Many people don't realize they have a drinking problem. Sometimes drinking a bottle of beer after a hard day’s work, meeting friends at a bar on a Friday, raising a glass of health on holidays - is this really addictive? No, but this behavior can turn into alcoholism. Even infrequent drinking of alcohol causes great damage to your health. How to stop drinking? In this article, we will share effective and simple ways to stop drinking quickly.
Signs of alcoholism
- Non-alcoholic parties are not fun.
- The person starts drinking on their own.
- When he is sober, he experiences a constant feeling of anxiety and discomfort.
- Abstinence from alcohol for several days in a row is agony.
- Non-drinkers are confused.
- After severe intoxication, the person does not remember anything.
If you find two or more characters, you should consider possible issues.
Stages of alcoholism
Phase One
Key Features:
- The amount of alcohol an alcoholic consumes is constantly increasing. The body becomes resistant to high degrees.
- The gag reflex disappears.
- The person starts drinking on their own.
- There is a desire to drink at the wrong time.
- Out of memory.
- A person makes scandals at home, argues with colleagues.
- Loss of interest in important things.
- If you don't drink for a while, the craving for alcohol disappears.
- It's hard to keep control of the amount you drink.
Second phase of alcoholism
At this stage the alcoholic becomes more loyal to strong drinks and increases the dose without noticing it.
Key Features:
- The behavior of an alcoholic becomes difficult to predict, sometimes even dangerous for others and himself.
- Physiological dependence is increasing. In the morning a person suffers from a strong hangover, it is harder for him to work during the day.
- Nausea, blood pressure rises, pulse rises, arms and legs tremble, temperature rises.
- It's hard for him to come to terms with external stimuli, such as bright light or loud sounds.
- An alcoholic experiences a gloomy mood, constantly feels tension.
- He starts raising his hand to those closest to him.
- Intelligence declines, it becomes problematic to concentrate.
- The patient realizes that drinking alcohol makes himself worse, but he cannot fight the addiction.
The third phase of alcoholism
What changes are characteristic of the third phase? Key features:
- An alcoholic drinks alcohol practically every day.
- Noticeable personality degradation.
- Pathological mental changes. Grade 3 alcoholism is also accompanied by the following diseases: Cirrhosis of the liver.
- Alcohol inductive pancreatitis.
- Alcoholic gastritis.
- Alcoholic cardiomyopathy.
- Alcoholic neuropathy.
- Psychic changes are manifested in hallucinations and delusions.
An easy way to stop drinking on your own
Find a substitute for alcohol
To do this, you need to take some free time. It is recommended that the hobby has nothing to do with alcohol. This is the most effective and easiest way to stop drinking on your own. It is best to find an activity that completely overwhelms you - sports, dancing, acting. If you find something to your liking, after a while it will become clear to you that even if you drink only a little, the next day will be difficult. Then you will want to get rid of that discomfort and the alcohol will be forgotten.
Talk to other people
Are you mostly friends with lovers who don’t mind having a few drinks on Friday and later? Think about it, is there anything else besides the parties that bind you to them? If not, then nothing catastrophic will happen due to the loss of these people in your life.
According to reviews, communication helps deal with alcoholism. Communicate with friends who don’t drink, preferably with those who are your example. Then, looking at them, you will want to be the same, and this is an incentive for change.
Don't test your willpower - don't agree to sit at a bar with your soda friends when everyone is drinking. You will definitely be offered a drink, and in order not to look bored, you will most likely agree.
Praise yourself
Alcohol is expensive. Therefore, if you leave it, you can save a lot of money. Buy something with them that you dreamed of but couldn’t afford. This will be a reward for quitting a bad habit.
Quit smoking
When you're sad, you just want to sit on the windowsill, smoke and drink a glass of wine. Smokers should also give up nicotine. Tobacco and alcohol always go hand in hand.
Don't give up alcohol forever
Be aware of what is happening. Don’t say goodbye to alcohol forever. Otherwise, you risk falling into depression quickly and getting rid of it in a moment of weakness.
Make sure you reduce addiction, but this abstinence is not forever. You can drink again when you control the situation.
What should you keep in mind when fighting alcoholism at home?
- Alcoholism is slow to develop. The disease can be noticed in the early stages and stopped immediately.
- Alcoholism of the second and third phase loses health, freshness, beauty and youth. Alcoholics begin to spoil relationships with others.
- With a proper fight against alcoholism this can be completely overcome. The former patient will be able to afford a few glasses on holidays without spoiling it.
- If an alcoholic breaks down, you shouldn’t blame yourself for it. Don’t be depressed and disgusting to yourself. Everything happens gradually, next time it will be easier.