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). To determine whether—and where—you fall in the alcohol use disorder (AUD) spectrum, answer the following questions. Emotionally, you may feel some anxiety or sadness about ending a chapter of your life and nervousness about the future. You can become conditioned to reach for a drink when your environment offers up certain cues.
Then, you can begin to prepare the appropriate preventative steps. Of course not, in fact – most people who stop drinking with Allen Carr’s Easyway do so without any unpleasantness at all. Mainstream advice recommends cutting down gradually to control your alcohol. Yet they don’t recognise that cutting down is even harder than stopping. How many times have you tried to cut down in the past and failed?
Consider the Pros and Cons of Drinking
Remove all alcohol from your home, car, and other places you frequent. Knowing you have to make an effort to get alcohol whenever you have to drink can discourage you long enough to find an alternative. Have replacement beverages like teas, sodas, and water handy to help handle your cravings. You should also engage in activities like meditation, games, or affirmation recitations to distract your mind whenever you have cravings. Alcoholic beverages contain sugar and empty calories that can cause unhealthy weight gain. Stopping alcohol use allows you to reduce your caloric intake and adopt lifestyle choices that lead to a healthier weight.
The same study found that a break from drinking had lingering positive effects on people’s habits around alcohol. If you’ve become dependent on alcohol, cutting it out of your life https://ecosoberhouse.com/ may produce withdrawal symptoms, such as a rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, sweating and shaking. Psychological symptoms can include irritability, anxiety and restlessness.
Start Getting Better Now
People who have a severe reaction to quitting alcohol should seek emergency treatment. 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. Talk with a healthcare professional if you’re concerned you may experience detox symptoms when quitting drinking or cutting back.
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The key to successfully cutting down on alcohol is to find what works for you. SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional. “Just get a sparkling water, put a lime in it, and have fun,” he says. No matter your situation, Dr. Das emphasizes the power of enlisting help as you embark on a life sans booze.
Body Scan Meditation
If you tend to drink too much whenever there is any alcohol in the house, get rid of it altogether, the NIAAA recommends. Food can absorb the alcohol in beverages, so eating before or even while you drink can dampen the effect and may make you want to drink less, says Crews. You might reach for alcohol when you’re really just thirsty, says Crews.
If you find yourself in a situation where someone offers you a drink, just politely decline. Most of the time, people will back off, and if they don’t, stand firm and say you’re not drinking tonight. You don’t owe anyone your reasoning behind why you’re refraining. Laying it all out in black and white can take time and some serious self-examination.
Set a Realistic Goal
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 tips to quit drinking with a loved one or therapist about a strategy to prevent relapses from happening. “Heavy drinking or binge drinking has many harmful effects on the body,” says Dr. Volpicelli.