By avoiding alcohol, you’re taking a big step toward improving physical health. As you begin to notice those health benefits, you’ll likely feel more energized and inspired to keep up your progress. Family and friends can provide encouragement and support when you stop drinking. By opening up about your relationship with alcohol, you might also encourage others to explore their own drinking habits. To stop drinking alcohol, you first need to understand your relationship with drinking.

What Are the Benefits of 30 Days Without Alcohol?

Medication can make quitting alcohol significantly more manageable. Naltrexone is the most commonly prescribed medication for alcohol use disorder and Alcoholics Anonymous works by blocking the brain’s reward response to alcohol. Identify your triggers – Understanding when and why you drink helps you prepare alternatives.

Learn About Treatment Options

If you drink a “glass” of wine, but you pour the equivalent of eight ounces instead of five, then your glass of wine is considered approximately 1.5 units of alcohol. By letting other people into our hearts and heads, they can call us out when we’re weak and help us remember what we’re doing this for. That can be a lifesaver when you’re on the brink of relapse. I alcoholism like lists, so I’ve distilled this process down into fifteen (mostly in order) steps to get you started. These are all abbreviated versions of larger concepts and strategies, but I’ve linked as extensively as possible to additional resources to help you dive deeper. Implementing these new habits takes time, but reducing or eliminating your alcohol consumption is worth it.

Why Remembering the Good Times is Bad For Your Sobriety

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the most effective, science-backed methods to quit drinking—permanently. Whether you’re just beginning to question your relationship with alcohol or have tried to quit before and relapsed, you’ll find tools, stories, and hope here. If you’re considering a break from alcohol, it might also be helpful to think about why you drink. “Everyone turns to alcohol for a reason,” says Dr. Mosquera.

• Ironically, some of the first things you might notice are similar to what happens to your body when you’re drinking.
• Non-physical symptoms, like cravings and desire for the comfort alcohol provides, may become more noticeable as the distraction of physical symptoms subsides.
• Repairing a toxic relationship with alcohol can be a long process, but don’t let that discourage you.
• If a setback happens, get back on track as quickly as possible.

However, having a plan and support system in place makes the process easier. After getting through the first few days, you’ll start noticing improvements. By the end of week one, most acute withdrawal symptoms have subsided.

Get the support you need

Engaging in these healthy activities will not only distract you from potential cravings but will also help you develop a better, alcohol-free lifestyle. Whether wanting to quit for health reasons, personal growth, or to break free from dependency, the journey may feel daunting. The desire for that next drink often overshadows the very reasons you wanted to quit in the first place, leaving you feeling trapped in a cycle of dependency. If you drink to ease the pain of loneliness, then make a conscious effort to connect with others. Alcoholics Anonymous cautions its members not to get too hungry, angry, lonely or tired—all of which can make you more vulnerable to the urge to drink. Find activities that are mentally and emotionally nourishing and bring you joy, and identify ways to connect socially with friends, says Witkiewitz.

If you turn to alcohol to manage emotional distress, the added overwhelm can prompt the urge to drink, making success seem even more out of reach. Research shows that most people believe that drinking can make them feel better. However, when alcohol makes up part of your typical routine, drinking can become something of an automatic response, especially when you feel stressed or overwhelmed. Turner notes the importance of bringing along a trusted support person when attending events that involve alcohol.

From there, you may need social support, consistent self-care, and new routines that can help redirect your mind. A person can improve their success rate by designing a plan to stop drinking and using the resources that work for them. Many types of support are available in the community and on the internet. However, the best strategies are those that people respond to the best. Alcohol withdrawal syndrome may occur in people with AUD.

It’s a slow process though, so be patient with yourself and do your best. Little by little, you’ll start to acquire a taste for better food and build healthier habits that can support your sobriety long-term. But for now, you just gotta make it through today without drinking.