3 Ways to Overcome Alcohol Addiction

If alcohol gets the better of you, you lose control and quality of your life. You can win over the control of your life and overcome alcohol addiction to bring back happiness into your life. All it takes is some effort, time, and help from your friends and family. Here are some invaluable tips to control your addiction to alcohol and live a happy life. ~ Ed.

Alcohol is easy to get, socially acceptable, and legal to consume. Therefore, it is a widely-used and intoxicating substance. Continuous and excessive use of alcohol may lead to addiction. 

If your loved one is considering quitting alcohol, there’s no need to wait until they hit rock bottom to help them recover. Overcoming this addiction is a gradual process because nobody can quit drinking habits overnight. 

Here are tips to help you or your loved one overcome alcohol addiction. 

3 Tips for Overcoming Alcohol Addiction

A few drinks on a few occasions may be fine. But if it becomes a regular affair that goes out of bounds and starts adversely affecting your personal health and life, then drinking alcohol becomes a problem. 

You can solve this problem and get rid of your alcohol addiction by following these tips.

Go For Detox

When making efforts to quit alcohol, detoxing is the starting point. The goal is to give the body time to get the alcohol out of its system. This detox time could range from a few days to about a week varying with each person. 

Detoxing can be an unpleasant experience due to the alcohol withdrawal syndrome that comes with it. The symptoms, which usually include shaking, seizures, and hallucinations, may lead to relapsing and living in the captivity of alcoholism. 

To avoid this, get proper help for your loved ones at a medical detox facility. Medical supervision and medication help them stay safe and comfortable, which makes recovery possible.

What is Detox Like?

Detox facilities offer inpatient or outpatient services, depending on the level of treatment required:

• In inpatient settings, patients receive 24-hour supervision. 
• For outpatient settings, patients live in their residences while undergoing treatment. 

Both settings offer a variety of recovery programs, which include counseling, relapse prevention skills, and coping techniques. After successful completion of the program, it is crucial to have continued support to remain sober. 

Join a Support Group

Having people to lean on for guidance, encouragement, and support can make overcoming alcohol addiction easier. Your loved one can join a support group to help them stay on track as you get your life back to normal. 

Group therapy offers many benefits, including:

• A strong support system from other members
• Training for how to change the habits that make you want to drink
• Stress-relief help
• Anxiety and depression support
• Goals towards future recovery and success

Apart from groups led by therapists, other groups help people with alcohol use disorders. These are support groups made of peers who offer support, understanding, and advice. They can hold your loved one accountable and fuel the transformation from alcoholism to sobriety. 

Spending time with people who relate to what your loved one is going through is an effective way to combat alcoholism. Your loved one will benefit from hearing other people’s experiences and learning how others have managed to stay sober. It is, therefore, essential to make the group meetings a priority. 

Establish New and Healthy Friendships

Your loved one needs to get rid of toxic friends and focus on friends and family members who have their best interests at heart. Taking the help of or getting support from family and close friends is very crucial in the recovery process. 

If alcohol was an unmissable part of your or your loved one’s past social life, then they might need to start working to reconstruct their social network with sober partners. Sober friends will support recovery. Encourage your loved one to try volunteering, joining a church, or taking a class to learn new skills. 

There are numerous self-help groups available online or in print. These groups provide strategies to boost confidence and motivation. 

Bottom Line

Overcoming alcohol addiction can be a bumpy road and, at times, even feel impossible. No matter how powerless your loved one feels or how heavy they drink, it’s possible to recover fully. They can make changes at any point. 

Recovery takes a long time, but following the tips above, it gets easier for your loved one to survive. Commit to the process and give them time.

Over to you

Have you or your loved one ever tried to overcome alcohol addiction? Please share your personal tips and experiences to help others in the comments.