A lot of people don't realize they have a drinking problem. Sometimes drinking a bottle of beer after a hard day's work, meeting friends in a bar on Fridays, raising a drink for your health while on vacation - is it really addictive? No, but this behavior can progress to alcoholism. Even a rare alcoholic drink causes serious damage to your health. How to stop drinking? In this article, we'll share effective and easy ways to quit drinking quickly.
Signs of alcoholism
- Alcohol-free parties are no fun.
- The person starts drinking on their own.
- While sober, he experiences constant feelings of anxiety and discomfort.
- Refraining from drinking alcohol for several days in a row is agony.
- Non-drinkers are confusing.
- After severe poisoning, a person does not remember anything.
If you find two or more signs, you should think about the possible problems.
Stages of alcoholism
First step
Main features:
- The amount of alcohol consumed by an alcoholic is constantly increasing. The body becomes resistant to high degrees.
- The gag reflex goes away.
- The person starts drinking alone.
- There is an urge to drink at the wrong time.
- Memory is almost exhausted.
- Someone makes scandals at home, argues with colleagues.
- Interest in important issues is waning.
- If you don't drink for a while, the craving for alcohol goes away.
- It's hard to keep control over how much you drink.
The second stage of alcoholism
At this point, the alcoholic becomes more loyal to strong drinks and increases the dose without noticing.
Main features:
- The behavior of an alcoholic becomes difficult to predict, sometimes even dangerous for others and for himself.
- Physiological dependence increases. In the morning, a person suffers from a severe hangover, it is more difficult for him to work during the day.
- Nausea, blood pressure rises, heart rate rises, hands and feet shake, fever rises.
- He has difficulty accepting external stimuli, such as bright lights or loud noises.
- The alcoholic experiences a gloomy mood, constantly feels tension.
- He begins to raise his hand towards his loved ones.
- The intellect decreases, it becomes problematic to focus attention.
- The patient realizes that he gets worse by drinking alcohol, but cannot fight the addiction.
The third stage of alcoholism
What changes are characteristic of the third stage? Main features:
- An alcoholic drinks alcohol almost every day.
- Noticeable degradation in personality.
- Pathological mental changes.
- Grade 3 alcoholism is also accompanied by the following diseases:
- Cirrhosis of the liver.
- Indurative alcoholic pancreatitis.
- Alcoholic gastritis.
- Alcoholic cardiomyopathy.
- Alcoholic neuropathy.
- Psychic changes manifest themselves as hallucinations and delusions.
An easy way to stop drinking on your own
Finding an alcohol substitute
To do this, you need to take some free time. It is advised that the hobby has nothing to do with alcohol. It is the most effective and easiest way to quit drinking on your own. The best thing to do is find an activity that completely engulfs you - sports, dancing, theater. If you find something to your liking, after a while you will find that even if you drink a little the next day will be difficult. Then you will want to get rid of this discomfort and the alcohol will be forgotten.
Chat with other people
Are you mostly friends with fun loving people who don't mind having a drink on Fridays and beyond? Do you think if there is anything other than parts that binds you to them? Otherwise 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 friends who don't drink, preferably those who are an example to you. Then looking at them you'll want to be the same, and that's an incentive for change.
Don't test your willpower - don't agree to sit at a bar with friends over soda when everyone is drinking. You will certainly be offered a drink, and in order not to sound boring, you will probably agree.
Congratulate yourself
Alcohol is expensive. Therefore, if you give it up, you can save a lot of money. With them, buy something you dreamed of, but could not afford. It will be a reward for giving up the bad habit.
Stop smoking
When you're sad, you just want to sit on the windowsill, smoke, and have a glass of wine. Smokers should also give up nicotine. Tobacco and alcohol always go hand in hand.
Don't give up alcohol for good
Be light on what's going on. Don't say goodbye to alcohol forever. Otherwise, you run the risk of quickly falling into depression, and in a moment of weakness you can break free.
Make sure you are reducing your addiction, but this abstinence does not last forever. You can drink again when you get the hang of it.
What should you remember when fighting alcoholism at home?
- Alcoholism develops slowly. The disease can be noticed in the early stages and immediately stopped.
- With second and third stage alcoholism health, freshness, beauty, youth are lost. Alcoholics start 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 few drinks on vacation without breaking down.
- If an alcoholic breaks down, he shouldn't blame himself. Don't be depressed and disgusted with yourself. Everything is happening gradually, next time it will be easier.