How to stop drinking on your own

Alcoholism is a disease characterized by alcohol dependence. It in turn consists of two main components: mental and physical, so before answering the question "How to quit drinking alcohol on your own? " it is important to consider the causes and factors in the formation of addiction.

Causes of excessive drinking

1. genetic factors.While alcohol dependence does exist, research on alcohol dependence shows the following statistics: Children of alcohol-dependent parents have an average of 1/4 increased risk of developing alcoholism. This allows us to assert that social and psychological factors play a major role in the development of the disease, while genetics is the favorable "background" that leads to the progression of alcoholism.
2. social factorsRepresents a set of causes and life circumstances that stimulate a person to drink.
   • Pressure from others - in which a person starts drinking "socially" to avoid being different from the rest of the group, to maintain tradition or to fit in better, etc. ;
   • Unsatisfactory or complex professional activities - occupations that take a lot of time, are boring, wrongly choose jobs that do not meet personal needs and interests, and involve excessive physical and mental stress, high risks and responsibilities;
   • Unsatisfactory quality of life – unfavorable living conditions or unpleasant neighbourhoods, financial difficulties, malnutrition, lack of stable income.
3. psychological reasonsBasically, they represent an inability to adapt to the realities of life and a lack of confidence in oneself and one's strengths. They mainly consist of the following factors:
   • Demonstrative behavior - Deliberately attracting the attention of the public or a small group of people;
   • Lack of trusting relationships and opportunities to voice "painful issues";
   • Internal inconsistency with the ideal self-image - low self-esteem, self-blame, self-blame;
   • Impossibility of personal self-realization - lack of family, difficulties in relations with parents ("I am a bad son", etc. );
   • Drinking is a way to get rid of psychological "blocks" - timidity, shyness, anxiety;
   • Fears, phobias, increased anxiety, paranoia;
   • The need to relieve tension, the inability to overcome stress independently, and psycho-emotional stress.

So, the list of factors is quite extensive, and before you start looking for answers on how to quit drinking, you should understand what may be causing your addiction to alcohol. However, not every drinker is ready to analyze the background of the problem and determine the causes of addiction; moreover, during the existence of alcohol, people have acquired a large number of myths that "justify" harmful cravings for the bottle. The main introduction is as follows.

Myths about alcohol

Alcohol is the best assistant in fighting disease

This is a common misconception about many physical diseases and conditions. It is believed that a glass of alcohol can help fight colds and hypothermia, "sterilize" the intestines, relieve headaches and lower blood pressure. Even pregnant women can drink alcohol from a variety of sources in moderation—and a glass of red wine every now and then can boost your mood, relieve stress on your cardiovascular system, and improve your mood. However, even if alcohol temporarily stabilizes the condition, it will not help defeat the disease and is a toxic substance that will only worsen the condition. It should be remembered that there is no therapeutic dose, but there is always a risk of complications and the development of a stable addiction.

Alcohol relieves stress

In fact, drinking alcohol not only fails to solve the problem or eliminate the source of stress, but instead adds new difficulties. In addition, a person forgets how to relax himself, regulate his mental state, and loses the ability to bear the troubles of life. Damage to the nervous system leads to greater sensitivity to external factors and reduced resistance to stress, creating a vicious cycle that becomes increasingly difficult for drinkers to escape.

Alcohol is not a drug

Although alcohol is legal and widely available, the mechanisms for developing dependence on alcohol are the same as for potent narcotic substances. The only difference is the period of time to establish a lasting dependency. Withdrawal syndrome also differs, but both conditions occur when the body stops receiving the substance it normally does. In addition, the treatment of alcoholism and drug addiction has the most similar stages: detoxification procedures, work of the anesthetist, psychological and social recovery.

It's normal to drink alcohol occasionally

Events such as weddings, birthdays, funerals, company parties, etc. are always accompanied by communal drinking. However, they are not reasons to drink, but rather reasons to justify one's own weakness and inability to stand up to the majority. Traditionally, there is no direct correlation between certain events and drinking; for most people, this correlation is simply due to the example of an authoritative adult - however, this does not mean that you need to blindly follow such "traditions" andSet an appropriate drinking level. Set an example for your children.

It’s normal to rarely drink alcohol

As mentioned above, cultural specificities presuppose quite frequent drinking - a large number of holidays, ceremonial feasts, traditional "Fridays" before the weekend. . . Against the background of frequent drinking by friends, acquaintances and friends, colleagues, a personMay appear to drink very little. When a person becomes accustomed to drinking, personal norms change—the person still believes they have not picked up the habit and drinks less.

