Advice for cutting down or quitting drinking alcohol

If you’re struggling to reduce your alcohol consumption on your own, it may be time to seek professional help and stop drinking alcohol. A therapist or addiction specialist can provide guidance, support, and evidence-based treatment options. The decision to quit drinking is personal, but for people who want to make a change in their lives, it can be done with careful consideration. If you want to take steps toward a different future, this guide can help you understand how to safely quit drinking and focus on making healthy, sustainable changes along the way. Dr. Streem says that if your goal is to stop drinking altogether, you’re more likely to have success quitting all at once, rather than weaning off alcohol.

Take some days off drinking

A useful trick for pacing is to have one glass of water or a non-alcoholic drink between alcoholic drinks. If your plan to cut back on drinking coincides with your plan to stop smoking, stop drinking fizzy drinks, eat fewer processed foods and lower your daily screen time, you may need to reconsider. Socialising with friends and family can be one of the biggest triggers for wanting to drink. So often alcohol is involved with socialising, and it can be difficult to see an afternoon or evening with others without a drink. Think about your tolerance for alcohol when deciding how much to drink.

Professional resources and helplines for alcohol treatment and recovery

For some people, this is enough to reduce the number of drinks they have. Not only that – if you drink quite a lot normally and you suddenly start drinking nothing at all, there may be some side effects. Many people report trouble sleeping when they first tips to quit drinking cut back or stop drinking alcohol altogether.

Talk with a doctor.

Once you have tools you know work https://ecosoberhouse.com/ to help you drink less alcohol, it may be a case of simply agreeing to stick to the plan. Many neuroscientists and behavioural specialists say that one way to boost self-confidence and self-esteem is to value the promises you’ve made to yourself. Even as an adult, it’s normal to be influenced by what your friends and loved ones think so you may have to work hard to resist the peer pressure. One simple way to cut back on alcohol is to stay out of ’rounds’, where one person goes to the bar and buys everyone a drink. You then take it in turns so everyone in the group pays for everyone’s drink at some point. Use the ‘notes’ app on your phone or download a specific app for counting drinks.

Enter your phone number below to receive a free and confidential call from a treatment provider. Because substance use disorder is a complex disease, you likely have more than one trigger. When you feel a craving coming on, assess what’s around you and what you’re feeling.

• Instead of worrying that people will leave you behind for your bad behavior, you’re afraid that people will do it because now you seem too good.
• Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment options.
• Without proper treatment, your symptoms may advance to the point that the effects are irreversible.
• Spending time with people who understand exactly what you’re going through can be very healing.

If that’s not possible, admit your desire to drink and don’t judge yourself for it. Call or text a friend and have your goals handy to remind yourself why you’ve dropped drinking. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. You can create a plan of practical tips to support your mental wellbeing with our Mind Plan quiz.

• High blood pressure does not usually have any symptoms, so the only way to know if you have it, is to get a check.
• Consulting a healthcare professional or addiction specialist who offers experienced guidance on how to safely quit drinking can tailor a recovery plan specific to your needs.
• Finding or reaching out to other sober people can also help.
• Tell your close friends, family, or a support group about your decision to stop drinking.
• Among other things, you might find you have more energy, that you’re sleeping better, or that you’ve lost a fair amount of weight.
• Practicing your refusal ahead of time can help you feel more comfortable and confident when you find yourself in a situation that involves alcohol.

If you’re looking to drink less, one easy way to do this is to drink something else instead. But this can be harder than it sounds, given the way society and social occasions tend to value alcohol. Giving up or cutting back on just one or two of those is hard enough, especially if it’s a regular habit and one you rely on so take it one step at a time. To start drinking slower, move the glass away from you when you’ve had a sip. Keeping it out of your eyeline will mean you’re less tempted to reach for it out of habit, social anxiety, or boredom. Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it dehydrates you and makes you crave hydration.

• If you answer “yes” to six or more questions, your symptoms align with severe AUD.
• You have places, people, and events that are tied to drinking.
• Preparing a response ahead of time can help relieve any pressure you may feel and let others know your boundaries.
• At Crestview Recovery in Portland, Oregon, we provide comprehensive treatment programs designed to help individuals reclaim their lives from alcohol dependence.
• For other people, stopping drinking can be essential for medical reasons.

It’ll encourage you to think mindfully about what you actually fancy having to drink, rather than defaulting to what you always have or what they are drinking. It’s a good idea to stick to buying your own drinks if you’re looking to drink less. That means staying out of buying ’rounds’ – where one person goes to the bar and buys everyone a drink in turns – and buying your own drink if you’re out with just one friend. If you alcoholism treatment need to go shopping in a supermarket, avoid sections that sell alcohol. Book an early-morning Pilates class, agree to meet a friend for a walk, or book a table at a sought-after brunch restaurant.