I have prepared this material for those who want to give up drinking or help a loved one. I speak simple, non-medical language so that you have an understanding of what to do and where to go.
Millions suffer from alcoholism. This is much more than people suffering from other diseases. Alcoholism destroys not only families but also the individual. Alcohol dependence is one of the most difficult diseases and can also be quite dangerous. That is why it is important to work to prevent and treat alcohol-related disorders.
We believe that it is possible to give up drinking! And most importantly, we are ready to help you do it yourself or with the help of specialists. Read the article to the end and do not be distracted by thinking about some of the topics below.
Yes! What is alcoholism?
Alcoholism is a "disease of the mind, body and spirit. " Because this condition involves physical and psychological desire. And also the compulsion to use alcohol that changes mood.
If we talk as a term, according to the great Soviet encyclopedia it sounds like this: alcoholism is a chronic mental illness. That is, it follows from this definition that alcoholism is a disease on a psychological level. Physical dependence comes much later, when a person becomes a being who needs only one thing to fill himself with alcohol. And it doesn't matter if it's a surrogate, a tincture or something.
It is quite possible to overcome the psychological level of the disease on your own. Methods of how to give up drinking, I will analyze further. But in case of physical dependence you should visit a doctor - narcologist and already be treated for alcohol dependence.
How do we know that there is a problem and it needs to be solved?
Below I will analyze a few situations that may be familiar or close to you. If you have at least one of the symptoms listed below, then you are still addicted to alcohol and may not be a passionate alcoholic, but there is a problem.
if:
- you were invited to a party and immediately noted that the event will be "dry". And you refused to go because you have no idea how you can have fun and relax without alcohol;
- more and more often you start to withdraw from alcohol, no matter how strong it is. But it is more convenient for you to drink beer alone than in the company;
- only by drinking can you cope with feelings of anxiety and restlessness;
- it is very difficult to cope with the desire to drink, you are not stopped by the circumstances that you work tomorrow. Either you have an important exam or you have to pass some analysis;
- condemn those who do not drink at all, something is definitely wrong with this person;
- get so drunk that in the morning it is very difficult to remember what you did.
Then we will look at what you can do about it and how to overcome alcohol dependence.
Stop drinking and change your life for the better!
The onset of addiction and the stages of alcoholism
Gradually, a person addicted to alcohol begins to abuse it and it becomes very difficult not to drink for several days in a row. Wait for Friday so you can just spend the whole weekend drinking. After that, the habit of drinking passes on weekdays and no longer keeps it for work tomorrow. If you have previously looked for any reasons, the birthday of the cat, the day of the Bastille, bought new socks, then the drink will be for no reason, just because I want. And now the question "what to drink" disappears by itself.
Reasons to drink
They are quite different. They drink because:
- difficulties in life arose: a loved one suffered or died;
- financial problems are not solved: they are fired and it is impossible to find a new one; loans or mortgages "suffocation", etc. ;
- there is no rest at home: the woman cuts, there is no rest from the mother-in-law, the neighbor grinds a tooth. . ;
- forced by someone;
- does not want to be different from everyone else;
- for some it is a sign of adulthood;
- someone just relaxes that way;
- removes his shyness.
It is worth noting that alcohol addiction begins differently for everyone. Someone can start at 15-16 years old. Others start at 25-30 years.
In addition, alcohol consumption is becoming a habit and without it one simply can not feel at ease. In alcohol, we start drowning our problems because drunks don't care what happens around them. And alreadysobriety becomes a disease. . . Because it is bad for a sober person to accept the world and adequately perceive the situation. Alcohol becomes a "medicine" that cures only our illusions.
Stages of alcoholism
There are several stages of alcoholism:
- The first stage of alcoholism: it's hard to refrain from drinking, a friend came with a bottle, how to refuse? And it doesn't matter that there are many important things tomorrow. The first stage can be cured without outside help. Desire and working on yourself is important;
- The second stage of alcoholism: when a person drinks a lot but does not get drunk. And without alcohol, it is simply impossible for a person to exist. This is the beginning of physical dependence;
- The third stage of alcoholism: different from the second. When you drink a glass and barely get to your feet. And this condition is constant. You urgently need medical treatment.
The most important thing, you need to understand that alcohol dependence does not occur overnight. It involves a progressive, complex process that takes place in an area of the brain known as the "reward center. " In the same place that regulates and enhances the natural needs that are vital to our existence. That's why the addicted brain chases alcohol and other drugs. as if these substances are necessary for our very survival, which is why people with active addiction place the pursuit of alcohol or other drugs above almost any other priority.
