How to Quit an Alcohol Addiction in 12 Steps
A lot of people are curious about what to do when the tequila runs out. It’s a question that many ask themselves, and it can be difficult to know where to start when you’re trying to quit alcohol addiction. If this is a problem for you or someone close to you, take heart in knowing that there are 12 steps that will help with the process. This article provides information on all aspects of quitting alcohol from how long it takes, what kind of doctor should be seen, and more!
This article has many tips and tricks for quitting alcohol in 12 steps, including how to get started right away. Check it out here!
Step One: Make a plan.
You can’t simply quit cold turkey, you have to make a plan for how you’re going to get through it. First, figure out what your motivation is- why do you want to stop drinking? Is someone getting on your case about alcohol addiction or are there medical reasons behind it? There should be some kind of reason that will help keep the cravings at bay when they come up (and they will).
After this step, continue by outlining every single thing in detail; don’t forget anything! Write down all the triggers and obstacles ahead of time so that you won’t fall into any traps during your journey.
Now put these ideas together with an action list or timeline where you can plan out all the steps you need to take.
Step Two: Build your social support network.
This is important because when this journey becomes hard, it’ll be good to have someone else who’s been where you are and will empathize with what you’re going through. You don’t want just anyone in your corner; make sure that whomever these people are they’re committed and won’t quit on you! It might also help if one of them lives close by so that they can provide some much-needed emotional support when things get tough (or offer a safe place for an alcoholic detox).
After building your network, start inviting other people into it as well–not only online but offline too–and make sure they know you’re trying to quit alcohol.
Step Three: Figure out what you’ll be giving up.
Make a list of the things that are most important to you–career, hobbies, exercise routine, friendships, or other relationships (or anything else) and figure out how much time each one will require when your addiction is gone.
Figure out if there’s any way these activities can be replaced with something less harmful like running instead of going clubbing on Friday nights for example so that socializing isn’t completely lost during this process.
Step Four: Make some rules around alcohol use.
Pick which days work best for abstaining from drinking and stick to them–one day at a time! If it helps get you started, make sure that all those days are consecutive for the first few weeks and then you can add in more days to accommodate anything that may come up.
Step Five:
Make a list of what triggers your addictive behavior, even if it’s just one thing like seeing booze on TV or getting drunk with old friends who constantly drink. Be honest about how much stress is caused by these things–you’ll need this information when figuring out which other activities will replace them.
Step Six:
Figure out where alcohol fits into your life now, since it seems likely that there are some gaps between when drinking happens currently and when you’re trying to abstain from it completely–think carefully about whether any changes would be helpful here as well as ones related specifically to quitting drinking entirely (see step three).
Step Seven:
Take a hard look at the people you drink with. If they’re your social scene, that’s fine–but if not, then it might be time to reevaluate who you spend your free time with or what kind of hobbies you take up as substitutes for drinking.
Step Eight:
Look at what other things in life are keeping stress levels high and find healthier ways to deal with those problems instead of relying on alcohol when it becomes too much. Some good choices here include writing down thoughts/feelings about stressful events when they happen; physical means like running, yoga/meditation, going outside more often than usual (or doing something else outdoorsy), breathing deeply while sitting still, and focusing on nothing but oxygen intake for five minutes; or reaching out to social media friends, family members, partners/spouses when you need a listening ear.
Step Nine:
Practice mindfulness by taking time each day (even if it’s just five minutes) to focus on your breathing and use this time to think about what you’re grateful for in life–because drinking alcohol is often used as an escape from reality. Exercising gratitude will make you more aware of all the positives around you instead of only focusing on the negatives that can lead people back into drinking after they’ve stopped.”
Step Ten:
Find a support system and get back into hobbies you used to enjoy such as cooking, reading, or other physical activities. The goal is to find something that can take your mind off of drinking for a time. This could also mean getting involved in an AA group–while it may seem overwhelming at first when you’re trying not to drink, the meetings will be more beneficial than ever.”
This process takes patience and practice; there’s no easy fix-all solution but these steps should help make quitting alcohol easier if it feels like an addiction.
Step Eleven:
Talk with a therapist who specializes in addiction recovery strategies-or at least one mental health professional who’ll be able to help guide you through some other options besides going back into the bottle. There are also online suboxone doctors that could help you with your journey to sobriety.
Giving up alcohol is a lifelong process that will be both challenging and rewarding, but it’s not impossible and there are many other resources available to help you quit for good.
Step Twelve:
Stay focused on the future–you’ll thank yourself when you can stop thinking about drinking 24/seven! And remember: Alcoholism affects every aspect of someone’s life, so don’t feel like quitting means giving up everything either–focus more on what comes next than mourning all your lost opportunities with booze.”
