Whether you have tried to stop drinking in the past, or you’re here to do it for the first time, if you’re ready to move past a life with alcohol, you have options for how to go about that. There are many ways to quit drinking. These include strategies, techniques, programs, apps, and more.
Different thinks work for different people. For some people, it’s just pure stubbornness once they decide they’re not going to have another drink. For some people, therapy is really helpful because it helps address any underlying trauma or emotions that the alcohol is being used to suppress. For other people, certain sobriety quotes or mantas can help give them the strength to stay sober.
For many, however, it takes some combination of different ways to stop drinking. Once you find that combo that works for you, you’ll be able to increase your chances of staying sober when you give up alcohol.
You never know what it’ll be that makes things finally click for you, giving you that extra push you need to leave alcohol in the past. If you try something, and it doesn’t work, please don’t give up. The fact that you’re here right now means that you will succeed, you just have to go through the process, and as long as you don’t give up, you will achieve your goals. Use the resources that are available to you, draw on all of the strength you have, and use the following ways to quit drinking to your advantage.
Meetings to Help You Quit Drinking
Talking to other people who are going through the same thing as you can be super helpful. Just hearing their stories and how you can relate to them can remind you that you’re not alone.
You’ll also hear the rationalizations that some people have when they relapse and drink again, and it may match thought patterns that you have. Sometimes, hearing it come out of someone else’s mouth can be really helpful in realizing the tricks that your brain and alcohol can be playing on you sometimes.
Here’s how to find a support group in your area.
Online Support Groups to Quit Drinking
If you aren’t comfortable or able to attend local meetings for whatever the reason may be, you can also look into online support groups. If going to a room of alcoholics in person and sharing your truth feels impossible at this point, it doesn’t mean you can’t find other support and groups. Maybe an anonymous voice call is more up your alley, or even a forum for writing text?
There’s something powerful about being there in person, but that’s not always an option, or you might just not be ready for that level of openness and honesty in a group of people yet. Baby steps are still steps forward.
Quit Lit or Stop Drinking Books
Some people like to sit down and read, that’s the way they best absorb information and process it. If you are among those people, or you’re just looking for a book to add to your daily routine that can have a very positive outcome for you, check out some of these stop drinking books.
Rehab to Stop Drinking
If you’ve tried other things, and they just aren’t working, sometimes an extensive rehab program is just what you need. You’ll be surrounded by professionals, as well as other alcoholics who are dedicating themselves to getting their lives back on track.
It’s a big lifestyle change if you’re staying there, but did you know there’s also rehab after work that you can look into, so that you don’t have to completely overhaul your life for weeks or months at a time?
Stop Drinking Quotes
If you’re the type of person who rolls your eyes at various types of motivational or inspiration quotes, then this might not be for you… but sometimes, the perfect combination of words can really resonate with someone, and really shape how they think about things, giving them a new way to approach their problems and challenges. Check out these quotes about alcoholism and sobriety.
Cold Turkey
Some people are able to make the decision to stop drinking and go cold turkey, which means you just stop abruptly, and that’s that. Not everyone can do this, in fact it’s kind of rare, and it’s not always safe. If you’re a heavy drinker, you should consult with a healthcare professional before you stop drinking cold turkey because the body can have all sorts of adverse reactions to suddenly stopping drinking when you’ve become physically and mentally dependent on alcohol, and its’ the sort of thing that needs to be overseen by a professional.
Gradually Stop Drinking & Harm Reduction
Some people aren’t able to stop cold turkey, and will instead opt to drink less and less over a period of time. This can work for people who have the self control to have a couple of drinks without finishing the bottle, but for many, many alcoholics, it’s more of an all or nothing situation. If they have zero drinks, they’re okay – but if they have one or two drinks, they’ll end up losing their control and drinking until they blackout.
There’s something to be said about reducing harm. If 10 drinks a day is really harmful, 2-3 drinks a day is going to be a lot less harmful. If the ultimate goal is to stop drinking, keep that in mind and remind yourself as you drink less and less.
Be honest with yourself. If you’re someone who drinks as a habit, because you enjoy it, or because all your friends do it, and you don’t feel as physically and mentally addicted, this might work for you. But if you’re an alcoholic, this can be a lot more difficult to maintain.
