Addiction
Going Dry: Self-Help for Alcohol Abuse
Guest Blogger: Stephanie Hamilton
As anyone who has been addicted to alcohol knows quite well, overcoming this type of dependence can be a very difficult task. However, an article on Helpguide.com reassures people who are ready and willing to stop drinking that they can certainly recover from alcoholism, no matter how bleak or hopeless their situation may feel. By following several steps and having the right kind of support, people can help themselves break free from their dependence on booze.
Cold Turkey
People who are ready to quit drinking sometimes wonder if they truly need to cut out all alcohol from of their lives forever, or if they can just cut back. As the Helpguide.com article explained, this all depends on how severe the person’s problem with alcohol is. While alcoholics should eliminate all drinking, others might be able to limit how much and how often they drink.
Those who are spiritual often turn to the power of prayer as a way to help keep them on track when recovering from alcohol abuse. As Pastor Ed Young wrote in an article that appeared on Crosswalk.com, God truly does answer prayers.
“There is true power in prayer,” Young wrote. “And when we pray in Jesus’ name, He may also say ‘Yes.’ ‘Yes, I’ll forgive. Yes, I’ll heal. Yes, I’ll step in to help’.”
Commit to Quit
A big step is to make the commitment to stop drinking. It’s important to come up with clear goals relating to cutting back on, or eliminating, alcohol use. For example, people can determine and then write down the date when they’ll stop; or they could decide to stop drinking on weekdays, effective on a certain day. Keeping these goals realistic will increase the chances of success with less stress.
Next, people should write down their thoughts and ideas on how they can help themselves meet these goals. Examples include removing all alcohol from the home — as well as any glasses that were typically used when drinking and other alcohol-related items — letting friends and family know about their plan to conquer addiction, and staying away from those who aren’t supportive of their sobriety. Also, if you’re used to catching a drink on the way home, take a different route to steer clear of your usual bar haunts.
The Alcohol Diaries
To help alcoholics reach their goals of cutting back or eliminating their drinking, the HelpGuide article advises that they also keep a diary of their alcohol use. For example, for three to four weeks, people should note every time they have a drink. This will help them keep tabs on how much they’re drinking and when.
Start by taking off one or two days a week from drinking and then try to do a whole week. On the days that they aren’t consuming alcohol, people take the time to notice how they feel emotionally and physically. As they start to feel better and have more successful days off, many people become inspired to keep going and cut down on alcohol permanently.
Stephanie Hamilton
Stephanie is a health and wellness blogger who lives in the Minneapolis area. She is an avid proponent of sustainable living and just bought an electric car.
