In the life of every thinking person who is in a prolonged situation of alcohol abuse, a limit stage arrives when he asks the questions, what next and how to stop drinking? For radical changes to occur, doubts and thoughts alone are not enough, they must be backed by a firm determination to carry out our plans. If it were that simple, the question of how to stop drinking hard liquor for good, or even how to stop drinking beer, would not be so acute in front of millions of people. However, this is possible and the examples of those fortunate who managed to get out of this vicious circle serve as confirmation.
What is alcoholism?
Experts say that alcoholism is not just an addiction, but also a serious disease. It has a somatic character, which is why it forms both a psychological and physiological dependence on strong drinks. Furthermore, alcoholism is a personal, social and even economic problem that affects many. The disease paralyzes not only the fate and body of alcoholics, but also the lives of their loved ones.
Separately, it should be said about beer alcoholism, as many are wondering how to stop drinking beer. Although this drink is weak, it is quite insidious. Since it rarely leads to severe alcoholism, it is not considered dangerous by most, but it is often beyond the power of many to stop drinking beer.
This beer contains a sedative hop extract. This is the reason why many people crave this drink in times of stress. But don't forget that this is still an alcoholic drink, also rich in phytoestrogens (an analog of female sex hormones). And since beer lovers are usually men, this hobby does not pass them without a trace. They usually show signs of feminization (weakening of muscles, enlarged breasts, distribution of female body fat), so it is important to stop drinking beer before these problems appear.
Causes of the disease
Despite the opinion of scientists that, in some cases, alcohol dependence is due to a hereditary predisposition, but no one born is doomed to become an alcoholic. After all, drunkards are not born, they come back. And everyone has their own way of falling into this trap. Someone, therefore, copes with the problems of personal life, the loss of a loved one, and someone to get into this vicious circle "helps" a cheerful company of drinking companions.
Some drink out of boredom to kill time, others out of courage, to get rid of some fears, or to relax in company. But whatever the reason that drives a person to consume alcohol, the result is always the same: ruined life, health, ruined relationships with loved ones, broken families, careers, moral and mental degradation of the individual.
Depression can also cause alcoholism.
Stages of pathology
There are several stages in the development of alcohol dependence.
- A person who drinks, although he feels a greater desire for alcohol, has not yet developed a physical dependence, which means that there is no withdrawal syndrome. But it is difficult for her to fight the urge to drink, as she does not understand why she should give up something that gives her great pleasure. Also, at this stage, many still think that they are in full control of the process, but this is far from the case. People have a higher tolerance for alcohol and this often strengthens their confidence that they "know how to drink. "It is at this stage that people drink to the point of having memory lapses or complete blackouts.
- In the second stage, physical dependence on alcohol begins to form, and attempts to quit drinking are accompanied by a severe withdrawal syndrome, reminiscent of drug withdrawal. Also, during this period, tolerance reaches its climax, that is, alcoholic beverages and does not get drunk. At this stage, a person already needs medical help to overcome the addiction.
- The third stage is characterized by a total lack of control, the mental and mental degradation of a person, when intoxication occurs with even the smallest doses of alcohol. A similar phenomenon is associated with the fact that in the stage of increased tolerance, a person drank alcohol in amounts that could lead an ordinary person to a coma and eventually led to the fact that the liver stopped producing enzymes that break down alcohol.
Since it is possible to stop drinking alcohol on your own only at the first stage of addiction, which many "escape" without understanding the impending problem, then you should not feed yourself with illusions and immediately seek the help of specialists.
The nuances of female alcoholism
Alcoholism is often considered a male problem, but this is not the case. Yes, female alcoholism is not such a common phenomenon, which is explained by the specific characteristics of the psyche of women: they are more resistant to stress. In addition, society also imposes certain stereotypes, and alcohol often becomes a status drink, a kind of sign of masculinity. Therefore, the motivation to drink strong beverages in men is stronger. Under these conditions, women have fewer opportunities to sleep.
But it is much more difficult for a woman to stop drinking, especially by herself. This is facilitated by female physiology: the liver breaks down ethanol somewhat worse and it is absorbed much faster in the intestines. Due to these characteristics of the body, strong drinks harm women much more. First, reproductive function suffers: women who consistently consume alcohol are more frequently diagnosed with infertility and children with physical and mental disabilities are born. And since it is very difficult for a woman to stop drinking, it is best for any sane lady to refrain from drinking alcohol entirely.
Tactics to eliminate addictions
There are several strategies to eliminate alcohol dependence. Some experts believe that it is necessary to "tie" gradually by reducing the alcohol dose to acceptable levels or to zero. And the obvious advantage of this method is the absence of withdrawal symptoms. But in practice, this method is quite difficult to apply due to the high risk of spoilage and heavy drinking again. Therefore, the technique is rarely used.
Another technique is the complete rejection of alcohol in one step. Its indisputable advantage is that it is much less tempting for the patient to return to the previous way of life. However, it is not recommended to apply this technique if a person is bingeing due to the increased risk of withdrawal. In this case, experts first take the person out of the binge, and only then introduce a complete taboo on alcohol. It is very important that the choice of this or that method is made by a specialist in narcology, and not by the patient himself or his relatives. Since it is not so easy to stop drinking at home, you do not need to hesitate to consult a doctor.
Quitting alcohol completely is a technique to stop drinking.
Ways to deal with a harmful disease
Fighting a destructive habit will be meaningless until the person realizes that they are sick and need help. Only those people stop drinking once and for all. But most alcoholics do not adequately evaluate their behavior and believe that there is no problem and that they can "quit" at any time. Since the problem is obvious to the environment, loved ones can force them to stop drinking for good, putting pressure on them or trying to heal them secretly.
