Alcohol addiction is a global health challenge which affects millions of people around the world. According to the WHO, dangerous alcohol use is directly responsible for up to 3 million deaths annually, much higher than other drugs like cocaine or heroin.
Finding quality alcohol treatment is crucial, as individualized treatment plans can significantly help in overcoming addiction. Overcoming alcohol addiction is particularly challenging due to its legal status and the widespread social acceptance of drinking.
At PCP we believe that alcohol addiction is curable. Our goal is to provide you with the skills and support you need to stop alcohol abuse and prevent relapse.
Let’s explore how to identify problematic drinking, set goals to reduce or stop when you drink alcohol and overcome alcohol addiction.
Recognise You Have a Drinking Problem
Identifying problematic drinking is an important step in beating alcohol addiction. This is more difficult than it sounds because many individuals consume unhealthy amounts of alcohol while remaining largely functional. Therefore, diagnosing problematic drinking should be done by a qualified healthcare provider. Recognizing alcohol withdrawal symptoms and seeking medical advice for these symptoms is crucial.
The criteria include:
● Consuming larger amounts of alcohol than intended or consuming alcohol over a longer period than originally intended.
● Having persistent cravings for alcohol.
● Making repeated unsuccessful attempts to cut down or control your alcohol use.
● Spending a significant amount of time on obtaining, using, or recovering from the effects of alcohol.
● Your alcohol use negatively affects your performance at work, school, home, or social obligations.
● Avoiding important social, occupational, or recreational activities because of alcohol use.
● Using alcohol in dangerous situations or alcohol use leads to dangerous situations.
● Continuing to use alcohol despite persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problems caused or worsened by alcohol.
● Continuing to use alcohol despite persistent or recurrent social or interpersonal problems caused or worsened by alcohol.
● Requiring increased amounts of alcohol to achieve the same level of intoxication or desired effect (tolerance).
● Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when drinking stops, which may lead to substance abuse to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms.
Healthcare professionals diagnose an alcohol use disorder (AUD) if an individual meets 2 or more of these 11 diagnostic criteria within a 12-month period.
These criteria can also be used to determine the severity of an alcohol use disorder – mild means meeting 2-3 criteria; moderate signifies 4-5 criteria and severe AUDs are when you have 6 or more symptoms.
Have a Strong Reason to Quit
After admitting you have a drinking problem the next step is to identify your reason(s) for quitting alcohol. This could be due to health, family, finances, or religion.
Make sure your reasons are as specific as possible. For example, “I want to stop drinking to improve my relationship with my children” or “I want to stop drinking to further my career.” If your goal is to stop drinking altogether, set a clear quit date and outline the steps you will take to achieve this. Having a strong reason to quit drinking can significantly improve the chances of success.
Write down these reasons so they can serve as a daily reminder. Focus on ensuring every decision you take from here brings you closer to achieving this goal.
Quit Cold Turkey to Stop Drinking Alcohol
For many, stopping drinking completely is often the most effective approach (commonly called quitting cold turkey), instead of just limiting your alcohol intake. Stopping drinking completely can be challenging due to severe withdrawal symptoms, but it also offers significant benefits such as reduced cravings and improved overall health.
For heavy drinkers, severe withdrawal symptoms may be associated with suddenly stopping alcohol. In situations like this, tapering alcohol consumption may be more effective. It is best to meet with an addiction specialist to create a customised plan tailored towards your needs.
Identify Your Triggers
Cravings are a significant challenge when it comes to quitting alcohol. Alcohol cravings are most intense during the first few days to weeks but may linger from months to years.
Identifying and avoiding situations that involve alcohol can help in managing triggers.
Cravings can be triggered by several things. These triggers can broadly be divided into external triggers and internal triggers.
● External triggers. People, places, objects or sensations which activate the urge to drink. This could include pubs, parties, friends, or simply the sight or smell of alcohol.
● Internal triggers. Non-physical experiences which make you more likely to relapse back to alcohol use. This includes feelings of guilt, sadness, loneliness, anxiety, stress or even excitement.
