In the life of every thinking person who is in a prolonged situation of alcohol abuse, does one reach a borderline stage when he asks the questions, what comes next and how to stop drinking? For radical changes to occur, doubts and thoughts alone are not enough, they must be supported by a firm determination to carry out our plans. If it were that simple, then the question of how to stop drinking hard alcohol forever, or even just how to stop drinking beer, would not be so acute in front of millions of people. However, this is possible and the examples of the lucky ones who managed to get out of this vicious circle serve as confirmation.
What is alcoholism?
Experts say that alcoholism is not only an addiction, but also a serious illness. It has a somatic character, which is why a psychological and physiological dependence on strong drinks is formed. In addition, alcoholism is a personal, social and even economic problem that affects many. The disease damages not only the destiny and the body of alcoholics, but also the lives of their loved ones.
Separately, it must be said about the alcoholism of beer, as many are wondering how to stop drinking beer. Although this drink is weak, it is quite insidious. Since it rarely leads to serious alcoholism, most do not consider it dangerous, but it is often beyond the power of many to stop drinking beer.
This beer contains a sedative hop extract. That is why many people crave this drink during times of stress. But don't forget that it is still an alcoholic drink, in addition to being rich in phytoestrogens (an analogue of female sex hormones). And as beer lovers are often men, this pastime does not pass without a trace for them. They tend to show signs of feminization (muscle weakness, breast enlargement, female body fat distribution), so it is important to stop drinking beer before these problems appear.
Causes of the disease
Despite the opinion of scientists that in some cases alcohol dependence is due to a hereditary predisposition, no one is born is condemned to become an alcoholic. After all, drunks are not born, they become. And each has their own way of falling into this trap. Someone, therefore, faces the problems of personal life, the loss of a loved one and someone to enter this vicious circle "helps" a joyful company of fellow drinkers.
Some people drink because of boredom to kill time, others - for courage, to get rid of some fears or to be more relaxed in the company. But whatever the reason that leads a person to consume alcohol, the result is always the same - ruined life, health, damaged relationships with loved ones, broken families, careers, moral and mental degradation of the individual.
Depression can also cause alcoholism.
Stages of pathology
There are several stages in the development of alcohol dependence.
- A person who drinks, although he feels a growing craving for alcohol, has not yet developed a physical addiction, meaning that there is no withdrawal syndrome. But it is difficult for him to fight the urge to drink, as he does not understand why he should give up something that gives him great pleasure. In addition, at this stage, many still think they are in full control of the process, but this is far from the case. People have increased their tolerance for alcohol, and this often reinforces their confidence that "they know how to drink. "It is at this stage that people drink to the point of memory lapses or total blackouts.
- In the second stage, physical addiction to alcohol begins to form and attempts to stop drinking are accompanied by a severe withdrawal syndrome, reminiscent of drug withdrawal. In addition, in this period, tolerance reaches its climax, that is, alcohol and does not get drunk. At this stage, the person already needs medical help to overcome the addiction.
- The third phase is characterized by a total lack of control, mental and mental degradation of a person, when intoxication occurs even with the lowest doses of alcohol. A similar phenomenon is associated with the fact that, in the stage of increased tolerance, a person drank alcohol in quantities capable of bringing a common person into a coma and ended up leading to the fact that the liver stops producing enzymes that break down alcohol.
Since it is possible to stop drinking alcohol alone only in the first stage of addiction, which many “escape” without understanding the impending problem, you should not feed on illusions and seek help from experts immediately.
The nuances of female alcoholism
Alcoholism is usually considered a male problem, but it is not the case. Yes, female alcoholism is not such a common phenomenon, which is explained by the specifics of women's psyche: they are more resistant to stress. In addition, society also imposes certain stereotypes, and alcohol often becomes a status drink, a kind of sign of masculinity. Therefore, the motivation to drink strong drinks in men is stronger. Under these conditions, women have fewer opportunities to sleep.
But it is much more difficult for a woman to stop drinking, especially on her own. This is facilitated by female physiology: ethanol is degraded a little worse by the liver and is absorbed much faster in the intestines. Because of these characteristics of the body, strong drinks harm women much more. First, reproductive function suffers: women who consume alcohol systematically are more often diagnosed with infertility and children are born with physical and mental disabilities. And since it is very difficult for a woman to stop drinking, it is better for any healthy lady to abstain from drinking.
Addiction Removal Tactics
There are several strategies to eliminate alcohol dependence. Some experts believe that it is necessary to "tie" gradually, lowering the dose of alcohol to acceptable levels or to zero. And the obvious advantage of this method is the absence of withdrawal symptoms. But, in practice, this method is quite difficult to apply due to the high risk of collapse and return to excessive alcohol consumption. Therefore, the technique is rarely used.
Another technique is the complete rejection of alcohol in a single step. Its indisputable advantage is that it is much less tempting for the patient to return to the previous way of life. However, this technique is not recommended to be applied if a person is on a binge due to the increased risk of withdrawal. In that case, the experts first take the person out of the binge and only then introduce a total taboo on alcohol. It is very important that the choice of this or that method is made by a specialist in narcology, and not by the patient himself or his family. Since it is not so easy to stop drinking at home, you need not hesitate to see a doctor.
Avoiding alcohol completely is a technique to stop drinking.
Ways to deal with a harmful disease
Fighting a destructive habit will be useless until the person realizes that he is sick and needs help. Only these people stop drinking once and for all. But most alcoholics do not adequately assess their behavior and believe there is no problem, and they can “stop” drinking at any time. Since the problem is obvious to the environment, loved ones can force them to stop drinking forever, putting moral pressure on them or trying to heal them on the sly.
