How to stop drinking? - This question is asked by both alcohol addicts and their family and friends. It is very difficult to stop drinking, why? Contrary to public opinion that it is a habit, a way of life or promiscuity, alcoholism is a serious disease, not so much a physical dependence as a psychological one, a change in values and outlook on life.
Also, let's define how you want to stop drinking, this could be:
- Just one way out of the binge;
- I wish to stop drinking for good.
In the first case, the article "How to get out of the binge" will help you. If you want to stop drinking alcohol for good, let's try to figure it out in this article.
Your first big step to quit drinking alcohol!
There are several important things to understand in order to stop drinking alcohol.
It is almost impossible to change your inner world, mindset, lifestyle overnight, which you have become accustomed to for many years, and to start seeing life as a sober person sees it, it is almost impossible.
It's like throwing a fish to the ground and waiting for it to immediately turn to ground. To stop drinking, you should reconsider the importance of drinking in your life by answering the following questions:
- Don't you have a problem with alcohol? This is a common misconception that if it were, everyone could stop drinking at any time and never drink again. But it's not like that?
- Do you think alcohol is not a drug? So why, after the usual abstinence from bingeing, does it come back to use again and again? Why is drinking necessary to alleviate withdrawal symptoms? Because alcohol is a drug that causes a powerful physical and psychological addiction!
- Do you always have a reason to drink? And without drinking, do the joys and sorrows of life fade away? Do not! If you had a child and did not drink for him, would your joy be less?
- Does alcohol help you relax and cope with stress? Does it solve these problems? Does stress go away when you are sober? Of course, no! Also, with use, a person loses the ability to relax on his own with the help of other methods.
- Do strong drinks add confidence? With who? For those with whom you can communicate with a bottle, trust is not necessary. And those with whom you do not trust will not communicate with a drunk person.
- Do you think you rarely drink? How often do we drink that is considered rare? Is there a rate and frequency? Of course, no! Tolerance is different for each organism, as well as addiction and dependence. That for one, without consequences, for another, alcoholism!
- Is it good for your health in small doses? Yes, the poison in small doses, they say, is also useful, addictive, but the damage it simultaneously causes to the body is immeasurable with the perceived benefit.
- Do you drink because you think alcoholism is incurable? There are many examples of alcoholism treatment, do you pay attention to them? Or do you not want to notice them? And they exist! In that case, what is this? An excuse?
What are all these questions for? They make it clear that addicts extol alcoholic beverages, attach great importance to them. Although, in fact, alcohol has no value in our life. And this is the most important thing to understand if you want to stop drinking alcohol!
How to stop drinking alcohol on your own?
Only after taking the first step, rethink the importance of "drinking" in your life, or rather, understand its insignificance, 
may move on to the next step, wondering how to stop drinking alcohol on your own. To do this, you must clearly realize that the joys in life are brighter, problems must be solved, depression can be treated on its own, the "bottle" will not do it for you!
So in order to stop drinking on your own, you need to configure yourself correctly, please note the important points:
- Don't be afraid of the future! Yes, changing your life can be scary, but think about it, what are you afraid of? Only the unknown, because you don't know how to live soberly. But after all, everyone is afraid of any stranger, this is the nature of man and this is absolutely normal! Furthermore, more than half of humanity leads a sober life!
- Be true to your word! We decided to stop drinking, not succumb to self-deception! No glass, no "small". Remember, there is a new round of use behind this. Don't count on the willpower to save you, not to save you! After the first glass, the self-control dulls and then disappears completely. There is willpower as long as you stay sober!
- Learn to relieve stress and relax! It can be any hobby, yoga, pilates, meditation, communication, reading books, music, self-development, cross stitch, finally find yours! This is a prerequisite that will allow you to get used to another relaxation, without a glass.
- Sport is in a good mood! And not so much because it has a beneficial effect on health. It promotes the production of endorphins, hormones of happiness. Being in a good mood will make life easier for you.
- Don't get bored! Because they have nothing to do, many start drinking, smoking, injecting drugs. Boredom is the greatest enemy! Write yourself a plan for all types of employment: work, housework (you probably accumulated a lot while drinking), things for the development of life and family.
- Change the environment! To prevent your past life from slipping back to the bottom, be sure to change your social circle to one of the very people you want to become. Here, communication on a new level and a competitive spirit will help you.
- Don't avoid drinkers! It's strange, yes, but effective! You will see it always and everywhere throughout your life after you decide to stop drinking. Therefore, you have to get used to them initially.
How to stop drinking with the help of specialists?
Many people wonder how to stop drinking alcohol if you can't do it yourself.
The answer to this question is simple: with the help of professionals, in whose arsenal there are two effective methods:
- coding of alcoholism;
- alcohol rehabilitation center.
Coding will help you to block the craving for alcohol for a time (1-2 years), if during this time you learn to relax, to enjoy life, to look for a hobby, to choose your sport, in otherwords, you can meet all the conditions of the previous chapter, after the expiration of the encoding period, you yourself do not want to go back to your old life.
If for some reason you understand that you cannot meet the necessary conditions on your own, then psychotherapists will come to the rescue with a rehabilitation program, where you will discover a new world, your skills and opportunities, make new friends, learn to receivethe pleasure of a sober life.