Monitor how your body responds to alcohol, as well as how you feel when you don’t drink. But most people have a hard time discerning when they’ve gone beyond moderate drinking and should consider cutting back, according to Koob. If a setback happens, get back on track as quickly as possible. Research shows that most people who drink heavily, even those tips to quit drinking with AUD, can cut back significantly or quit. If you think you might have alcohol use disorder (AUD) and decide to stop drinking completely, don’t go it alone. Loosid community members also operate 24/7 hotline support groups to help people with recovery, relapse, getting through bad days, resisting urges, and dealing with holidays or other triggers.
How to Know When It’s Time to Cut Back
- She realized that she used alcohol as a reward for a hard week’s work.
- Whether your goal is long-term or short-term sobriety, this is the wrong mindset.
- I did it, but I wish someone had warned me about the emotional challenges I’d face when I quit drinking.
And just as people learn to eat less by counting calories, she learned to count her drinks and set limits. There are also support groups such as Moderation Management, which aims to help drinkers who are trying to cut back. Problems with alcohol run the gamut from mild to severe. And there are as many kinds of drinkers along the continuum as there are personality types. You need to find new hobbies to take the place of things you used to do while drinking. You need to find new activities and people to socialize with if all of your previous social activities revolve around boredom.
How to stop drinking: Step-by-step guide to giving up alcohol
- Those who are physically dependent may experience alcohol withdrawal when they quit — especially if they quit suddenly.
- It’s proven successful for people who are seeking a different path to sobriety.
- Knowing what to expect will not only help lessen the impact of your withdrawal symptoms, but also help you meet your goal of quitting caffeine.
Take the assessment and get matched with a professional, licensed therapist. You can learn to manage them by distracting yourself or using things like mindfulness or visualization. Medications like naltrexone and gabapentin can also help decrease cravings. By Kendra Cherry, MSEdKendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the «Everything Psychology Book.» It is important to remember that one size does not fit all.
If you slip, return to your plan.
People with severe problems, such as those who keep on drinking even after they lose jobs or get DUIs, need treatment to stop drinking completely. Implementing these new habits takes time, but reducing or eliminating your alcohol consumption is worth it. Even if you’ve only been sober for 1 day, there’s someone who can use your guidance that is at day 0.
A different way to get sober
