Many people do not realize they have a drinking problem. Sometimes drinking a bottle of beer after a hard day at work, meeting friends at a bar on Friday, raising a glass to your health on holidays - is this really an addiction? No, but this behavior can develop into alcoholism. Even a rare drink of alcohol causes great damage to your health. How to stop drinking? In this article, we will share effective and easy ways to stop drinking quickly.
Signs of alcoholism
- Alcohol-free parties are not fun.
- The person starts drinking alone.
- When sober, he experiences constant feelings of anxiety and discomfort.
- Abstaining from alcohol for several days in a row is agony.
- Non-drinkers are bewildering.
- After severe intoxication, a person does not remember anything.
If you find two or more signs, you should think about possible problems.
Stages of alcoholism
First stage
Main features:
- The amount of alcohol consumed by an alcoholic is constantly increasing. The body becomes resistant to high degrees.
- The gag reflex disappears.
- The person starts drinking alone.
- There is a desire to drink at the wrong moment.
- Memory is running out.
- A person makes scandals at home, quarrels with colleagues.
- Interest in important matters disappears.
- If you do not drink for a while, the craving for alcohol disappears.
- It is difficult to maintain control over the amount you drink.
The second stage of alcoholism
At this stage, the alcoholic becomes more loyal to strong drinks and increases the dose without noticing it.
Main features:
- The behavior of an alcoholic becomes difficult to predict, sometimes even dangerous for others and himself.
- Physiological dependence is increasing. In the morning, a person suffers from a severe hangover, it is more difficult for him to work during the day.
- Nauseous, blood pressure rises, heart rate increases, hands and feet tremble, fever rises.
- He finds it difficult to come to terms with external stimuli, such as bright lights or loud noises.
- The alcoholic experiences a gloomy mood, constantly feels tension.
- He begins to raise his hand to those close to him.
- Intellect decreases, it becomes problematic to concentrate attention.
- The patient realizes that he is making himself worse by drinking alcohol, but cannot fight the addiction.
The third stage of alcoholism
What changes are characteristic of the third stage? Key features:
- An alcoholic drinks alcohol practically every day.
- Noticeable personality degradation.
- Pathological mental changes.
- Grade 3 alcoholism is also accompanied by the following diseases:
- Liver cirrhosis.
- Alcoholic indurative pancreatitis.
- Alcoholic gastritis.
- Alcoholic cardiomyopathy.
- Alcoholic neuropathy.
- Psychic changes are manifested in hallucinations and delusions.
An easy way to stop drinking on your own
Find a substitute for alcohol
To do this, you need to take some free time. It is advisable that the hobby has nothing to do with alcohol. This is the most effective and easiest way to stop drinking on your own. The best thing to do is find an activity that completely engulfs you - sports, dancing, acting. If you find something to your liking, after a while it will become clear to you that even if you drink just a little, the next day will be difficult. Then you will want to get rid of this discomfort, and alcohol will be forgotten.
Chat with other people
Are you mostly friends with fun-loving people who don't mind having a few drinks on Friday and beyond? Think about whether there is anything other than parties that binds you to them? If not, then nothing catastrophic will happen from the loss of these people in your life.
According to reviews, communication helps in getting rid of alcoholism. Communicate with non-drinking friends, preferably with those who are an example for you. Then, looking at them, you will want to be the same, and this is an incentive for change.
Don't test your willpower - don't agree to sit in a bar with friends with soda when everyone is drinking. You will definitely be offered a drink, and you, in order not to seem boring, will most likely agree.
Praise yourself
Alcohol is expensive. Therefore, if you abandon it, you can save a lot of money. With them, buy something that you dreamed of, but could not afford. This will be a reward for quitting the bad habit.
Quit smoking
When you are sad, you just want to sit on the windowsill, smoke and drink a glass of wine. Smokers should also give up nicotine. Tobacco and alcohol always go hand in hand.
Don't give up alcohol forever
Be light on what is happening. Don't say goodbye to alcohol forever. Otherwise, you run the risk of quickly falling into depression, and in a moment of weakness to break loose.
Reassure yourself that you are reducing your addiction, but this abstinence is not forever. You will be able to drink again when you get the situation under control.
What do you need to remember when fighting alcoholism at home?
- Alcoholism develops slowly. The disease can be noticed in the early stages and immediately stopped.
- With alcoholism of the second and third stages, health, freshness, beauty, youth are lost. Alcoholics begin to spoil relationships with others.
- With the right fight against alcoholism, it can be completely overcome. The ex-patient will be able to afford a couple of glasses on holidays without breaking down.
- If an alcoholic breaks down, he shouldn't blame himself for it. Don't get depressed and self-loathing. Everything happens gradually, next time it will be easier.