But no matter what medications are given to that person, no matter how good psychologists work with them, the result will be predictable: the patient will not be able to stop drinking for a long time and sooner or later will collapse and return toaddiction. Without an inner attitude to change everything, any action will be useless.
There are many ways to help those who are determined to stop drinking to get rid of alcoholism. But there is no one-size-fits-all method. Since everyone is different and gets addicted in different ways, they get out of this trap in different ways. Of course, willpower should not be underestimated, as there are those who have been able to stop drinking on their own. But there are not many, since it is mainly those people who do not have an iron will who fall into alcoholism.
Also, do not forget that the decision to stop drinking is the result of clear thinking, and for many years of alcoholism, ethanol disrupts natural processes in the NS and many of these people do not have a purely physical ability tomake such a decision. But this is only one side of the coin. The other is that alcohol is physically addictive, and abrupt rejection of alcohol can lead to withdrawal symptoms.
Psychological techniques
They will come in handy for anyone quitting alcohol, regardless of whether they took this path on their own or with the help of a narcologist. The first thing a person should do is analyze the factors that led to the addiction. The first priority is to avoid these triggers. So you need to focus on the following.
Find your call
Often times a person starts drinking to soften the contrast between the real state of affairs and their expectations, ambitions and the inability to fully realize themselves. This is another reason why men get addicted to alcohol. After all, the issues of self-realization and state come first for them.
A change of activity or job can help. But don't underestimate the hobbies and hobbies. You need to find a hobby that fully captures you, leaving almost no free time not only for drinking, but also for thinking about it. The options for hobbies are endless, but in this matter it is important to understand that successes in any field do not appear immediately, so the satisfaction of the process itself is very important.
Rejecting the previous circle and minimizing the temptations
Naturally, there should be no alcohol in an addict's home. You cannot leave drinks for guests and stash. Also, one shouldn't even be tempted by beer, as most of them can't stop drinking beer. The problem is that many people do not take their addiction to beer seriously.
Also, there should be no empty bottles in the home of a person who stops drinking, as nothing should remember the past. All these nuances must be remembered by your environment. Family members are obliged to help the drinker who stops drinking in every possible way, and if he himself sees that they or his friends are making him re-addicted, then it is worth changing the circle of friends or limiting interaction withthose people at least temporarily.
To stop drinking, you must throw away all the alcohol in the house.
The addict should not visit places where alcohol can be offered (banquets, parties), and at first it is better to ignore alcohol outlets. In the first stage of the fight, the will of the caster is still very weak, so he does not need unnecessary temptations.
Self-promotion
It's also important to reward yourself for giving up alcohol. Instead of buying another bottle, you can indulge in something that you simply didn't have enough money for before. You can also have a separate piggy bank and recharge it every time you want to buy a drink. As a rule of thumb, after a month of such an experiment, a person is literally overwhelmed by the amount saved.
Communication
Harmony with other people and comfortable communication is a great tool against alcoholism. Sometimes it is enough to realize how easy and constructive it is to communicate with people in a sober state than in an altered state of consciousness to make everything work out. That is why there are many groups that support alcoholics, where you can share not only your story, but also get the support you need.
Medications
Pharmaceutical companies systematically supply the market for drugs for alcohol dependence. But you need to understand that these are not magic pills, from which alcoholism disappears on its own. They are only an auxiliary tool for those who have embarked on a difficult path of self-healing and help not to stray from it.
Two types of drugs are used: some cause an aversion to alcohol, while others help to get rid of physical dependence on alcohol. The first group of drugs is suitable for people who have never had a particularly pronounced hangover syndrome and that is why they quickly became addicted to alcohol.
In the second case, with a pronounced physical dependence on alcohol, benzodiazepines are assigned, which act on the same receptors as ethanol. But the course of its taking should be short, since instead of alcohol dependence, an even more dangerous addiction to psychotropic drugs may appear.
Folk remedies
The most popular remedy to cleanse the body of alcoholic toxins is oatmeal infusion. To prepare it, pour 1 cup of oatmeal with 5 cups of boiling water and leave it for at least 3 hours. Drink it 0. 5 cups before meals, 5 times a day.
The aversion to alcohol helps to induce a remedy as simple as the thyme infusion. To obtain the product, you need 15 g of herbs, pour 500 ml of boiling water and leave for 15 minutes. Use the infusion at a rate of 50 ml of product per 15 ml of vodka.
The decoction of St. John's wort has the same properties. It is prepared according to the following scheme: 4 tablespoons. l. the herbs are poured with 500 ml of hot water and the product is kept in a water bath for at least half an hour. The finished broth is taken twice a day, in a course of 2 weeks.
The influence of diet and lifestyle on pathology
Nutrition and physical activity are equally important during the period of alcohol withdrawal. It is important for a thirsty person to adhere to a drinking regimen (water helps detoxify the body) and drink 2 to 2. 5 liters of water a day. It is also worth paying attention to the diet and introducing products that stimulate the synthesis of endorphins and serotonin (fresh fruits, chocolate, meat), containing vitamin B (legumes, fish, eggs). At the same time, it is necessary to adhere to moderation in food and limit fatty, spicy and salty levels, since long-term alcohol consumption is associated with the development of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and cardiovascular system.
The introduction of sport in the life of such a person is no less important. Even a simple walk will stimulate the release of endorphins, and if you add exercise, yoga, jogging, this will significantly strengthen not only the body, but also the nervous system. However, when choosing physical activity, the general state of human health should be taken into account; in some cases, sports may be contraindicated.