Alcohol Abuse Articles

How to stop drinking alcohol is the first step a person with alcoholism or is prone to alcohol abuse needs to learn before they can become on the path to successful recovery. Keep reading if you want to learn how to stop drinking alcohol and find your way back from this powerful addiction.

There are many ways to go about learning how to stop drinking alcohol. However, for some that is something that is easier said than done. For those with a serious alcohol addiction, or especially those suffering from alcoholism, it can be a difficult task to learn how to stop drinking alcohol. Fortunately, because alcoholism and alcohol abuse is a wide-spread problem, there are a variety of treatment options and alcohol abuse rehabilitation centers that are designed to help those with a serious drinking problem.

How do you know if it is time to stop drinking?

Those who need to stop drinking are the person that is diagnosed with alcoholism or severe alcohol abuse. Both of these conditions can cause the person serious problems mentally and physically. A person with alcoholism can cause themselves major health issues, legal problems and damage to their relationship with employers, co-workers and loved ones. Alcoholism can take over a person's life and literally destroy it from the inside out. Alcohol abuse is a different kind of addiction to alcohol, but can cause just as many problems. A person with alcohol abusive tendencies is likely to need alcohol to be happy or to enjoy activities. They might find themselves annoyed if another person points out their excessive drinking behaviors. They might be defensive about the amount they drink. Those with an alcohol addiction also might choose to purchase alcohol over other life necessities like food, gas and paying for bills. 

The benefits of stopping alcohol use:

• By stopping your overuse or over consumption of alcohol, you can prevent or reduce so many of the health problems that result or are made worse by drinking alcohol. By stopping drinking, you can lessen or prevent the harm alcohol can cause to your liver.
• If you are pregnant, alcohol use can cause serious problems to both the mother and the baby. By stopping drinking before you get pregnant, many of these physical problems can be avoided. Babies who come from mothers who drank during pregnancy are at risk for developmental delays, mental retardation as well as physical abnormalities.
• Quitting drinking can also help better family relationships as well as relationships with friends and loved ones. 
• Drinking is also known to impair a person's judgment, which often leads to cases of  teenage drinking and driving under the influence and public intoxication leaving the person in a mess of legal troubles or worse. By stopping drinking, the person can avoid causing serious legal problems for themselves as well as reduce the risk of causing physical harm to another person.
• Drinking also can get in the way of regular day-to-day activities. By stopping this behavior, an alcoholic or alcohol abuser can become more productive on a daily basis in work, school and/or at home. 

How to stop drinking alcohol: 

Having education and emotional support when you begin the journey to stop drinking are two of your best tools to do so successfully. Understanding the science behind addiction and how it works is helpful in assisting you when finding your own addiction symptoms and how to best deal with those symptoms like withdrawal and the compulsive need to drink. Support is the next best tool because those who are facing this struggle aren't doing so alone. Millions of Americans throughout the country face alcoholism and alcohol abuse issues each day. Many are also working toward recovery. Having another person or a group of people understanding how you feel while trying to receive treatment is a great way to help you stay on the bandwagon and to avoid relapsing. There are also plenty of rehab clinics, alcohol abuse treatment centers as well as one-on-one counseling and other methods of treatment to be used especially those who may need assistance in completing the effort to become sober. Often times these treatment centers will also provide counseling and emotionally help. Many people develop alcoholic and alcohol abusive tendencies because they choose to use the alcohol as a coping mechanism for emotional events and stresses they do not feel strong enough to handle on their own. By resolving these emotional issues, also known as the cause of the alcoholic trigger, then the success rate is that much more likely to occur. Overall, it is best to consult with your health care professional to learn about what treatment options would be best for you to choose from. Picking a solid program and sticking with it is more likely to be a success for any alcoholic or alcohol abuser than switching around trying different programs. Consistency is the best way to go to see the best results toward your effort to become sober. 

Sources: webmd.com, non12step.com