Is it always possible to stop drinking on your own? How not to miss this opportunity?
Switch from occasional to regular drinking. If you used to drink only on holidays and no more than once a week, but now you drink every Friday after work in "warm" company, you should think about it and try to stop this dangerous tradition. A harmless boozy party on Friday may quickly continue, followed by drinking on Saturday, hangovers on Sunday, and heavy drinking on the weekend. This is a direct path to severe alcoholization of the body, with all the attendant negative consequences for physical and mental health, problems with loved ones and work. Drinking increases and becomes difficult to control. Lack of sense of proportion does not allow a person to stop drinking in time and becomes the cause of severe alcoholism. Changes in social circles and leisure time. Old friends become boring, the addict prefers the company of drinking friends, and former hobbies are replaced by finding ways to satisfy more attractive alcoholic hobbies. A rather ominous sign of transitioning from stage one to stage two of alcoholism is an increase in tolerance to alcohol, where increased amounts of alcohol are required to achieve the effects. It manifests itself in the patient's ability to drink large amounts of alcohol without apparent intoxication and subsequent hangover. Many people even brag about this "superpower" without suspecting that it is a sign of worsening alcohol addiction. Celebrate with nothing but alcohol and invent new reasons to drink. The most typical one is stress relief, and there are enough reasons to relieve stress in our daily lives. Any holiday or sad date, even a small incident, can be a reason to celebrate with a drink. Difficulty communicating with family, friends, and colleagues. Without a normal dose of alcohol, a person will become irritable, suspicious, agitated, aggressive, his autonomic nervous system will be affected, and he will have inadequate psychological reactions to the actions and words of others.
What kind of psychological atmosphere should be conducive to solving the problem of how to stop drinking on your own?
Minimize all temptations. You should avoid mentioning alcohol in conversations about parties and company events, keep alcohol at home, combine holidays and picnics with the consumption of alcoholic beverages, and visit wine and vodka stores. It is also necessary to avoid drinking with others. The drinker must be rewarded for his achievements, even if he only abstains from drinking for one day. The difficult road to recovery from alcoholism requires the full support of family and friends. Allow addicts to maximize their participation in family leisure and group activities to achieve a healthy lifestyle. These include games with children, family walks, nature trips, exercise, and hiking with non-drinking friends. You can even get a pet, especially a dog, that needs regular walks, teaching the drinker self-discipline and responsibility.
What specific advice do you have on how to stop drinking?
Before you start quitting drinking on your own, create an action plan that analyzes the causes of your addiction. Before doing so, it is still recommended that you consult a psychiatric anesthesiologist, who will tell you the best way to get rid of dangerous addiction. You may be able to stop drinking immediately and permanently, or it may be better to gradually reduce your drinking. Try to stick to a plan for how much and how often you drink. Also, there should be more sober days per week than "drunk" days. To take control of the entire self-therapy process, you can keep a journal, carefully record what you drink, and note all your accomplishments and stressful moments. Pay special attention to situations where you have tried to use alcohol to solve a problem, and how bravely you have turned down the opportunity. You can visualize your wishes by hanging posters with slogans about the dangers of alcohol, before and after alcohol abuse, drawings or photos themed around your thoughts on happiness - a family photo with the happy faces of your loved ones hung around the apartment, a car model you want to buy, a piece of paradise outside the city, colleagues who admire it, etc. Avoid businesses where alcohol is a significant pastime. Drinking buddies will never be your allies. Don't drink to relax on the weekend; it's better to have fun socializing with loved ones or on the sports field. Physical activity boosts the production of happiness hormones, which can completely replace the euphoria of alcohol. Having confidence in your own strength and health will help you cope with any stress and increase your sense of self-sufficiency. Do a job or hobby that you enjoy. This will benefit your intellect and free you from constant thoughts about drinking. Do something nice for yourself at least three times a day - for example, buy your favorite fruit at the market, an interesting book at the bookstore, or a new fishing hook or bait at the sporting goods store. Don't skimp on this, trust me, a bottle of vodka won't cost you less, it will do more harm. Try discussing your problems with people around you who have stopped drinking. Don’t hesitate to ask them for advice; often these people are willing to share their successes and methods of coping with alcohol addiction with other sufferers. Adjust your daily routine to get enough sleep and eat right. Avoid your favorite snacks when drinking alcohol - spicy, salty, dry, etc. Dried gobies, for example, might trigger people to drink beer. The morning and waking up process should always be enjoyable - the usual sweet "stretch, " an invigorating spa treatment, a delicious breakfast, favorite music, or even a "cuddle" with your faithful dog. Drink plenty of water - it will concentrate on removing residual alcohol and its breakdown products from the body. Don’t get tired of praising yourself for every sober day or for resisting the temptation to drink. "Oh, good job! " This will help create a positive emotional context and boost self-confidence.