But no matter what drugs are administered to that person, no matter how good psychologists work with them, the result will be predictable - the patient will not be able to stop drinking for long and sooner or later it will break, returning to theaddiction. Without an internal attitude to change everything, any action will be useless.
There are many ways to help those who are determined to stop drinking to get rid of alcoholism. But there is no universal method that suits everyone. Since all people are different and are addicted to different ways, they get out of this trap in different ways. Of course, willpower cannot be underestimated, as there are those who managed to stop drinking on their own. But there are few, because it is mainly people who have no desire for iron who slip into alcoholism.
Also, do not forget that the decision to stop drinking is the result of clear thinking and, for many years of alcoholism, ethanol disrupts the natural processes of SN and many of these people have no purely physical capacity to takesuch a decision. But this is just one side of the coin. The other is that alcohol is physically addictive and abrupt withdrawal of alcohol can lead to withdrawal symptoms.
Psychological techniques
They will be useful for those who gave up alcohol, regardless of whether they followed this path alone or with the help of a narcologist. The first thing a person must do is to analyze the factors that led to the addiction. The first priority is to avoid these provocative factors. So you need to focus on the following.
Find your call
Often, a person starts drinking to soften the contrast between the real state of affairs and their expectations, ambitions and the impossibility of being fully realized. This is another reason why men are addicted to alcohol. After all, issues of self-realization and status come first for them.
A change in activity or work can help. But don't underestimate hobbies and hobbies. It is necessary to find a hobby that captures you completely, leaving almost no free time not only to drink, but also to think about it. The options for hobbies are endless, but in this regard it is important to understand that successes in any area do not appear immediately, therefore, satisfaction with the process itself is very important.
Rejecting the previous circle and minimizing temptations
Of course, there should be no alcohol in the home of an addict. You cannot leave any drinks for guests and stash. Furthermore, one should not even be tempted by beer, as most of them cannot stop drinking beer. The problem is that many people don't take beer addiction seriously.
Furthermore, there should be no empty bottles in the home of a person who stops drinking, as nothing should remember the past. All these nuances must be remembered for their environment. Relatives are obliged to help the drinker who gives up in every way possible, and if he himself realizes that they or their friends are pulling him back into addiction, then it is worth changing the circle of friends or limiting interaction with these people. at least temporarily.
To stop drinking, you must throw all alcohol away from home.
The addict should not go to places where alcoholic beverages (banquets, parties) can be offered, and at first it is better to bypass the alcohol outlets. In the first stage of the fight, the pitcher's will is still very weak, so he doesn't need any unnecessary temptations.
Self-promotion
It is also important to reward yourself for giving up alcohol. Instead of buying another bottle, you can be satisfied with something that just wasn't enough before. You can also have a separate piggy bank and refill it whenever you want to buy a drink. As a rule, after a month of such an experiment, the person is literally amazed at the amount saved.
Communication
Harmony with other people and comfortable communication is a great tool against alcoholism. Sometimes it is enough to realize how much easier and more constructive it is to communicate with people in a sober state than in a state of altered conscience for things to go well. That's why there are many groups that support alcoholics, where you can share not only your story, but also get the support you need.
Medicines
Pharmaceutical companies are systematically supplying the market with drugs for alcohol dependence. But you need to understand that these are not magic pills, from the intake of which alcoholism goes away on its own. They are just an auxiliary tool for those who have embarked on a difficult path of self-healing and help not to stray from it.
There are two types of drugs used: some cause aversion to alcohol and others help to get rid of physical addiction to alcohol. The first group of drugs is suitable for people who have never had a particularly pronounced hangover syndrome, which is why they quickly became addicted to alcohol.
In the second case, with marked physical dependence on alcohol, benzodiazepines are assigned, which act on the same receptors as ethanol. But the course for taking them must be short, because instead of alcohol dependence, an even more dangerous addiction to psychotropic drugs can arise.
Folk remedies
The most popular remedy to cleanse the body of alcoholic toxins is the infusion of oats. To prepare it, pour 1 cup of oats with 5 cups of boiling water and leave for at least 3 hours. Drink 0, 5 cup before meals, 5 times a day.
Aversion to alcohol helps induce a remedy as simple as infusing thyme. To obtain the product, 15 g of herbs are needed, pour 500 ml of boiling water and let stand for 15 minutes. Use the infusion at the rate of 50 ml of the product per 15 ml of vodka.
The decoction of St. John's wort has the same properties. It is prepared according to the following scheme: 4 tablespoons. I. the herbs are poured into 500 ml of hot water and the product is kept in a water bath for at least half an hour. The finished broth is taken twice a day, over a 2-week course.
The influence of diet and lifestyle on pathology
Nutrition and physical activity are equally important during the period of alcohol withdrawal. It is important for a thirsty person to adhere to a drinking regime (water helps to detoxify the body) and drink 2-2, 5 liters of water daily. It is also worth paying attention to the diet and introducing products that stimulate the synthesis of endorphins and serotonin (fresh fruits, chocolate, meats), containing B vitamins (vegetables, fish, eggs). At the same time, it is necessary to adhere to moderation in diet and limit fatty, spicy and salty foods, since long-term alcohol consumption is associated with the development of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and the cardiovascular system.
The introduction of sports in these people's lives is no less important. Even a simple walk will stimulate the release of endorphins, and if you add exercise, yoga, running, it will significantly strengthen not only the body, but also the nervous system. However, when choosing physical activity, one must take into account the general state of human health - in some cases, sport may be contraindicated.