If you’ve ever thought that you drink too much or noticed that some of your relationships suffer because of it, you’re an excellent candidate for cessation. Exploring your relationship with alcohol will help identify your next steps. If you’re considering cutting back on the amount of alcohol you drink, here are some strategies you can try to get yourself back on track.
Identify and State Your Goals
When you have clearly defined goals, it can be easier to keep your sights on them. Before you can define your goals, you’ll need to identify them first. Sit down and think about what you want. Once you’ve gotten clear on what it is that you want, write them down. This exercise can help you see the things that are standing in the way of you achieving your goals and think about the steps you can take to move past them or do things differently. If you find that substance use or alcohol consumption is holding you back from achieving your goals, Orange County addiction services can help. Getting clear on your goals will be instrumental in your journey to limiting your alcohol intake.
Remove the Alcohol
Indeed, alcohol is everywhere. You’ll find it at restaurants, at the homes of family and friends, in convenience stores and gas stations, and even grocery stores. You may not have control over these spaces, but in the spaces in which you do have control, you can remove alcohol from your immediate surroundings. Deciding to eliminate alcohol from your home means you’ll be less likely to engage in spontaneous drinking. Scheduling alcohol-free days is another way to take steps toward limiting your alcohol consumption. If you choose not to drink during the week, you’ll be making it easier to transition into a sober lifestyle.
Build Healthy Habits
Other habits that are healthier than drinking can be more fulfilling. Some healthy habits that you can start including exercising regularly, learning new things, and starting a hobby. Exercise of any sort helps to release dopamine in the brain which helps make you enjoy feelings of delight and happiness. Walking, jogging, yoga, and weightlifting are just some exercises you can try. Learning an instrument, knitting, or cooking can help create new brain pathways that take your mind off alcohol. Likewise, you can take up a cause and start volunteering.
Get Educated
One way to damper the urge to drink is to get educated on it and how it affects your health and relationships. When you know that it can severely damage your liver, leading to disease and even death, you may be less likely to imbibe. It also increases your risk for seven different types of cancer, including cancer of the throat, breast, and colon. Alcohol also has the potential to have some pretty nasty effects on brain structures and functions.
Find Support
If you’re serious about drinking less or stopping, it helps to have the support of others. It can be difficult not drinking in certain settings and situations, but when you have someone to call on in these times to encourage you to find different solutions and remind you of your goals, it doesn’t seem so impossible to fight the cravings.
Limiting your alcohol intake probably won’t happen overnight, but there’s a lot you can do to make the process smoother and more comfortable. Implementing these five strategies are simple steps you can take to live your life the way you want and achieve the goals you’ve set for yourself.
Hi, I’m the Founder and Developer of Paramedics World, a blog truly devoted to Paramedics. I am a Medical Lab Tech, a Web Developer and Bibliophiliac. My greatest hobby is to teach and motivate other peoples to do whatever they wanna do in life.