Get Rid of Temptations
Once you identify your triggers the next step is to create practical steps to minimize exposure to them.
This includes:
● Fill your free time with healthy activities, especially around periods of the day which may be particularly triggering.
● Avoid pubs, parties or friends which may tempt you to drink.
● Do not keep alcohol in the house or workplace.
● Attend sober events which offer alternatives to alcoholic drinks like mocktails or non-alcoholic alternatives.
● Drink soda, water, or juice between alcoholic drinks to reduce alcohol intake.
● Seek out professional help for emotional triggers like guilt, loneliness or unresolved trauma.
● Inform your friends, family and coworkers of your decision to quit alcohol.
● Practice politely but firmly saying “no” when offered a drink and how to extract yourself from such situations successfully.
Prepare Yourself for Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms are an unpleasant part of quitting alcohol addiction that everyone must prepare for. However, withdrawal differs widely between individuals and can be more severe for some than others.
Usually, the acute withdrawal phase lasts one to two weeks. This includes symptoms like:
● Cravings
● Nausea
● Aches
● Fatigue
● Anxiety
● Depression
Seeking professional help from addiction centres can reduce the severity of your withdrawal symptoms and prevent relapse. They offer several useful treatment options like therapy, medication and aftercare services to make your road recovery as smooth as possible.
Learn How to Manage Alcohol Cravings
Accept the fact that you will occasionally experience cravings even if you identify your triggers and practical steps to avoid them. Changing drinking habits can help in managing cravings.
Here are some useful coping strategies for dealing with cravings when they occur.
- Develop immediate coping strategies. Most episodes of cravings typically last for about 20 to 30 minutes.
- Develop several immediate coping strategies centred around distracting yourself or reaching out for help like:
- Calling friends, family, or sponsors.
- Taking a shower or bath.
- Reading, going for a walk, or cooking.
Addiction treatment centres also offer several medications and psychological techniques for dealing with cravings.
Build a Strong Social Network with Local Support Groups
Loneliness is a significant challenge during recovery and increases your risk of depression, treatment failure and relapse. The road to recovery is difficult and you need all the support you can get. Local support groups are available as a resource to help you stay on track and provide additional support alongside counselling and psychological support.
Make an effort to rebuild your relationship with friends, family and colleagues. Join support groups, volunteer for community service and go for vocational training programs to rebuild your professional network.
Eat Healthy
Aside from the psychological consequences of alcohol abuse, chronic alcoholics often face many physical health challenges like malnutrition.
Improving your diet goes a long way in boosting your physical and mental well-being during the recovery phase. This includes cutting out a diet filled with hyper-processed foods, unhealthy fats and simple sugars.
Switch to a healthy, nutritious and well-balanced diet consisting of:
● Whole grain wheat, oats, and bread
● Leafy green vegetables and fresh fruit
● Lean protein like chicken, fish, tofu
● Healthy fats like avocado, olive oil, sunflower seeds and sugar-free peanut butter
Exercise Often
Paying close attention to your physical fitness is a great way to reduce stress during your recovery journey and improve your overall well-being. Regular exercise reduces stress and improves your mood. It also increases energy levels, improves sleep quality, and is great for maintaining a healthy weight.
Exercise can also help you deal with cravings. Tailoring your fitness schedule around your moments of weakness helps prevent relapse. For example, working out during happy hour or exercising after work instead of drinking.
Get Enough of Sleep
Sleep difficulties during recovery are common and negatively affect your mental and physical well-being.
Aim for about seven to nine hours of sleep every night. Some helpful tips to help achieve this are:
● Avoid screen time at least one hour before bedtime.
● Create a relaxing bedtime routine.
● Avoid taking caffeine and other forms of stimulants close to bedtime,
● Limit daytime naps.
● Avoid large meals and heavy exercise shortly before going to bed.
● Optimize your bedroom by creating a safe, dark, soothing environment.
