In the life of any thoughtful person who finds himself in a prolonged situation of alcohol abuse, there comes a borderline when asking questions, what is the next step and how to stop drinking? For radical changes to occur, doubts and thoughts are not enough on their own, they must be supported by a firm determination to carry out our plans. If it were that simple, then the question of how to stop drinking hard alcohol forever, or even just how to stop drinking beer, wouldn't be so acute in front of millions of people. However, it is possible and the examples of these lucky ones who managed to break out of this vicious circle serve as confirmation.
What is alcoholism?
Experts say that alcoholism is not only an addiction, but also a serious illness. It has a somatic character, which is why psychological and physiological dependence on strong drinks is formed. In addition, 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 those close to them.
Separately, we have to talk about beer alcoholism, because too many people are wondering how to stop drinking beer. Although this drink is weak, it is quite insidious. As it rarely leads to severe alcoholism, most do not consider it dangerous, but it is often beyond the power of many to stop drinking beer.
This beer contains a sedative hop extract. This is why many people crave this drink during times of stress. But do not forget that it is always an alcoholic drink, in addition to richer in phytoestrogens (an analogue of female sex hormones). And since beer lovers are often men, this hobby does not go unnoticed for them. They usually show signs of feminization (muscle weakness, breast augmentation, distribution of body fat in women), 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 addiction is due to a hereditary predisposition, no one is doomed to become an alcoholic. After all, drunkards are not born, they become. And everyone has their own way of falling into this trap. Someone, well, is dealing with personal life issues, the loss of a loved one, and someone to enter this vicious cycle "helps" a cheerful company of drinking companions.
Some people drink out of boredom to kill time, others - to gain courage, to let go of certain fears or to relax in the company. But whatever the reason for a person to consume alcohol, the result is always the same: ruined life, health, spoiled relationships with loved ones, broken families, careers, moral and mental degradation of the individual.
Depression can also lead to alcoholism.
Stages of pathology
There are several stages in the development of alcohol dependence.
- A person who drinks, although they have an increased craving for alcohol, has not yet developed a physical dependence, which means that there is no withdrawal syndrome. But it is difficult for him to fight the urge to drink, because he does not understand why he should give up something that brings a lot of pleasure. Also, at this point many people still think they have complete control over the process, but this is far from the case. People have an increased tolerance for alcohol and this often boosts their confidence that they “know how to drink”. It is at this stage that people drink to the point of losing their memory or fainting completely.
- In the second stage, physical dependence on alcohol begins to form, and attempts to stop drinking are accompanied by severe withdrawal syndrome, reminiscent of drug withdrawal. In addition, during this period tolerance reaches its peak, that is, alcoholic drinks and does not get drunk. At this point, a person already needs medical help to overcome their addiction.
- The third stage is characterized by a complete lack of control, mental and mental degradation of a person, when intoxication occurs even from the smallest doses of alcohol. A similar phenomenon is associated with the fact that at the stage of increased tolerance, a person drank alcohol in quantities capable of bringing an ordinary person into a coma, and ultimately led to the fact that the liver stopped producing enzymes thatdegrade alcohol.
Since it is possible to stop drinking alcohol on your own only at the first stage of addiction, which many "get through", not understanding the impending problem, you should not feed yourselfillusions and immediately seek help from specialists.
The nuances of female alcoholism
Alcoholism is often viewed as a male problem, but by no means is it. Yes, female alcoholism is not such a common phenomenon, which is explained by the specificities of the psyche of women: they are more resistant to stress. In addition, society also imposes certain stereotypes and alcohol often becomes a prestigious drink, a kind of sign of masculinity. Therefore, the motivation to drink strong drinks 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 on her own. This is facilitated by female physiology: ethanol is broken down somewhat by the liver and is absorbed much faster in the intestines. Due to these characteristics of the body, strong drinks are much more harmful to women. First of all, reproductive function suffers: women who consistently consume alcohol are more often 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 better for any sane woman to abstain from alcohol altogether.
Dependency removal tactics
There are several strategies for eliminating addiction to alcohol. Some experts believe that it is necessary to gradually "bind" by lowering the dose of alcohol to acceptable levels or to zero. And the most obvious 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 breakdown and return to excessive alcohol consumption. Therefore, the technique is rarely used.
Another technique is complete one-step rejection of alcohol. Its undoubted advantage is that it is much less tempting for the patient to return to the previous way of life. However, this technique is not advisable to be applied if a person is on a binge because of the increased risk of withdrawal. In this case, the experts first take the person out of the binge, and 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 quit drinking at home, there is no need to hesitate to see a doctor.
Avoiding alcohol completely is one way to stop drinking.
Ways to manage a harmful disease
Fighting a destructive habit will be useless until the person realizes they are sick and need help. Only these people stop drinking once and for all. But most alcoholics do not properly assess their behavior and believe that there is no problem and that they can "stop" alcohol at any time. Since the problem is obvious to the environment, relatives can force them to stop drinking forever by urging them morally or trying to heal them in secret.
