Many people need a few tries before they quit smoking for good. If that concerns you, make a plan to exercise and be physically active when you quit—it may distract you from your cravings and is important for healthy aging. Many Australians enjoy a drink but drinking too much alcohol can significantly increase your risk of illness, tips to quit drinking injury and death. “The best strategy we’ve found [for reducing alcohol] is getting people to count their drinks,” Dr Jongenelis says. Plan to arm yourself with some one-liners that you can throw out to your friends or colleagues as to why you’re not drinking, says psychologist Michelle Jongenelis from Curtin University.
Its comprehensive treatment programs address not only substance use but also any other accompanying mental health disorders. In this way, The Recovery Village offers a full spectrum of care for your path to recovery. If you are currently drinking more than the recommended guidelines, any change that you make—even small changes—can help you reduce the harm that alcohol can cause.
Understand Detox
Naltrexone is available as either a daily pill (available under the brand names Depade and ReVia) or a once-per-month injection (available under the brand name Vivitrol). Research suggests that naltrexone can be helpful for reducing drinking, particularly when combined with other supportive treatments. Some people trying to cut down have been successful by pacing their drinking.
Some people also lose weight as they taper off their drinking. But Dr. Streem knows that it can be hard to recognize signs of alcohol abuse in ourselves. Often, people with alcohol use disorder find that other people in their lives spot their addiction long before they do. A sober life doesn’t have to mean more time at home as you try to block out triggers. It can mean more time for your other interests, and even new interests. More time to meet new people, catch up with old friends and try new things.
Benefits of cutting down
Plan to feel sluggish (and maybe even grumpy) for a day or two before your body adjusts. Following the successful completion of an alcohol rehabilitation program, it is important to find avenues of continued support to improve chances https://ecosoberhouse.com/ of avoiding relapse and remaining sober. For many, maintaining sobriety is a lifelong process that requires commitment, self-compassion, and patience—all of which may benefit from ongoing support via aftercare services.
- Avoiding external and internal temptations may require an individual temporarily distancing themself from certain people or events and deep reflections on urges that arise from within.
- While some options are best for those with underlying mental health disorders, others will be better for those who drink to manage life stress.
- It’s not that you have a big problem with alcohol but there are some things about your relationship with booze that you want to change.
- If you’re really committed to cutting back, one of the best things you can do is get the booze out of your house.
Rather than one overarching “I want to quit drinking” goal, start by telling yourself you’re going to cut back. American Addiction Centers recommend no more than one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men, so keep that in mind as you’re setting a goal to cut back. Since alcohol is relatively easy to get, legal to consume for those 21 and older, and is somewhat socially acceptable, it is one of the most widely-used intoxicating substances.
Engage in other activities
Minor, moderate, and severe withdrawal symptoms typically begin about 6 hours after the last drink is consumed. Even playful teasing or offhanded comments like, “Oh that’s right, you’re a stick-in-the-mud now,” can exert pressure or make them feel excluded. If you have social anxiety, you may find that you focus so much on your internal dialogue that you have a hard time engaging others. As you try to answer these questions, you’ll likely turn down the volume of your own self-criticism. If social experiences make you feel nervous, you may instinctively reach for a drink to calm your nerves or make you less inhibited. Self-medicating your emotions in this way is common, but there are healthier ways to minimize feelings of anxiety and stress.
- And consider joining a support group such as Alcoholics Anonymous.
- It can also help you gain a new perspective as you consider how your life will change without alcohol.
- This will give you a general idea of what internal and external obstacles you’re likely to encounter as you try to stop drinking.
- In adults, secondhand smoke can cause heart disease and lung cancer.
If you are going to count how many drinks you have, make sure you are accurate. Learn what counts as a standard drink so that you can accurately count how many you have had. Stick to your goal even when you are away from home, dining out, or in a bar. Recording how many drinks you have may also help you reduce or slow down your drinking. You can use a handwritten note that you keep in your wallet or record your drinks on your smartphone, whatever is more convenient for you. Because drinking is sometimes a response to boredom, Koob recommends joining a group that interests you.
What Are the Side Effects of Quitting Drinking?
That is, they sip their drinks slowly or make sure they have only one drink per hour. If you’d like to cut back on your drinking but aren’t sure how, here are some steps to get you started. Limiting alcohol consumption is important at every age, but especially for older people. Doctors, nutritionists, and counselors can help people stay on track to stop drinking. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also has an Alcohol Program with printable resources for people to follow. Severe symptoms may require benzodiazepines to prevent serious consequences of alcohol withdrawal.
