Does your life revolve around “I can’t stop drinking beer”? Have you ever thought about how life would be without alcohol? Have you ever noticed that alcohol use disorder is making you lonely; you are going far from your loved ones? You and your lovely family are facing stigma because of this lethal habit.

If you change your thought process from I can't stop drinking beer to I will stop drinking beer, believe it, your whole life will change. You will enjoy every event and occasion happily. All you need is determination and willpower.

Giving up this habit requires patience. Initially, you may find it hard. But support from family members and healthcare providers can prove to be beneficial in your journey towards sobriety.
Follow these steps and see the drastic change in your life.

Make an achievable plan.

Don’t be too harsh on yourself. If you think that you will drink the beer once in a blue moon or twice a week, think again, is that target achievable? Sit and relax! Take time to make a viable plan. At the start, people make plans enthusiastically, but later they tend to give up.

Start meeting your goal by setting a tiny target. Say, if you are drinking 3-4 times a day, first reduce it to one to two times in a day. Once you achieve this goal, and then further reduce your drink.

Learn to say “No.”

It is the weakness of many people. They can’t say no to people. Prioritize things in your life! Next time anyone asks you for a drink, stop asking yourself what is more important, your health, or party with your friends?

Have the guts to say no. You don’t owe an explanation to people. A simple no is more than enough. Many people want to give up this habit, but they tend to drink heavily at parties and social gatherings because of peer pressure. Eventually, they tend to face memory blackouts and hence end up paying heavily.

Speak up your heart

I can’t stop drinking beer. What triggers this thought? Are you drinking as an escape from some pain and traumas? If you share your mind with close people or your healthcare provider, you can come out of this pain.

If you drink to treat anxiety and depression, you should try to give this habit as soon as possible. Else you may also develop mental health disorder.

Find a support system that can help to minimize your pain by providing you the guidance and counseling. A small step from your loved one can help you to come out of alcohol use disorder.

What’s your hobby?

Recall the old days when you love to enjoy your hobbies? How were those days when you were living a sobriety life, surrounded by your loved ones? Your small efforts can bring these days back.

You will be tempted towards alcohol when you try to stop drinking. It is natural and not a cause to worry about. You need to find an alternative to this problem, and one of the best ways is to indulge in activities that make you feel calm and busy.

So what’s your hobby? Reading novels, going for a walk, shopping, swimming, listening to music, or anything else, find your area of interest and go for it.

Find a healthy replacement.

There are great healthy beverages that you can replace with alcohol. If you have a craving for beer, try the healthy drink. It may be hard to adapt this habit initially, but once you develop it, you will completely throw out the beer from your house.

If you want to reduce your alcohol intake, try not to keep alcohol in your house. Fruit juices, detox water, chocolate shakes, green tea, or hot chocolates could be the best replacement for you. Just give it a try!

Conclusion

If you are a mild to moderate drinker, it is easy for you to give up alcoholism with efforts and support from loved ones. But if you are a heavy drinker, there are high chances of getting withdrawal symptoms. In such cases, you need strict guidance and monitoring from a treatment specialist.

It is a lifelong process as there are chances of relapse even if you stop drinking. All you need is high motivation and strong determination to live a sober life.

Author's Bio: 

I'm Sara, a mental health and fitness blogger, I'm working with several NGOs who work for social drug rehab centers and spread awareness for stopping drinking alcohol and detoxing the society to abuse alcohol and drug addiction. "I can't stop drinking beer" is the most common issue in our society.