How to Know If I Should Quit Drinking Alcohol?
As much as family members and friends might want to believe that their loved one would like to stop drinking, sometimes they don’t. In other cases, they are unsure if they are ready to quit drinking. This is a common issue and one that is widely discussed in group meetings and amongst peers who discuss their history of addiction. If you are here, you might be in a position in which you are thinking to yourself “I don’t know if I want to quit drinking.” You should know that you are not alone. Many men and women, who are now in recovery, have been in a similar situation.
Perhaps you have thought about the idea of quitting alcohol for a while, but at the same time, the thought is daunting. You might wonder about how an alcohol-free life will be. What will your friends think? What will you do during your free time? What about social gatherings and events? There might be a point in which you say something like “Now is not the time.”, or “I will quit next month, after my vacation is over.” This a normal scenario and one that most people with an alcohol problem will face.
In reality, if you’ve thought about quitting drinking, there is very likely a reason for this. Now you need to get to a point in which you dive in and let your recovery unfold as it should. For some people to reach this point, it may take time. If you are thinking about quitting drinking, but don’t feel as if you have reached that point of “diving in and going for it”, consider these actions that may help you to get there.
Talk With Others Who Committed Themselves to Quitting Drinking
If you are comfortable in doing so, try to reach out to someone who quit alcohol. If you don’t know anyone personally, you might consider visiting a local support group like Alcoholics Anonymous. If this is not an option, you could speak with a counsellor. Many addiction counsellors have had first hand experience with addiction which is why they are so good at helping people. When you do talk with a person in recovery, ask them why they stopped. You might also ask them if they reached a point in which they knew they were ready to give alcohol up. Ideally, they will be able to give you some kind of advice and viewpoints that you have not yet considered. Even if their words were not convincing enough to realise it is time to quit drinking alcohol, it is a step in the right direction.
Give it A Try
Major changes in life might feel less overwhelming when they don’t feel permanent. If you feel unsure about quitting drinking, and the idea of doing so is so overwhelming that it is stopping you from helping yourself, try to take baby steps. For example, dedicate one weekend, or even one evening (if you drink alcohol everyday), to no alcohol. Pay attention to how you feel and what happens. If you can extend this time, try doing so. More than likely, you will realise it is not as overwhelming as you might have convinced yourself.
**It should be noted that if you have an addiction to alcohol, you should consult a doctor or alcohol rehab before you quit alcohol. This is because the withdrawal symptoms can be dangerous.
Try a New Hobby
When you decide to quit drinking, you might find that you have more free time. At first, you might be unsure about how you can fill this time up. For those who are in recovery, this can lead to a relapse without effective planning. Before you quit drinking alcohol, write down things you’ve always been interested in or curious about pursuing. At Siam Rehab, many of our clients have taken up the following hobbies:
- Writing
- Exercising
- Weight lifting / Boxing
- Hiking
- Travelling
- Outreach help
- Volunteering
- Cooking and baking
- Pottery making
- Woodcarving
- Painting
- Video editing
- Podcasting
- Creating YouTube videos
- + More
There are so many different things you can try. It does not matter what you want to do. The only thing that matters is that you are filling your newfound time with healthy activities.
Track Your Drinking
If you drink on a very regular basis, create a dedicated journal and write down every time you have a drink, what you drank, what happened, and how you felt the next day. This is a great way to observe what is going on, and also to truly understand the amount of alcohol you are consuming. You can also write down your feelings that arises when you reflected on this journal. Try this for a few weeks, read through your notes, and evaluate your relationship with alcohol.
Why Do You Want to Quit Drinking Alcohol?
This question is often the biggest motivation to quit drinking. Determining the answer to this will give you a clear reason to consider whenever you might feel tempted to drink. Your why could be anything, such as:
- You have made too many mistakes
- You are going to lose your relationship or family
- You have lost your job
- You want to be healthier
- You don’t like the person you become when you drink
Whatever your answer might be, take time to examine it. Think about what your life would be like without alcohol. If this is the kind of life that you would like to have, then it may be time to make the steps in the right direction. For some that will begin with going to an inpatient rehab. If you are ready to quit drinking alcohol, and believe rehab is right for you, call Siam Rehab now.
