Author: Alex Thompson
6 steps to quit drinking on your own
Can you get sober alone, without 12-step or other support groups? This article will describe sobriety in more detail, the challenges a person faces while working to stay sober, the options for treatment, and tips for building a sober lifestyle. Whether you’re struggling or just want some extra guidance, consider reaching out for support from professionals who are trained in addiction treatment. It’s hard to quit drinking when you only see yourself as a person who normally drinks but is taking a break. Whether your goal is long-term or short-term sobriety, this is the wrong mindset.
I know that I had several starts, stops, and bouts of questioning if this was the right decision for me. I personally used to worry that I wouldn’t be strong enough to stay sober. A therapist can help you learn new coping skills, develop new thinking patterns, and address any co-occurring mental health conditions that may make recovery more difficult. Other definitions, however, often focus on the process of recovery and developing coping mechanisms and habits that support health and wellness over the long term.
Support groups:
BetterHelp can connect you to an addiction and mental health counselor. Make sure you drink plenty of fluids during this time as it will help rehydrate your body and get rid of toxins. Water, juice, broth, ice pops, and gelatin are good choices for hydration during the early stages of withdrawal. Recover from addiction at home with medication, community, and support—from the nonjudmental experts who really care. Knowing relapse signs can help you recognize your risk of relapse, and they may include a return to addictive thinking patterns and compulsive behaviors.
For example, one of my worst habits was needing to have a drink in my hand. I tried to replace it with water, but it was too easy to drink quickly and lacked flavor. I admitted that I was an alcoholic, that I was scared, and that I needed to make a change. If I couldn’t first accept this, then there was no chance I would ever fix it. Hosted by therapist Amy Morin, LCSW, this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast shares how to avoid repeating mistakes and build better habits.
- Self-directed recovery enables you to design a plan of recovery that takes account of your individual needs and goals.
- The symptoms involved in PAWS can be a barrier to recovery if you’re not careful.
- You can even use this as an opportunity to develop healthier habits.
Triggers for using drugs and alcohol typically are people, places, and things that remind you of your addictive behavior or encourage the use of substances you’re avoiding. Getting sober may seem difficult, but there are strategies you can use to get and maintain sobriety. Some are structured in programs, such as the 12-step approach used by Alcoholics Anonymous and similar addiction recovery programs. You feel like your friends and family won’t understand or support your decision to stop drinking.
Tips to Safely Detox from Alcohol at Home
Keep in mind that self-help strategies are helpful tools, but you may need additional help to remain sober long-term. At-home alcohol detox is especially dangerous for people with alcohol use disorder (AUD). A medical detox with support and supervision can drastically increase the chances of a successful recovery.
These symptoms are most severe between 24 and 72 hours after the last drink and may limit your ability to eat. When your body is withdrawing from alcohol, food will probably be the last thing on your mind. Eating is an important part of your recovery because alcohol affects how your body metabolizes and utilizes nutrients. Getting support doesn’t have to mean going to rehab, although that is an option. Support can also look like joining in-person and online support groups. One 2020 study found potential benefits of combining in-person and online support methods.
Shame is having negative beliefs about yourself and your self-worth. People in recovery can experience a lot of shame simply for having become addicted in the first place. Once you do return to work, it’s important to create a budget and take steps to safeguard yourself as work stress can be a relapse trigger.
Starting On The Road To Recovery
People dealing with less obviously destructive addictions like pornography or food typically fare even worse. By Buddy TBuddy T is a writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Because he is a member of a support group that stresses the importance of anonymity at the public level, he does not use his photograph or his real name on this website. If you’re involved in a 12-step program, you likely already know the importance of milestones. In these programs, it’s customary to receive plastic chips as you progress to the one-year mark, at which time you receive a bronze coin.
Self-Detox vs. Medical Detox
Consider avoiding bars and liquor stores, as well as avoiding routines that involve alcohol. Using alcohol and marijuana in combination increases your risk of experiencing uncomfortable side effects due to increased absorption of THC. What’s key to know is that there are nearly as many pathways to recover as there are people. Skills and mindset content to help you realize your potential, let go of resentment, and live life with purpose. Alcohol is the only drug where people think you have a problem if you don’t do it. You need to find new hobbies to take the place of things you used to do while drinking.
There is a comprehensive legal, educational, and commercial empire that prefers if you keep drinking. Drinkers get into more expensive legal trouble, they spend more money at restaurants, and schools are often attended based on their reputation as a party school alone. You can seriously pursue your goals and invest in the type of life that you want. I’ve found that people are sensitive to this and they usually step off after you say that. You will need powerful reasons to stay committed to it; otherwise, environmental and peer pressures will drag you off the wagon.
People struggling with AUD may also feel severe symptoms which can be dangerous. Although detoxing from alcohol at home can have benefits, the early stages of sobriety pose a dangerous risk for medical complications. Self-directed recovery enables you to design a plan of recovery that takes account of your individual needs and goals.
Financial troubles and problems finding and keeping employment are major triggers for relapse, but it is possible to take baby steps and get your finances in order. Just keep in mind that your improvements won’t happen overnight. A structured routine will help you achieve other goals in your life, whether they are short-term (like being on time for work) or long-term (like going back to school and changing careers). Some definitions of sobriety call for complete lifelong abstinence while others focus on developing coping mechanisms that can reduce harm with the understanding that setbacks are common. This article discusses what sobriety means and describes strategies that can support your long-term recovery.
Many people attempt to self-detox at some point, and it’s often a string of failed attempts of self-detoxing that lead an individual to enter rehab in the first place. That’s not to say, however, that people haven’t successfully self-detoxed from alcohol on their own. Today I have meaning and purpose in my everyday life which is more fulfilling, including writing, expressing myself, living well, eating well, and having meaningful relationships.
We’re a ticking time bomb, and with each passing hour and sip of alcohol, the timer gets closer to zero. When operating on fear alone, the focus is on avoiding the consequences rather than maximizing the benefits. If it’s all you’ve known and you give it up out of fear, your desire for familiarity will win in the long run. However, if you are in pursuit of something new and better, you’re more likely to stick to it. Once this was no longer an option, I started to write instead.