Researchers have also identified many social, psychological, genetic and other factors that make some people more vulnerable than others to the development of alcoholism. In any case, it is important to understand that no one chooses to develop alcoholism. Two people can start drinking alcohol, one of whom is addicted to alcohol and the other will not develop symptoms.
Also keep in mind that people who are addicted can never use alcohol or other addictive drugs without endangering their health. Their brain chemistry has changed in such a way that it can be balanced through rehabilitation, but this balance will always remain vulnerable to renewed use.
Ways and methods to stop drinking
Effective ways you can use to fight alcohol. Don't put it off until tomorrow. Start now.
Then follow all the methods described below and you will be able to stop drinking once and for all!
The first way to stop drinking: "Get scared"
Although they say it is useless to read articles about the dangers of alcohol, it does not help, but in the end no one reads them carefully. If you feel that you want to drink more and more often, do not be lazy and read our article again. You better keep it to yourself. And also read how harmful alcohol is. Take 15 minutes each day to read small articles. So let's say, be intimidated and always remember the dangers of alcohol. Think of your liver, your youth, your beauty. And also about how difficult it is to fight alcoholism. Especially if you do it yourself.
The second way to stop drinking: "Become an actor in your movie"
Another very interesting way to think about giving up alcohol is to take pictures drunk. Just put on a camera or ask someone. Often not everyone will be able to watch their drunken adventures even until the middle of the shooting. And the feeling of shame is the hallmark of an animal. You will also understand how difficult it is for your loved ones.
The third way to stop drinking: "Find an ecological substitute"
It is very important to find a way to relax, to replace alcohol with something else. Sports, dancing, singing, discover your talent. Make sure it's important for you to stop drinking. We wanted to have a drink in the evening, but instead we jogged in the fresh air. Or go to the gym.
The main thing is that this is an environmentally friendly solution, in any case do not replace alcohol, for example, with pills. Everyone has the power of will, you just have to find it in yourself and replace alcohol not with another substance that obscures the mind, but with something that will make you happy.
The fourth way to stop drinking: "Clear your friends list and update your social circle. "
If there are people in your social circle who drink and press you all the time, get rid of communication with such friends. Understand that these are not friends, and remember the words of the song "A friend will not tell you, drink to the bottom. " The alcohol social circle is a black hole from which it is very difficult to get out alone with every bottle you drink. a bottle you drink, you take a step to be left alone.
In addition, today there are many opportunities to renew your social circle: parks, gyms, hobby clubs. . .
The fifth way to give up drinking: "Become your personal accountant"
Keep a diary where you record your alcohol costs. And write how much you did not spend on this useless slop today.
Go to the store and buy a gift with this money, such as high quality clothes, a new phone. Reward yourself for giving up drinking! Better yet, save. See how much you will have in a month and what you can buy instead of alcohol.
The sixth way to stop fighting: "Memory will not allow you to get drunk"
Over time, you will learn to control yourself and a symbolic glass of champagne for the new year will not lead to drinking a liter of vodka. You will now know your limit: after how many sips you will want to drink more and more, or which glass is not worth drinking.
Don't forget to remember how you called "gin from the toilet" the next morning after drinking and how it seemed to you that now your head would burst with pain and this would be the perfect option for you. By the way, if you have a hangover after heavy drinking, this is a very strong bell, which already calls you an alcoholic.
The seventh way to give up alcohol forever: "A friend of alcohol is a cigarette"
We decided to quit drinking, then we have to quit smoking. If this habit is on your list of harmful. After all, one cigarette cries out for a drink, after another glass, one cigarette looks more "tasty". But this is an illusion. And so much has already been said about the dangers of smoking that it is not worth mentioning here.
Eighth way: "Analysis of their actions"
In no way blame yourself for loving this green snake. And don't hesitate to talk about not drinking. Sometimes you just have to analyze everything that has happened to you in your life. When you drank, when you had a hangover, when you had a desire to drink.
You can even split a sheet of paper in half and write in one column what good alcohol it gave me and in the other what trouble it caused. I bet the column of good points is unlikely to fill. But to analyze the impact of alcohol on your life, the data is enough.
Our loved ones make us full-fledged people!
The ninth way: "The relatives are close"
It is very important to admit that you are addicted. You don't have to shout at every corner and introduce yourself: "Hello, my name is Vasya and I'm an alcoholic. " No! Just admit it. Then, if you wish, you can dedicate your loved ones, your wife, parents, children, thesewith whom you live or communicate frequently so that they know your intentions to stop drinking.
