In the life of every thinking person who finds himself in a protracted alcohol consumption situation, does he reach a frontier when he asks questions, what comes next and how can he stop drinking? For radical changes to come, doubts and thoughts alone are not enough, they must be backed with firm determination to make our plans a reality. If it were that simple, the question of how to permanently stop consuming hard drinks, or even just stop drinking beer, would not be so sharp in front of millions of people. However, this is possible and is an example of the lucky ones who provide confirmation.
What is alcoholism?
Experts say alcoholism is not only an addiction but also a serious illness. It has a somatic nature, so it develops both psychological and physiological dependence on strong drinks. In addition, alcoholism is a personal, social, and even economic problem that affects many. The disease paralyzes not only the fate and body of alcoholics but also the lives of their loved ones.
Beer alcoholism needs to be said separately, as too many people are thinking about how to stop drinking beer. Although this drink is weak, it is quite insidious. Because it rarely leads to severe alcoholism, most people don’t consider it dangerous, but often drinking is beyond the power of many.
This beer contains soothing hop extract. Therefore, in times of stress, many people crave this drink. But let’s not forget that it’s still an alcoholic drink, plus it’s rich in phytoestrogens (an analogue of female sex hormones). And since beer lovers are often men, this hobby doesn’t go away without a trace for them. They usually show signs of feminization (muscle weakness, breast enlargement, distribution of female body fat), so it is important to stop beer before these problems appear.
Causes of the disease
Although scientists believe that in some cases alcohol dependence is caused by an inherited predisposition, no one was born to become an alcoholic. After all, drunks are not born, they become. And everyone has their own way of falling into this trap. So someone copes with the problems of personal life, the loss of a loved one, and someone who gets into this vicious circle “helps” in a merry company with their fellow drinkers.
Some drink out of boredom to kill time, others — for courage, to get rid of some fears, or to relax in company. But whatever the reason for alcohol consumption, the result is always the same - ruined life, health, deteriorating relationships with loved ones, broken families, careers, moral and spiritual degradation of the individual.
Depression can also cause alcoholism.
Abnormal sections
There are several stages in the development of alcohol dependence.
- Although a drinker feels an increased craving for alcohol, they have not yet developed a physical addiction, which means there is no withdrawal syndrome. But it’s hard for him to fight the urge to drink because he doesn’t understand why he should give up on what causes a lot of joy. Moreover, at this stage, many still think that they are in full control of the process, but this is by no means the case. People have an increased tolerance for alcohol, and this often reinforces their confidence that they can “drink”. At this stage, people drink until they lose memory or have a complete power outage.
- In the second stage, physical dependence on alcohol begins to develop, and attempts at alcohol consumption are accompanied by a severe withdrawal syndrome reminiscent of withdrawal. Moreover, during this period, tolerance peaks, meaning the alcoholic drinks and does not get drunk. At this stage, a person already needs medical help to overcome their addiction.
- The third stage is characterized by a complete lack of control, the mental and mental degradation of man, when intoxication occurs even from the smallest doses of alcohol. A similar phenomenon is associated with the fact that in the stage of increased tolerance, a person consumed alcohol in such an amount that an ordinary person could get into a coma, and eventually led to the liver stopping the production of enzymes that break down alcohol.
Because it is only in the first stages of addiction that you can stop drinking, which many people “slip through” without understanding the impending problem, you should not be fed with illusions and seek professional help immediately.
Shades of Female Alcoholism
Alcoholism is often a male problem, but it is by no means the case. Yes, female alcoholism is not a common phenomenon that is explained by the specifics of women’s psyche: they are more resistant to stress. In addition, society also employs certain stereotypes, and alcohol often becomes a status drink, a kind of sign of masculinity. Therefore, men are more motivated to drink strong drinks. Under these conditions, women have fewer opportunities to sleep.
But it is much harder for a woman to stop drinking, especially on her own. This is facilitated by female physiology: ethanol is broken down slightly worse by the liver and absorbed much faster in the intestines. Because of these properties of the body, strong drinks are much more harmful to women. First, reproductive function suffers: women who consume alcohol systematically are more likely to be diagnosed with infertility and have children with physical and mental disabilities. And since it is very difficult for a woman to quit drinking, it is better for any sane lady to completely abstain from alcohol.
Dependency Removal Tactics
There are several strategies to eliminate alcohol dependence. Some experts are of the opinion that it should be gradually "bound" by reducing the dose of alcohol to an acceptable level or zero. The obvious plus of this method is the lack of withdrawal symptoms. But in practice, this method is quite difficult to apply because of the high risk of breakdown and return to drinking. Therefore, the technique is rarely used.
Another technique consists of a one-step, complete rejection of alcohol. Its indisputable advantage is that it is much less tempting for the patient to return to the previous lifestyle. However, this technique is not recommended if a person is excessive due to the increased risk of withdrawal. In this case, experts first take the person out of the seizures and only then introduce a complete taboo on alcohol. It is very important that this or that method is chosen by the narcology specialist and not by the patient himself or his relatives. Since it is not so easy to leave the drink at home, there is no need to hesitate to see a doctor.
Abstinence from alcohol is one of the techniques for stopping drinking.
Ways to treat a harmful disease
Fighting a destructive habit will be meaningless until one realizes that one is sick and needs help. Only such people stopped drinking permanently. But most alcoholics don’t appreciate their behavior enough and believe there’s no problem and they can “quit” alcohol at any time. Because the problem is obvious to the environment, loved ones can force them to stop drinking forever, morally pushing or trying to heal them on the cunning.