But whatever drugs are given to such a person, regardless of the good psychologists who 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, returning to addiction. Without an internal attitude to change everything, all action will be useless.
There are many ways to help those determined to quit drinking to get rid of alcoholism. But there is no one-size-fits-all method that would work for everyone. Since all people are different and come to addiction in different ways, they get out of this trap in different ways. Of course, willpower cannot be underestimated, as there are those who were able to quit drinking on their own. But there are not many, because it is especially those who do not have an iron will who sink into alcoholism.
Also, remember that the decision to quit drinking is the result of clear thinking, and for many years of alcoholism, ethanol disrupts natural processes in Nova Scotia and manythese people do not have the purely physical capacity to make such a decision. But that's only one side of the coin. The other is that alcohol is physically addictive and abrupt refusal of alcohol can lead to withdrawal symptoms.
Psychological techniques
They will be useful to anyone who gives up alcohol, whether they have taken this path alone or with the help of a narcologist. The first thing that a person should do is analyze the factors that led him to addiction. The first priority is to avoid such provoking factors. Then you need to focus on the following.
Find your call
Often a person begins to drink in order to smooth the contrast between the real state of affairs and their expectations, ambitions and inability to fully realize themselves. This is another reason why men are addicted to alcohol. After all, issues of self-actualization and status are first and foremost for them.
A change of activity or work can help. But don't underestimate the hobbies and hobbies. It is necessary to find such a hobby that would completely capture, leaving practically no free time not only to drink, but also to think about it. The options for recreation are endless, but in this area it is important to understand that successes in all areas do not immediately appear, therefore, satisfaction with the process itself is very important.
Reject the previous circle and minimize the temptations
Of course, there shouldn't be alcohol in an addict's house. You cannot leave drinks for guests and reservations. In addition, one should not even be tempted by beer, because most of them keep drinking beer. The problem is, a lot of people don't take their beer addiction seriously.
In addition, there should be no empty bottles in the accommodation of a person who stops drinking, because nothing should recall the past. All these nuances must be recalled by its environment. Relatives are obligated to help the person to stop drinking in any way possible, and if he himself sees that his or her friends or themselves are bringing him back to addiction, it is worth changing the circle offriends or limit interactions with these people at least temporarily.
To stop drinking, you must throw all the alcohol out of the house.
The drug addict should not visit places where alcohol can be offered (banquets, parties), and in the first instance it is better to bypass alcohol outlets. At the first stage of the fight, the thrower's will is still very weak, so he does not need unnecessary temptations.
Self-promotion
It is also important to reward yourself for giving up alcohol. Instead of buying another bottle, you can treat yourself to something that just wasn't enough money before. You can also have a separate piggy bank and fill it up every time you want to buy a drink. As a rule, after a month of such an experience, a person is literally overwhelmed by the amount saved.
Communication
Harmony with others and comfortable communication is an excellent tool against alcoholism. Sometimes it is enough to realize how easier and more constructive it is to communicate with people in a sober state than in an altered state of consciousness for things to turn out well. This is why there are many groups that support alcoholics, where you can not only share your story, but also get the support you need.
Drugs
Pharmaceutical companies systematically supply the market with remedies for alcohol dependence. But you need to understand that these are not magic pills, the alcoholism of which goes away on its own. They are only an auxiliary tool for those who have embarked on a difficult path of self-healing, and help to stay on track.
There are two types of drugs used: some cause an aversion to alcohol, while others help to get rid of the physical dependence on alcohol. The first group of drugs is suitable for people who have never had a particularly severe hangover syndrome and that is why they quickly became dependent on alcohol.
In the second case, with pronounced physical dependence on alcohol, benzodiazepines are assigned, which act on the same receptors as ethanol. But the course of their taking should be short, because instead of addiction to alcohol, even more dangerous addiction to psychotropic drugs may appear.
Folk remedies
The most popular remedy for cleansing the body of alcohol toxins is oatmeal infusion. To prepare it, pour 1 cup of oats with 5 cups of boiling water and leave it for at least 3 hours. Drink 0. 5 cups before meals, 5 times a day.
Aversion to alcohol helps induce a remedy as simple as thyme tea. To get the product, you need 15 g of herbs, pour 500 ml of boiling water and leave for 15 minutes. Use the infusion at the rate of 50 ml of product for 15 ml of vodka.
A decoction of St. John's Wort has the same properties. It is prepared according to the following scheme: 4 tbsp. l. the herbs are poured with 500 ml of hot water, and the product is stored in a water bath for at least half an hour. The finished broth is taken twice a day, within 2 weeks.
The influence of diet and lifestyle in pathology
Nutrition and physical activity are just as important during 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 per 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 B vitamins (legumes, fish, eggs). At the same time, it is necessary to adhere to moderation in food and limit fat, spicy and salty, since long-term alcohol consumption is associated with the development of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and the systemcardiovascular.
The introduction of sport into 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 to it, it will significantly strengthen not only the body, but also the nervous system. Nevertheless, when choosing a physical activity, one should take into account the general state of human health - in some cases, sport may be contraindicated.