That doesn’t mean it isn’t possible to quit on your own, but it’s best to have a doctor’s advice about how your body will react—especially if you drink heavily. If you think you have a more severe habit, you should either cut back before quitting completely, or seek medical supervision for withdrawal. Solutions include apps to help you monitor your drinking habits, a mobile breathalyzer to keep you https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/relation-between-alcohol-and-dementia/ aware of your blood alcohol content, and medication. Naltrexone in particular is prescribed to help people achieve moderation, or control their consumption on social occasions. It works by reducing the pleasurable effects of alcohol, blocking the reward cycle in your brain that can lead to runaway consumption. Since the 1990s, naltrexone has been approved by the FDA to treat alcohol use disorder.

Always think about the
benefits of quitting alcohol and how they will improve your life. It may also help to think about the negatives
that alcohol causes. With a realistic strategy, support and faith, you can quit drinking and begin
alcohol recovery. In general, it’s better to put time and effort into sobriety than to try to do the bare minimum. If you’ve struggled to quit
drinking, you should consider support groups, counseling or rehab. Self-help books or apps are less likely to
help you successfully quit if you are addicted to alcohol.

What is the outlook for people with alcohol use disorder?

They may consume alcohol when they wake up in the morning. Without alcohol, they don’t feel like themselves, and they feel they need it to feel normal. If you’ve struggled to quit drinking or overcome alcoholism, you may require rehab. Formal treatment for
alcohol addiction allows you to detox in a safe environment and provides comprehensive therapy to teach you how to stay
sober. Just as some people with diabetes or asthma may have flare-ups of their disease, a relapse to drinking can be seen as a temporary setback to full recovery and not a complete failure. Seeking professional help can prevent relapse—behavioral therapies can help people develop skills to avoid and overcome triggers, such as stress, that might lead to drinking.

• The first thing you have to do is take a step back and evaluate your habits.
• The journey to overcoming alcoholism is long, and you need a helping hand to walk you step by step throughout the road to an alcohol-free life.
• Be there as much as you can as a source of moral and emotional support.
• This is especially true if you think you have a serious drinking problem.
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved three medications for treating alcohol dependence, and others are being tested to determine whether they are effective.

Information provided on Forbes Health is for educational purposes only. Your health and wellness is unique to you, and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances. We do not offer individual medical advice, diagnosis or treatment plans. For personal advice, please consult with a medical professional. Treatment for alcohol use disorder can vary, depending on your needs.

Relapse Is Part of the Process

While addiction to alcohol must initially be addressed through inpatient or outpatient care, aftercare programs are just as important to maintain recovery. Aftercare is an integral component of alcohol how to overcome alcoholism treatment programs that comes after outpatient treatment. It’s the collective strategy to support an individual during their early stage of recovery and help decrease the chances of a relapse.

If certain people, places, or activities trigger a craving for alcohol, try to avoid them. This may mean making major changes to your social life, such as finding new things to do with your old drinking buddies—or even giving up those friends and finding new ones. Whether you choose to tackle your alcohol addiction by going to rehab, getting therapy, or taking a self-directed treatment approach, support is essential.

Treatment:

If you’re reluctant to turn to your loved ones because you’ve let them down before, consider going to couples counseling or family therapy. Treatment should address more than just your alcohol abuse. Addiction affects your whole life, including your relationships, career, health, and psychological well-being.

It’s important to give yourself time to ease back into the swing of things. There is no right or wrong time to seek treatment for an AUD. The sooner you or a loved one gets help, the greater the chance for lasting sobriety. To learn more about our approach, schedule an obligation-free call with a member of our team today.

Alcohol Counseling

Alcohol abuse and addiction doesn’t just affect the person drinking—it affects their families and loved ones, too. Watching a family member struggle with a drinking problem can be as heartbreakingly painful as it is frustrating. But while you can’t do the hard work of overcoming addiction for your loved one, your love and support can play a crucial part in their long-term recovery.

• In fact, less than eight percent of those addicted to alcohol get help each year.
• When seeking professional help, it is important that you feel respected and understood and that you have a feeling of trust that this person, group, or organization can help you.
• An idle mind is the devil’s workshop – this couldn’t be more true for people in recovery as the more you stay idle, the more likely you’re to consider having a drink to pass the time.
• They generally take place in the gradual progression of emotional, mental, and physical stages.
• Follow-up research suggested that most tended to drink in healthier amounts afterward.

Alcohol abuse and alcohol use disorder can cause severe psychological and physical health complications that can impact your quality of life. And recovery is an ongoing process that requires strong determination, time, and patience. Even though an alcohol treatment program is strongly recommended to recover from alcoholism, it’s only one of many steps towards sobriety. To maintain sobriety, one should keep investing sufficient time and effort even after leaving rehab. Detoxification is the initial step in treating alcoholism, and it can also be the most difficult.