How to Maintain a Social Life When Youre Quitting Drinking

Acknowledge what sparked your desire to drink and hone in on that trigger. Assess what needs to change to decrease the impact or frequency of that trigger. If it’s stress-related, find healthy ways to manage and cope, including going to therapy, delegating tasks and surrounding yourself with people who can support you. If it’s local haunts, take different routes to avoid those locations.

• It can also help you gain a new perspective as you consider how your life will change without alcohol.
• Turner notes the importance of bringing along a trusted support person when attending events that involve alcohol.
• Experienced professionals can help you work through your drinking triggers and develop new coping strategies.
• Consulting a healthcare professional or addiction specialist who offers experienced guidance on how to safely quit drinking can tailor a recovery plan specific to your needs.
• Programming can range from hour-long sessions a few times a week to several hours per day.
• Finding a therapist can also be a great starting point if you’re uncomfortable opening up to your healthcare professional.

Drink a cup of soothing tea or a tall glass of water before you imbibe—once your thirst is quenched, you may not feel the need for as much—or any—alcohol. If you identify with any of the scenarios above, try the expert tips below for reducing your alcohol consumption (or even eliminating it altogether). Get helpful tips and guidance for everything from fighting tips to quit drinking inflammation to finding the best diets for weight loss…from exercises to build a stronger core to advice on treating cataracts. PLUS, the latest news on medical advances and breakthroughs from Harvard Medical School experts. Emotionally, you may feel some anxiety or sadness about ending a chapter of your life and nervousness about the future.

The best method to stop drinking- Allen Carr’s Easyway

A therapist can help you uncover key insights regarding your alcohol use and offer tools that will set you up for successful and satisfying long-term recovery. Excessive alcohol use often coincides with other mental health disorders. Many people in recovery discovered that mental health disorders, such as PTSD, anxiety, depression, ADHD, etc., and trauma helped to fuel their unhealthy relationship with alcohol. Try hobbies and self-care activities that make you feel relaxed, proud of yourself, included, and mentally and physically healthy. It’s important to acknowledge that everything you try won’t be right for you. Keep trying until you find the activities that resonate with your passions and ultimate wellness goals.

Tell them that you plan to avoid alcohol or that you’re cutting back. Millions of readers rely on HelpGuide.org for free, evidence-based resources to understand and navigate mental health challenges. Please donate today to help us save, support, and change lives.

Quit Smoking Apps

You can repair your body and avoid risks linked to drinking. If you have decided to cut back on alcohol for your health, or you’re more established in your sobriety, social environments that involve drinking may be easier to navigate. Still, being prepared and having a plan can help you enjoy going out after you’ve quit drinking. If you are trying to choose the best method for yourself, it’s important to consider your situation and what level of support you will need. Know what you want your relationship with alcohol to look like going forward, make a long-term plan, and be prepared to stick with it. If you think you might have an alcohol use disorder, there are evidence-based treatment options that can help you to quit drinking.

In addition to healthy lifestyle changes, group meetings focus on developing the motivation to change. Members learn how beliefs keep them stuck and emotions trigger them to use alcohol or substances. Finding pleasure in other activities is one cornerstone of the program. SMART support group meetings are available worldwide and focus on self-empowerment and making healthy lifestyle changes. They are designed to help you learn ways to change your approach to life so that you don’t need addictive behaviors to cope.

Get online support.

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. Letting others know about your choice to stop drinking may https://ecosoberhouse.com/ help motivate you to stick with your decision. From monthlong sobriety challenges to the Sober Curious movement, more and more people are taking a closer look at the role alcohol plays in their lives. When you walk into a situation believing that you can’t have fun sober, this is likely to be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

• They could be family, friends, significant others or mentors.
• So many other methods of quitting drinking put fear in your mind – warning of terrible “serious” physical alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
• Follow-up research suggested that most tended to drink in healthier amounts afterward.
• Take our free, 5-minute alcohol misuse self-assessment below if you think you or someone you love might be struggling with alcohol misuse.
• Fortunately, these withdrawal symptoms shouldn’t last very long — about a week — but listen to your body in case something feels abnormal during this time.