Addiction and substance abuse does not differentiate with age and gender. Circumstances behind them differ and vary between men and women. But it affects them all the same.
The differences also extend towards the approaches in breaking away from it, especially upon noting the differences in physiology. Substances affect women differently when compared to men. Such elements include how relapse and recovery cycles vary between men and women.
If these methods don’t help, you should try using the Soberlink alcohol monitoring device.You can read the Soberlink review here if you need more information. These include approaches, steps, and pointers that can help you push towards sobriety.
Take Your Time to Explore and Assess Your Situation
Before embarking on your journey to quit alcohol, you need to look at your situation first and make an assessment. Determine how much alcohol you drink. Sometimes, a quick drink may end up becoming more than three or four drinks.
In your assessment, also take note of the reasons why you drink. It could be to numb emotional pain or to cope with stressful situations. Other times, it could be to ease up the tension before a difficult conversation.
One thing to take note of is how alcohol can affect you in finding other methods to manage emotions. By knowing why you drink, you could also find alternative ways to address various emotional issues productively.
Consider Your Approach and Evaluate Your Goals Before Quitting Alcohol
The next aspect is how you should approach the problem. You acknowledge that you want to quit drinking, but you are not sure about quitting it completely. That approach is also okay, as it still helps you cut down.
You might want to take an approach where you venture towards mindful drinking instead. While different from total sobriety, it is a viable goal to push for as well.
The key point here is to know what your goals are. If you plan to reduce your alcohol intake, that is a goal you can set for. If quitting alcohol is the goal you want, go for it.
It is alright to not have a goal right away if you find yourself unsure of it. Take your time to figure out what you want to achieve. Know that you have options to choose from.
Start Drafting a Plan to Sober Up
Sobriety is a journey in itself. It would take a lot of work to achieve it. So it goes without saying that you need a plan to follow and use to reach that goal.
After making your assessments and determining your approaches and the goals you need to reach, you have to make a plan around it.
In this case, check with centers that offer treatment programs on sober living for women. Consider too if they have after support such as Behavioral Health Centers Alumni. Also, consult your doctor for medical advice before pushing towards a sobriety plan. Make sure to have a quitting alcohol timeline as well.
Find and Build a Support Team
You also need people who can help you with your journey. Having a support group helps in your efforts to quit alcohol.
Involve your loved ones to be part of this support group. They can help you by providing you the needed encouragement and support.
You need proper accountability, which a support group also provides. Your family and loved ones are among the closest due to being within your reach.
Remember to Start Small
Change does not happen overnight. Also, quitting right away might be too daunting of a change. Consider taking this approach step by step in small bits.
You can start by cutting down or reducing the amount of liquor that you drink. One method you can try is by keeping track of how much you drank. Knowing the standard measurement in a drink can help you track and cut down.
This way, you know when to stop. Take it one step at a time.
Make Efforts to Change Your Environment and Activities
Go for a change of activities and environments to help you in quitting alcohol. This way, anything that you associate with drinking gets replaced with a different alternative.
Instead of going out with friends for a drink, change that by taking a walk in a park. You can go for a place that does not serve alcohol when you go out to grab a bite. You can also go straight home after going to work.
Also, you can go for non-alcoholic beverages to act as an alternative if you feel like drinking. You can be creative with coming up with drinks that you can enjoy without involving any touch of alcohol. For instance, have sparkling water infused with fruits or herbs.
In moments where you experience anxiety, consider trying other ways to calm it instead of drinking. You can go with meditation and deep breathing instead. The goal is to get an activity that replaces drinking, so consider activities that promote self-care as well.
Avoid Triggers and Learn to Say “No”
It helps when you don’t see any sign that pulls you towards drinking. At home, get rid of alcoholic drinks. This deters you long enough to find a different distraction.
Ask your relatives and family members to keep any liquor out of sight. Your loved ones can help by making sure there is no sign of any alcoholic beverage at home. If you need to serve some drinks to guests, you can go for non-alcoholic beverages instead.
Avoid situations where you would get tempted to drink. Plan something else in its place. If offered to drink, have a convincing “no, thanks” response ready.
Reap the Benefits of Quitting Alcohol Today
Quitting alcohol can be a daunting process, but it is one that can help you improve as a person. By taking note of these tips, you can take your journey to sobriety one step at a time. Work together with your family and loved ones to reach that goal.
Do you want to learn more about going sober? You can do more things to help you stay on track and avoid alcohol. Check out more of our guides to learn how you can help yourself avoid alcohol today!
Must Read : The Best Men’s Fragrances
