How to Quit Alcohol Addiction

5 Important Tips On How To Quit Alcohol Addiction

How to Quit Alcohol Addiction

5 Important Tips On How To Quit Alcohol Addiction

Alcohol is one of the most largely consumed intoxicants since the beginning of time. While there are some alcoholics who can handle intoxication, others can’t.

Quitting alcohol is a major step in the lives of some alcoholics. Hence, the following steps can make dropping the habit easy.

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How To Quit Alcohol Addiction

Every goal in life must answer these questions to achieve success and they are:

  • Why are you quitting alcohol? (Reason)
  • How do you intend to quit it? (Plan/guideline) (pre-plan events that might revive addiction) (Note your triggers) (share your goals) (find stand-Ins by learning new things and hobbies to help you forget).
  • What are the benefits of quitting alcohol? (Merits)
  • How would your body react to quitting? (Reactions to alcohol addiction)
  • How to maintain your new lifestyle.

Why Are You Quitting Alcohol?

Are you quitting to become healthier? Are you quitting to avoid self-harm, unemployment and family discords?

Whatever the reason is, knowing why you are quitting is the best motivation booster. It helps one to stay focused on the goal by putting one in line.

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How do you intend to quit?

What plans do you have in place to quit? It is advised to speak with a counsellor to guide one through this process. This is because there are events that might trigger readdiction. So, preparing for these events in the mind is one sure bet to end alcohol addiction.

This is the most crucial step because the quitter must note down the following:

  1. Note your triggers: These are the things that can revive alcoholism.
  2. Share your goals: Speak with a health expert, a close friend and family about your goals. Sharing your goals would always keep you in check.
  3. Find stand-ins: Some people find themselves doing nothing in the absence of taking alcohol. This situation can also revive the habit. In order to not leave room for thoughts of not quitting, it is advised to develop new healthy hobbies. People in this phase are advised to learn something new and keep themselves busy with it.

What are the benefits of quitting alcohol?

In an article on mental health addiction available on Web MD, cutting back on alcohol reduces suicide and accidents. Therefore, quitting alcohol can

  1. Lower injuries, accidents and deaths.
  2. The heart gets healthier.
  3. Liver also becomes healthier.
  4. It helps shed unnecessary pounds.
  5. Build healthier relationships.
  6. Improves sex life.
  7. Improves overall health.
  8. Sleep better.
  9. Lowers blood pressure.

How does one react to quitting alcohol addiction?

Reactions to quitting alcohol are simply known as withdrawal. Withdrawal symptoms include:

  1. Mood swings.
  2. Hallucination.
  3. Confusion.
  4. Palpitation.
  5. Profuse sweating.
  6. Seizures.
  7. Others

There are stages to Withdrawal and they vary from:

  1. Mild withdrawal.
  2. Moderate withdrawal.
  3. Severe withdrawal.

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Mild Withdrawal:

This usually begins within the first 12 hours after you quit drinking. They share similar symptoms with a hangover but can last more than 24 hours.

Symptoms include:

  • Food aversions.
  • Headaches.
  • Fast heart beats or palpitations.
  • Insomnia.
  • Anxiety disorder.
  • Shaking.
  • Upset stomach.

Moderate Withdrawal:

This is the second stage of withdrawal syndrome. It imitates the same symptoms of the first stage but is more severe than the symptoms of stage one. They also begin within 12 to 24 hours of quitting but the symptoms are not life-threatening.

The symptoms in this stage include:

  • Self-criticism/confusion.
  • Profuse sweating.
  • Fast heart beats.
  • Fever.
  • Increased blood pressure.
  •  Moderate anxiety.
  • Mild shakiness.
  • Unsteady breathing (Usually rapid and shallow).

Severe Withdrawal:

This is an embodiment of the symptoms of mild and moderate withdrawal symptoms. Patients with severe symptoms often feel more blood pressure, intense shakiness and are at risk of complicated withdrawal.

Complicated Withdrawal:

This is a condition that occurs when the withdrawal symptoms are left untreated. The complicated alcohol withdrawal is also known as alcohol delirium.

Symptoms usually begin 8 to 28 hours after your last drink and can lead to life-threatening conditions.

The symptoms include:

  • Fear and anger.
  • Severe state of confusion.
  • Heart arrythmia.
  • Risky changes in blood.
  • Rapid mood swings
  • Fever
  • Seizures
  • Terrible tremor.
  • Hallucination.

Treatments

These includes:

  • Outpatient.
  • Counselling.
  • Inpatient.
  • Sedatives.

Source: Very Well Mind

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