And the locals will definitely not tell you that you are a fool or crazy. They are close and close to help and, most importantly, to understand. The support of loved ones is essential at the beginning of the trip to get rid of the habit of drinking. Don't be afraid to say that it is more dangerous to withdraw and not give up.
The tenth way to combat alcoholism: "Provocation is failure"
There is an unshakable rule that if a person has decided not to drink, there is no need to provoke. For example, do not go to a store that has alcohol, well, or at least avoid departments with attractive bottles.
Try in the beginning, until you get into the habit of not drinking, not attending events where there is alcohol. Skip a friend's birthday or nephew's baptism. You can miss this important event, then you will catch up with their sober attention to them.
The path to deliverance will require sacrifices, but they will be insignificant compared to the sacrifices that can be made if you continue to drink.
Eleventh way: "Eat dinner alone. . . "
A very important aspect in the fight against alcoholism is to be full. Yes yes. After all, you most often want to drink on an empty stomach, so try to have a hearty dinner in the evening when you get home from work, and thoughts of drinking will definitely disappear in the background.
way:"Stress is a reason to drink"
Try to avoid stressful situations, this is certainly difficult to do in our time, but it is possible. Now you can find many methods on the Internet to get rid of depressive situations, such as meditation. Not everyone gets them, but it's worth a try. Remember a truth about yourself, alcohol does not solve problems, alcohol adds new problems!
When you give up alcohol, it's like losing something. Emptiness and discomfort appear. In these moments you need to find something to do for yourself, so to speak, to fill the void. For example, instead of an evening meeting with a bottle and a glass, go to the movies for an evening show. Buy a ticket for a rock concert and shout there from the heart. By the way, the way of shouting is effective, they came home angry, no power to drink, because life is full of "shit", shut yourself in the bathroom or room and shout loudly, you can even break your voice, but go. And life will no longer seem so unfair. And it is quite possible during the screaming to find the right solution to a problem.
If you wish, you can consult a psychologist or consult a narcologist. The help of a specialist is often very important in these moments of throwing. A good doctor can even find the cause of your addiction, take out the very thing that started it all, and this is an important fact on the way to eliminating alcohol.
There is a lot of literature now on "How to Stop Drinking", "The Road to Sobriety" or "An Easy Way to Stop Drinking". Read them. They may not have the expected effect, but they will certainly not do any harm. it is better to spend the evening reading these books of advice than to fill your problems with dubious liquid.
way:"Look at yourself like in a mirror"
Try to put yourself in the shoes of those people who suffer from your antics when you are drunk. Imagine, for example, your wife or husband in your place. Your partner gets drunk and misbehaves. If he's at a party, then at least you should be ashamed of your couple. Or if at home, getting drunk, he or she made a scandal? Interferes with sleep? Are you happy with that?
Now imagine that your children see you in this state. As a child, would you like to see your mother or father under the guise of a Neanderthal? Hardly anyone will answer yes. Now imagine that you are sitting at your workplace and your colleague at the next table smells of fumes, or worse, "fresh". Or you came to the doctor, and he sits with a headache after yesterday's meal and has no idea how to cure you. Or does a drunken teacher teach a lesson to your child?
Imagine how you can situations where alcohol is unpleasant for you, the people who use it, the consequences of it.
Folk ways to combat alcohol: to use or is it better to be afraid of them?
But in no case do not resort to methods that can harm your health. Many, in order to stop drinking, go to grandmothers to "whisper" and "talk" about the habit of drinking. It is good for the grandmother to just whisper to you and give you herbs or tinctures. . . And you from a sick alcoholic can become poisonous. If you really think that you can not cope alone, then contact a narcologist who will prescribe the right treatment and will not harm your health.
Remember to analyze your life when you drank and this week when you don't. Or this year without alcohol. Believe me, time spent without alcohol is much more colorful, interesting and happier than with it. At least try to put this theory into practice. If you do not like to live without alcohol, you can always return to the hangover, eclipses, failures, debts. . alas, alcohol is offered for sale here.
The main question is: is it realistic to give up drinking?
Millions of people around the world are proof that recovery is stronger than alcohol dependence. And they are proof that treatment works, families improve and life gets better.
As with other chronic diseases, addiction to alcohol or other drugs can be successfully overcome. This will allow you to live a full and fulfilling life.
If you find it difficult to cope on your own, contact a drug treatment center. Most people who attend treatment programs not only stop using alcohol or other drugs, but also improve their professional, social, and psychological well-being.