecting your health, even if you may think it is only in minor ways. Consider how you feel after drinking, and what that does to you.
For example, you could be struggling with:
- Sleep problems
- Digestion issues
- Memory problems
- An increase in anxiety and depression
- Strained relationships
A combination of these can really affect both physical and mental well-being and understanding alcohol is playing a large part in that can be a catalyst to doing something about it.
Set yourself Goals for Giving Up
Consider the best approach for you to give up alcohol. Is it rehabilitation and seeking professional help? Perhaps as a starting point, you may wish to cut it down. Think about what that involves too.
Is it you want to set yourself a weekly target of drinking only one or two nights per week? That can then be built upon and eventually cut down further.
Alternatively, you may want to go without alcohol for a week and reassess. Can that turn into two, three, or four? Set yourself small goals in order to achieve the big one of giving up completely. This will make it much more manageable and feel more achievable, particularly if you do also set a support network in place.