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For example, some people choose to write a list of reasons why they want to stop drinking alcohol, and revisit the list to remind themselves after a relapse. You may want to speak with a loved one or therapist about a strategy to prevent relapses from happening. Eating nutritious food, exercising, and getting enough sleep can help reduce some withdrawal symptoms, such as mood swings. If don’t have much of an appetite, you may want to take a multivitamin or drink a beverage high in electrolytes, such as a sports drink. If you take prescription medication, continue to take it as directed.
Medication to Help with Alcohol Cravings
- For example, AUD patients with major depression have significantly more relapses.
- When not drinking, you might begin to notice feelings of anxiety or other emotional distress, along with strong cravings for alcohol.
- For example, keeping the home alcohol-free may prevent people from drinking.
- It’s common to have a difficult time when making big changes, but good self-care practices can help you manage overwhelming feelings and take care of your mind and body.
- Some people shouldn’t drink at all, especially if you have a history of addiction problems or a close relative with an addiction or mental health issue.
People can also use a drinking diary to examine their reasons for abstaining on certain days and the effectiveness of their strategies to avoid drinking. Support can come via therapy, support programs, family, and friends. Teaming up with another person can help people stay accountable. This article explores different strategies on how to stop drinking alcohol. Reducing the amount of alcohol you drink can improve your short- and long-term health. For example, every evening (or the following morning, if you forget), write down how many drinks you drank, where you were, and with whom.
Staying Healthy
We do not offer individual medical advice, diagnosis or treatment plans. For personal advice, please consult with a medical professional. Prepare yourself for those times when someone is going to offer you a drink. You might also hold onto a nonalcoholic https://sober-house.org/how-is-drug-addiction-related-to-your-genes-and/ drink instead, ask a friend to support you in difficult situations or simply exit early if temptation gets too strong, the NIAAA suggests. If you drink to ease the pain of loneliness, then make a conscious effort to connect with others.
Reasons Why It’s Never Too Late to Seek Treatment for AUD
Understanding and recognizing these factors will help you reduce or manage cravings more effectively. Moderation gives you control of your drinking and allows you to take back control of your life. Below are some specific strategies to try, and you can add your own at the end.
Main Content
According to researchers, self-affirmation can help a person stay on track even in a threatening environment. American Addiction Centers (AAC) is committed to delivering original, truthful, accurate, unbiased, and medically current information. We strive to create content https://rehabliving.net/dangers-of-quitting-alcohol-cold-turkey/ that is clear, concise, and easy to understand. When you consider how to go about giving up alcohol, account for factors like how much you drink and your reasons for drinking. You may also consider joining an online support group to help you feel less alone.
Set Personal Goals
In general, blood pressure might go down by about 1 mm Hg with each kilogram (about 2.2 pounds) of weight lost. You’re likely to be in situations where you’ll be offered a drink. And practice what you might say as a follow-up explanation if someone ask. There’s a reason you’ve reached the decision to quit or cut back. Whether it’s improved relationships, better health, or weight loss, keeping the “why” in sight can help boost your motivation.
A modern, online approach allows you to receive guidance and support whenever you need it, and on your own schedule. While binge drinking alcohol may not seem problematic because the occurrence doesn’t happen frequently, every time you binge drink, it poses a risk to your health. Bingeing https://sober-home.org/break-the-cycle-of-addiction-with-these-strategies/ has both short- and long-term risks, including alcohol poisoning, increased risk of a stroke or heart attack, and damage to the heart, brain, and liver. New research has found that psilocybin reduces alcohol consumption in rats by altering the left nucleus accumbens in the brain.
Drink plenty of fluids, but you don’t have to drink just water. Keep it interesting and varied with sparkling water, virgin cocktails (also known as mocktails), fruit juices, low-fat milk, or kombucha. Keep in mind that fruit juice and kombucha may be high in sugar. Remove all alcohol from your home or ask a friend or family member to do it for you. This includes beer, wine, and liquor, as well as products that contain alcohol such as rubbing alcohol and vanilla extract. Doctors, nutritionists, and counselors can help people stay on track to stop drinking.
Setting a goal to stop drinking alcohol requires a person to be aware of their reasons for this behavioral change. The goal of a moderation program is to support a person’s journey toward understanding their drinking behavior and create a safe environment for them to explore how to drink moderately. If you are reading this, you are well on your way to understanding yourself better and getting what you want and need in life. Many addiction therapists recommend one drink per hour as another way of limiting oneself. Since alcohol leaves the bloodstream at about .02 blood alcohol content (BAC) per hour, this will most likely keep your BAC at a reasonably safe level.
You might reach for alcohol when you’re really just thirsty, says Crews. Drink a cup of soothing tea or a tall glass of water before you imbibe—once your thirst is quenched, you may not feel the need for as much—or any—alcohol. If you identify with any of the scenarios above, try the expert tips below for reducing your alcohol consumption (or even eliminating it altogether). People experience diabetes in different ways, and some may not even realize they have it until complications develop. This is why you need to to act if you suspect you have diabetes as it can lead to serious health concerns like vision loss, kidney disease, and stroke if left untreated. If levels are too low, you may need to eat or drink 15 grams of a fast-acting carbohydrate, such as three or four glucose tablets, four or five hard candies, or a 1/2 cup of fruit juice.
Sodium’s effect on blood pressure varies among groups of people. But for most adults, it’s ideal to limit sodium to 1,500 mg a day or less. Doing that may lower high blood pressure by about 5 to 6 mm Hg. Regular aerobic exercise can lower high blood pressure by about 5 to 8 mm Hg. It’s important to keep exercising to keep blood pressure from rising again. As a general goal, aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day.
For women, the number is no more than three per day and seven per week. Whether you’re sober curious, know for sure you’re ready to quit, or fall somewhere in between, Dr. Streem shares advice for how to stop drinking. If you’re living with alcohol use disorder (also known as alcoholism), you’ll likely benefit from additional medical interventions. If you’ve become dependent on alcohol, cutting it out of your life may produce withdrawal symptoms, such as a rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, sweating and shaking.
Your Care Team will recommend a combination of prescribed medication, alcohol therapy, and community support to get you from where you are to where you want to be. It’s important to know that a binge drinking habit can be treated with the right tools. You can make a change to reduce those risks and lead a healthier life.