I drink "for courage"

People often drink to feel confident, to decide to take a certain course of action, or to meet a good person, or to have a spiritual conversation with a friend or acquaintance. But the joy of communication does not lie in shared drinking - when feelings of inferiority, prejudice against oneself, and lack of confidence in one's own attractiveness and power prevent one from forming social connections, one should communicate deeply. Work on yourself instead of turning to glass. As a result, we find that the real and imagined causes of alcoholism are very different, which can lead to confusion in the drinker. However, if he wants to overcome his craving for alcohol, he should follow the following tips and rules.

Tips on how to stop drinking on your own

The first and most important advice is to overcome the strong desire for alcohol. However, in order for it to form, certain conditions must be met.

appropriate time

Most often, the desire to quit dangerous habits occurs after a hearty "feast" - a person feels so bad that he often promises not to drink again.

Stimulate

How do you quit drinking if you have nothing or no one to quit drinking with? In general, compelling arguments are needed to support sober living.

Take care of your health

Few drinkers realize the harm they are doing to themselves – they know drinking is harmful, but they don’t realize what binge drinking actually means. Perhaps documentaries, articles, books, and personal negative experiences from friends about the dangers of alcohol can help with this goal.

Caring for loved ones

It is well known that excessive alcohol consumption affects not only the psyche of the addict but also that of those around him. It's important to remember that your loved ones - parents, spouse, children - are your closest circle and often ask how to convince a loved one to stop drinking. This is a good incentive to start living sober.

Desire to maintain social status, career, wealth

Many drinkers realize that a degeneration process is beginning: the quality of work decreases, efficiency decreases, and soon you will lose your job. Alcohol is also a barrier to career advancement.In fact, everyone may have their own motivations—someone is experiencing moral shock, someone is afraid of divorcing a spouse who imposes an ultimatum, someone does not want to lose his or her moral integrity. You need to determine which areas of your life are most important and understand how alcohol affects them.

accept changes

It happens that the main question is not "How to stop drinking? " but "What to do after you stop drinking? ". What to do on Friday night? How to go to a fishing "party" with friends and besties? What to do at a wedding or birthday? In this case, you should remember some pleasant changes - sober fun, pleasant pastimes, not having to "get sick" after the feast, etc. , and the new way of life will form naturally and easily.

ability to relax

Learning relaxation techniques is not only needed by those who habitually drink due to stress, but also by everyone who is determined to quit drugs. Withdrawal syndrome, stress from life changes, pressure from others—all of these may require the ability to adjust yourself in the right way. This can be done by:

• meditation;
• self-massage;
• Breathing exercises etc.

Some people find it helpful to simply count to 10 and take deep breaths; others require deep spiritual practice and serious practice. You need to find something that helps you.

Exercise can help shift your focus

Not only does physical activity take up most of your time, it also contributes to your overall health, releasing "happiness hormones" that make your life rich and colorful, allowing you to feel the joy of moderation. Yoga, running, swimming, skiing, horseback riding, etc. can promote this.

Interests and hobbies make life interesting again

In order for a person to realize their potential, strong family relationships and a job they enjoy are not enough. It's also important to do things you enjoy - creativity not only promotes relaxation, but also boosts confidence and, in some cases, even leads to success. Read books, make crafts, wood carve, write poetry, even write your own blog, one of the topics is "How to stop drinking? " – you need to find your hidden potential and give it a way out.

Psychological Work on Yourself – Advice for Drinkers

Virtually every drinker suffers from a range of psychological problems: feelings of guilt, self-doubt, embarrassment, an inability to form trusting relationships with others, a feeling of "abandonment" - this is just a small part of the list of typical feelings and states. . You need to work on it: maybe completing a 12-step treatment program or a counseling session will help overcome the obstacles that have arisen; maybe you can do it on your own. However, this is mandatory because eliminating the root cause of the problem is the key to success.

Other ways to handle alcohol

Traditional medicine can also help treat alcoholism. It seems, how can folk remedies help you stop drinking? However, there are several common ways to reduce your craving for alcohol.

How to help yourself with decoctions?

A decoction of thyme herb can cause vomiting and an aversion to alcohol. Brew 15 grams of dried herbs with 2 cups of boiling water, cook for 10-15 minutes, then add a little boiling water to bring to original volume. Take it twice a day in the ratio of 50ml/15ml vodka.

Tea as part of the treatment for alcohol addiction

Mix Ivan tea and thyme in a ratio of 5/1, brew with boiling water, and simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes. Once the tea has cooled to the desired temperature (not scalding), add a little honey. You should drink water when you want it, up to 5 glasses a day.Although there is plenty of advice on how to stop drinking on your own, only a small percentage of people who crave alcohol succeed. In most cases, full recovery requires going to a drug rehab center for detoxification treatment, followed by social and psychological rehabilitation.