National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) says that these 10 tips can help you quit drinking alcohol. Please get in touch with Primary Purpose Behavioral Health to let us know how it goes! We might be able to help.
Write it out - create a list of reason you want to cut back on drinking. Hangovers, relationships, health...anything counts.
Set drinking goals - Standard drinking limits are set at:
no more than two standard drinks per day for men under 65
no more than one standard drink per day for women and for men ages 65 and older
certain medical conditions call for less than one drink per day.
Record you drinking habits - or three to four weeks, track every drink, where you were, and who you were with.
Don't keep alcohol in the house - Do not buy any alcohol or bring it into. your home.
Drink slowly - Sip slowly and have non-alcoholic drinks between each alcoholic drink. Eat before every time you drink.
Alcohol-free days - Decide not to drink a day or two each week.
Be stronger than peer pressure - Practice ways to say no politely. Stay away from people who encourage you to drink.
Keep busy - Choose new hobbies and meet new people. Change your habits in your free time.
Ask for help - Tell friends and family that you are trying to cut back on alcohol.
Relapse is OK - Many people need several attempts before they succeed in leaving drinking forever. Sobriety is a "one-day-at-a-time" thing and it's OK to relapse, as long as you try again.
The first step to quitting drinking is to examine how alcohol has affected your physical and mental health. Then, consider why you are drinking and what triggers you to drink. Next, eliminate those triggers and work with a therapist to figure out how to overcome the issues that caused you to drink in the first place. For help quitting drinking or for sober living assistance, reach out to Primary Purpose Behavioral Health today.
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