Overcoming Alcohol Addiction on Your Own

Overcoming Alcohol Addiction on Your Own

Alcohol misuse is when you drink in a way that’s harmful to you or when you have become dependent on alcohol. Alcohol addiction is a serious problem and a threat to your physical and mental health as well as to many other aspects of life. If you have recognised that you have a problem with alcohol then that’s a great first step in overcoming alcohol addiction. Realising that you are dependent on alcohol is an essential part of recovering from alcohol abuse. In this article, we’ll look at what you can do to overcome alcohol addiction on your own. 

Signs & Symptoms of Alcohol Use Disorder

There are many signs that are common for people who drink too much alcohol. Below are a few:

• Feeling a strong urge to drink alcohol.
• Finding it hard to limit the amount of alcohol they drink.
• Spending a lot of time on alcohol (drinking, purchasing, and recovering).
• Wanting to cut down on the amount of alcohol they drink but not succeeding. 
• Failing to fulfil obligations at home, work or school due to alcohol use. 
• Continuing to drink alcohol even though it’s causing problems or in unsafe situations.
• Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when they don’t drink. 

How to Get Help with Overcoming Alcohol Addiction

There are many ways that you can get support with your recovery from alcohol addiction. You could start with seeing your GP to discuss how they can help you. Then there are addiction treatment centres that specialise in alcohol detox and alcohol rehab. These can be very expensive though. 

Another option is to detox at home for alcohol addiction. Compared to a residential detox at a rehab centre, it is a much more affordable option. You can still get plenty of support from professionals and medical supervision with this option, all while staying in the comfort of your own home. Home alcohol detox can be a safe and effective way to begin your recovery. 

Strategies for Overcoming Alcohol Addiction on Your Own

Once you have decided to stop drinking, you need to put strategies in place to help you achieve your goals. 

• Accept the challenge. It will not be easy to stop drinking. Therefore, the first thing you need to do is to be prepared for it being a challenge. While being ready to do your best. 
• Be prepared for cravings. You will have cravings for alcohol during your detox process so it’s important to be prepared for this. You need to learn how to manage stress and other difficult emotions without alcohol. So learn to understand your triggers, and come up with ways to manage your cravings for alcohol. For example, you could try healthy options to distract yourself from the cravings such as exercise, journalling, mindfulness techniques, or cognitive distractions like jigsaw puzzles or reading.
• Have a personal support team. Even if you are working with your GP or a rehab centre, it’s still so important to have people close to you that will support you through this recovery journey too. Ensure that there are a few family members or friends available that you can reach out to at any time when you need words of encouragement or support or someone to spend time with to help you avoid alcohol consumption.
• Focus on your health. When you stop drinking alcohol, you are doing something that is great for your health. This is a perfect time to make your health your focus and do other things that are good for you too. Getting into healthy habits will also help distract yourself from cravings. Start doing regular exercise, drink plenty of water, prepare healthy meals for yourself, take daily supplements, and ensure you get enough sleep. All these things will help your recovery.
• Plan alcohol-free social activities. Fill your calendar with alcohol-free social activities to look forward to and to keep you busy. Plan fun things with friends that do not involve any alcohol consumption such as hikes in the countryside, visits to the cinema, local classes to learn new skills, and so on. There are plenty of fun things that you can do at home and out and about that do not need to involve drinking alcohol. 

Conclusion – Overcoming Alcohol Addiction

Alcohol addiction is a serious threat to your health. If you have decided to stop drinking, I congratulate you. Do everything you can to help yourself reach your goal of sobriety and don’t be afraid to reach out for help – from your friends, family, and professionals. You can do it!

| By Ava Simonson.