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If you’re reading this page, you probably aren’t one
of those people. In general, it’s better to put time and effort into sobriety than to try to do the bare minimum. If you’ve struggled to quit
drinking, you should consider support groups, counseling or rehab. Self-help books or apps are less likely to
help you successfully quit if you are addicted to alcohol. Medical experts now use the term “alcohol use disorder” rather than “alcohol abuse” to address the concern of excessive drinking. Talk with a healthcare professional if you’re concerned you may experience detox symptoms when quitting drinking or cutting back.

The downside is that cold turkey can also leave you feeling drained and vulnerable. This might actually encourage relapse, and then make you scared to quit again. “Cold turkey” refers to quitting alcohol, or any addictive substance, abruptly. This often results in withdrawal symptoms, physical and mental discomfort, and a week or so of limited activity while your body goes through detox. Telemedicine is a growing industry, and is making medical assistance easier to access than it was before. People can now talk to a doctor through video chat and get help for many common ailments.

How to help someone stop drinking

Talk to your doctor or an addiction specialist to learn more. It’s also called alcohol dependence, alcohol addiction or alcohol abuse. If you’re ready to quit drinking alcohol, but unsure where to find help, Ria Health may have a solution that works for you. Our program offers access to expert medical advice, prescription medications, recovery coaches, online support groups, and digital tracking tools, all through your smartphone.

Becoming aware of where, when, and why you consume alcohol lets you assess your own habits. Are you relying too much on drinking to help you deal with social anxiety? Are you having two drinks with dinner when you’d prefer to have one? If you have a family history of alcoholism, or have struggled with substances in the past, this awareness can be especially important.

Set firm dates to begin your plan.

Contrary to myth, being able to “hold your liquor” means you’re probably more at risk — not less — for alcohol problems. Yet a family history of alcohol problems doesn’t mean that children will automatically grow up to have the same problems. Nor does the absence of family drinking problems necessarily protect children from developing these problems. Diagnosis is based on a conversation with your healthcare provider. The diagnosis is made when drinking interferes with your life or affects your health.

• The problems linked to alcohol dependence are extensive.
• Working to stop alcohol use to improve quality of life is the main treatment goal.

People with a parent, grandparent, or other close relative with alcoholism have a higher risk for becoming dependent on alcohol. For many, it may be difficult to maintain low-risk drinking habits. Fortunately, urges to drink are short-lived, predictable, and controllable.

Addiction Treatment Services

Your doctor may suggest a medicine to help treat your alcohol use disorder. Medicines are usually used together with talk therapy and support groups. Has been helping alcoholics recover for more than 80 years. A.A.’s program of recovery is built on the simple foundation of one alcoholic sharing with another.

You don’t have to create a crisis, but learning detachment will help you allow a crisis—one that may be the only way to create change—to happen. You may still want to help your loved one when they are in the middle of a crisis. However, a crisis is usually the time when you should do nothing. When someone reaches a crisis point, sometimes that’s when they finally admit they have a problem and begin to reach out for help. It’s common for someone with AUD to try to blame their drinking on circumstances or others around them, including those who are closest to them. It’s common to hear them say, “The only reason I drink is because you…”

Opioid Addiction

Using one or more of several types of psychological therapies, psychologists can help people address psychological issues involved in their problem drinking. A number of these therapies, including cognitive-behavioral coping skills treatment and motivational enhancement therapy, were developed by psychologists. Additional therapies include 12-Step facilitation approaches that assist those with drinking problems in using self-help programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).

• You have places, people, and events that are tied to drinking.
• In this case, you should set a limit on how much you want to tone down and keep track of your drinking.
• Others need residential rehab
  and long-term aftercare support.
• Alcohol use disorder is what doctors call it when you can’t control how much you drink and have trouble with your emotions when you’re not drinking.
• Overcoming an addiction to alcohol can be a long and bumpy road.
• You can also get peer support and help through AA meetings.

Alcohol use can have a big effect on the people close to you, so couples or family therapy can help, too. Our mission is to use new technology to make treatment more accessible, and reduce the stigma around problem drinking. We offer both abstinence and moderation as options, https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/how-to-overcome-alcoholism/ and use only evidence-based methods. If a person is ready to quit, but needs support, the process is still long and complicated. Help them familiarize themselves with the resources out there, and figure out how to access the ones that will work best for them.

More in Addiction

Technology makes it easier than ever to learn new skills and find creative ways of connecting, even when you can’t physically participate in activities with others. Satisfying hobbies can distract you from wanting to drink, but they also help you relax — something everyone needs to do. Feeling at your best physically can boost resilience and emotional strength, equipping you to weather challenges that trigger the desire to drink. Keep nonalcoholic beverages on hand for yourself and others. Let guests bring their own alcohol — and take it with them when they leave. Building new relationships with people who also choose to avoid alcohol can have a lot of benefit.

Dopamine levels in the brain rise after consuming alcohol. Dopamine levels may make the drinking experience more gratifying. A person who drinks excessive amounts of alcohol will often not be the first person to realize that this is so. Excessive or inappropriate consumption of alcohol is not necessarily the same as alcohol dependence. Alcoholism, now known as alcohol use disorder, is a condition in which a person has a desire or physical need to consume alcohol.

Ask your friends and family for support.

That said, you need to make sure you are safe, and that you have a plan you can stick to. Moderate alcohol consumption does not generally cause any psychological or physical harm. However, if someone who enjoys social drinking significantly increases their consumption or regularly consumes more than the recommended quantity, AUD may eventually develop. Anyone experiencing problems with alcohol can benefit from counseling and therapy. A counselor can help you develop personalized
strategies to get sober.