Utilize Technology for Recovery
Technology can be a powerful ally in your journey to overcome alcohol addiction. Numerous apps are designed to support recovery by offering features such as tracking sobriety milestones, managing cravings, and providing daily motivational content.
Additionally, telehealth services enable access to therapy and counselling from the comfort of your home. Wearable devices can monitor physical health, tracking sleep patterns, and stress levels, helping you maintain a healthy lifestyle. E-health tools for alcohol treatment can also play a crucial role in supporting your recovery process.
Explore Holistic and Alternative Therapies
Develop healthy hobbies and outlets for creative expression, such as painting, hiking, sports, and more. These activities are excellent for keeping the mind and body stimulated.
Incorporate stress-relieving activities into your routine. Options include meditation, aromatherapy, acupuncture, yoga, Pilates, breathing exercises, and biofeedback.
The specific activity you choose is not as important as ensuring it provides a fun, consistent, and healthy outlet for releasing stress.
Develop a Personal Recovery Plan
A personal recovery plan is a tailored roadmap designed to help individuals overcome alcohol addiction and maintain long-term sobriety. It should include specific strategies, goals, and resources that cater to your unique needs and circumstances.
Here are the key components of a basic personal recovery plan:
● Assessing your current situation
Evaluate the extent of alcohol use, triggers, and the impact of drinking on your personal and professional life. Also identify any mental health issues, like depression or anxiety, that need to be addressed.
● Setting clear and achievable goals
Define your short-term and long-term goals for sobriety. Establish milestones to track progress, like one week, one month, and one year of sobriety. Set specific goals to stop drinking alcohol.
● Outline your coping strategies
Recognize and outline your coping mechanisms to manage cravings and avoid relapse.
● Take note of your support system
Build a support network that includes family, friends, sponsors, and support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous. Communicate your goals and progress with your support system for accountability and encouragement.
● Professional help and resources
Seek guidance from healthcare professionals, such as therapists, counsellors, and addiction specialists. Utilize medication-assisted treatments if recommended by a healthcare provider, such as naltrexone or disulfiram, to reduce cravings and prevent relapse.
● Healthy lifestyle changes
Clearly outline your lifestyle goals in terms of diet, physical fitness, and sufficient.
● Monitor and adjust your plan
Regularly review and assess the effectiveness of the recovery plan. Make necessary adjustments based on progress, setbacks, and changing circumstances.
● Think about aftercare
Plan for ongoing support and resources after the initial recovery phase, including continued therapy, support group participation, and periodic check-ins with healthcare providers.
Why You Should Seek Professional Guidance
Choosing a professional alcohol detox program has several advantages, especially when dealing with symptoms like alcohol cravings and alcohol withdrawal. The importance of finding quality alcohol treatment cannot be overstated, as it provides the necessary support and resources for a successful recovery.
● Reduced risk of relapse. The risk of relapse during the acute withdrawal phase is high. A monitored program will provide the necessary support to manage cravings effectively.
● Medical support. A monitored program offers trained staff who can provide medications and interventions to reduce the severity and duration of your alcohol withdrawal.
● Customised services. Professional detox programs offer patient-tailored treatment that addresses your specific challenges and any underlying health issues or complications.
● Safety. Alcohol withdrawal can be dangerous and there is a risk of developing severe symptoms like seizures or delirium tremens. In a monitored program, medical professionals can intervene if such complications arise.
● Transition to treatment. A detox program is only the first step in the process of recovery and often serves as a bridge to further treatment or rehabilitation. Professionals can help you plan your next steps for ongoing recovery.
Seek Help Today with PCP
Overcoming alcohol addiction is a challenging journey, but it is also a transformative one that offers the promise of a healthier, more fulfilling life.
Remember, the first step toward recovery is recognizing the problem and seeking help.
At PCP, we are dedicated to providing the support, resources, and expertise you need to navigate this path successfully.
Whether through professional guidance, developing healthy habits, or leveraging technology, there are numerous ways to support your journey.
Don’t wait—take the first step today and reclaim your life from alcohol addiction. Reach out to us to learn more about how we can assist you on your path to recovery.
