It may also mess with your sleep, and poor sleep hygiene can lead to further health concerns, like obesity and diabetes. Knowing all the negative effects alcohol has on your physical and mental health can make it easier to understand why you’re better off without it. Tell trusted family and friends about your plan to quit or cut back on alcohol.
I downloaded the ‘I am Sober’ app
Instead, return to your plan immediately, recommit to your goals, and learn from the experience. Every setback is an opportunity to grow and reaffirm your commitment to sobriety. Giving up alcohol can have a significant impact on your mental health, especially if you’ve been using alcohol as a coping mechanism.
If you slip, return to your plan.
If you are drinking five or more drinks a day, it is unsafe to quit abruptly on your own, putting yourself at risk of medical complications such as an alcohol withdrawal seizure. You may need an in-person alcohol detoxification program. This is because the repetition of drinking alcohol every day can change your brain chemistry so that you crave alcohol and need more of it to feel satisfied. This is why it’s important to be mindful of your drinking habits and try to avoid nightly drinking. If you feel like your relationship with alcohol needs an overhaul, you’ve got plenty of company. It’s also important to learn about the negative health effects of alcohol.
Giving up alcohol isn’t easy, but after a month I’m already reaping the benefits
This reinforced everything I’d read but also offered the opportunity to ask questions and hear about other people’s experiences in the group. If you’re serious about giving up alcohol, but you’re worried how you’ll manage to stick to it, then you might find some of these ideas useful. Intense cravings usually last a short time, from 2 to 3 minutes. Diverting your attention during this time can be an effective strategy.
Write your drinking goal down and keep it where you will frequently see it, such as on your phone or taped to your refrigerator. Do you want to stop drinking altogether or just cut back? If your goal is to reduce your drinking, decide which days you will drink alcohol and how many drinks you will allow yourself per day.
- One tool commonly used to screen for AUD is The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT).
- However, to become truly free you need more than some tips – you need a method that is beautifully simple to unlock the tips and escape the addiction.
- Before you start, connect with your doctor to assess your risk level of severe alcohol withdrawal and determine the best way to safely start your sobriety journey.
- Depending on your health evaluation, your doctor can advise you on the best way forward.
- The first month of sobriety is going to test you – maybe more than you’ve ever been tested before.
- Instead of offering ultimatums, offer advice or options for help.
- In fact, you can find it online with sites like Sunnyside, which helps you create a customized plan, Tempest, Moderation.org or Ben’s Friends for people who work in the food and beverage industry.
- However, self-affirmation exercises may be time-consuming.
- If you experience any of these symptoms, seek medical care immediately.
- If it’s stress-related, find healthy ways to manage and cope, including going to therapy, delegating tasks and surrounding yourself with people who can support you.
- Pre-existing mental health conditions can sometimes lead people to turn to alcohol to cope with their symptoms.
You can also benefit from the shared experiences of the group members and learn what others have done to stay sober. The symptoms listed above may be a sign of a severe form of alcohol withdrawal called delirium tremens, or DTs. This rare, emergency condition causes dangerous changes in the way your brain regulates your circulation and breathing, so it’s important to get to the hospital right away. Alcohol detox isn’t easy and not everyone can do it on their own.
By involving your loved ones tips to quit drinking in your sobriety, you’re helping reduce temptation and cultivating a sense of understanding and empathy among the people you lean on the most. Please know that this is temporary and, if it gets too intense, please reach out for additional help and support via mental health counseling. Alcohol artificially boosts dopamine and serotonin levels in the brain, creating an imbalance.
Not everyone is going to be thrilled that you’ve decided to quit drinking. You don’t want to go https://ecosoberhouse.com/ to the party or pub because there will be a lot of alcohol, and you’re self-aware enough to know that won’t be good for you. But now you’re left wondering what people do for fun instead of drinking. Before you quit drinking, book an appointment with your doctor. Think about the alcohol’s impact on your mental and physical health, your career prospects, and your relationships. On the flip side, heavy drinking is defined as consuming 15 units of alcohol per week for men and 8 or more units of alcohol per week for women.