But no matter what medications are given to such a person, no matter how good psychologists work with them, the result will be predictable - the patient will not be able to quit drinking for a long time and will sooner or later break down, returning to addiction. Without an internal attitude that changes everything, all actions will be useless.
There are many ways you can help those who have decided to quit drinking to get rid of the alcoholic. But there is no one-size-fits-all method. Because all people are different and addicted in different ways, they come out of this trap in different ways. Of course, willpower cannot be underestimated, as there are those who have been able to quit drinking on their own. But there are few of them, as it is primarily people who have no iron will that slip into alcoholism.
Also, let’s not forget that the decision to drink is the result of clear thinking, and because of the long years of alcoholism, ethanol disrupts the natural processes of NS, and many of these people don’t have the purely physical ability to make that decision. But this is just one side of the coin. The other is that alcohol is physically addictive and a sudden rejection of alcohol can lead to withdrawal symptoms.
Psychological techniques
It will be useful for anyone who has stopped drinking, whether they have been on this journey alone or with the help of a narcologist. The first thing one needs to do is to analyze the factors that have led to addiction. The first priority is to avoid such provocative factors. Then you need to focus on the following.
Find your call
Often a person begins to drink in order to smooth out the contrast between the actual state and his expectations, ambitions, and inability to fully realize himself. This is another reason why men are addicted to alcohol. After all, issues of self-realization and status come first for them.
Changing your activity or job can help. But don’t underestimate your hobbies and hobbies. You need to find a hobby that would completely grab you, leaving you almost free time not only to drink but to think. The hobby possibilities are endless, but in this matter, it is important to understand that successes in any field do not appear immediately, so satisfaction with the process is very important.
Rejecting the previous round and minimizing temptation
Naturally, alcohol should not be consumed in the addict's house. You cannot leave drinks to guests and hide it. Moreover, even beer should not be tempted, as most of them cannot stop drinking beer. The problem is that many people do not take their beer addiction seriously.
Also, there should be no empty bottles in the apartment of the person who stopped drinking, as nothing can remind you of the past. All of these nuances should be remembered by your environment. Relatives have a duty to help the person who has stopped drinking in every way possible, and if he or she himself or herself sees that they or his or her friends are drawn back to addiction, it is worthwhile to at least temporarily change the circle of friends or limit interaction with such people.
You must discard all alcohol in order to stop drinking.
An addict should not visit places where alcohol can be offered (banquets, parties), and it is better to bypass alcohol outlets first. In the first stage of the fight, the thrower’s will is still very weak, so he doesn’t need unnecessary temptations.
Self-promotion
It is also important that you reward yourself for giving up alcohol. Instead of buying another bottle, you can indulge in something you simply didn’t have enough money for before. You can also have a separate piggy bank and refill it every time you want to buy a drink. As a general rule, after a month of such an experiment, one is literally inundated with the amount saved.
Communication
Consistency with other people and comfortable communication is a great tool against alcoholism. Sometimes it’s enough to just realize how easier and more constructive it is to communicate with people in a sober state than in a state of altered consciousness to keep things running smoothly. That’s why there are many groups that support alcoholics where you can not only share your story, but also get the support you need.
Medications
Pharmaceutical companies systematically supply the market with anti-alcohol drugs. But you have to understand that these are not magic pills, from the intake of which alcoholism automatically disappears. They only provide aids to those who have embarked on the difficult path of self-healing and help them not turn away from it.
There are two types of drugs used: some are averse to alcohol, while others help to get rid of physical dependence on alcohol. The first group of drugs is suitable for people who have never had a particularly pronounced hangover syndrome and therefore quickly became addicted to alcohol.
In the second case, in addition to the pronounced alcohol dependence, benzodiazepines are assigned, which act on the same receptors as ethanol. But their use should be short, as an even more dangerous addiction to psychotropic drugs may appear instead of alcohol dependence.
Folk remedies
The most popular cure for alcohol from alcohol toxins is the oat infusion. To prepare, pour 1 cup oats with 5 cups boiling water and leave for at least 3 hours. Drink 0, 5 cups before meals, five times a day.
Alienation towards alcohol helps to trigger a simple drug like thyme infusion. To obtain the product, you need 15 g of herb, pour 500 ml of boiling water and stand for 15 minutes. Use the infusion at a rate of 50 ml product / 15 ml vodka.
St. John's wort decoction has the same properties. It is prepared according to the following scheme: 4 tbsp. l. 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 for 2 weeks.
The effect of diet and lifestyle on pathology
Nutrition and physical activity are equally important during the period of alcohol withdrawal. It is important for the thirsty person to adhere to the drinking system (water helps to detoxify the body) and drink 2-2, 5 liters of water per day. It is worth paying attention to the diet and introducing products containing B vitamins (legumes, fish, eggs) that stimulate the synthesis of endorphins and serotonin (fresh fruits, chocolate, meat). At the same time, moderation in food should be maintained and fatty, spicy and salty amounts should be limited, as long-term alcohol consumption is associated with the development of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and cardiovascular system.
Introducing sport into the life of such a person is no less important. Even a simple walk stimulates the release of endorphins, and if you add exercise, yoga, jogging, it significantly strengthens not only the body but also the nervous system. Nevertheless, the general state of human health should be taken into account when choosing physical activity - in some cases, sport may be contraindicated.