If you are struggling to stop drinking alcohol, there are several ways to overcome alcohol addiction that you can do. Before serious and permanent health problems occur due to alcoholism, you need to stop this addictive behavior immediately.
The limit for alcohol consumption for adults is 1-2 drinks for men and 1 drink for women. If you find it too frequent or even difficult to stop drinking alcohol, this could be a sign that you are addicted to alcohol.
In addition, people who are addicted to alcoholic beverages will also continue to consume these drinks regardless of the situation and conditions, and do not care about the consequences.
Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages is certainly not good for health because it can damage the organs of the body, especially the liver. In addition, the negative influence of alcohol addiction is not only felt by users, but also the people around them, especially families.
This can be seen from the number of cases of domestic violence committed by alcoholics. People who are addicted to alcohol are also more at risk of having an accident while driving. This can endanger himself and others.
Therefore, people who are addicted to alcohol need to immediately stop this habit and get help before the condition gets worse and has a very regrettable effect.
Tips for Overcoming Alcohol Addiction Problems
If you're battling alcohol addiction, here are some tips you can do to get rid of the dangers of alcohol:
Look for support system
In overcoming alcohol addiction, support system or support from the closest people, such as family or friends, is very important. In addition, you also need to stay away from social circles that can attract you to drink alcohol again.
Implement a healthy lifestyle
In addition to looking for support system, bad life habits must be changed. You can adopt a healthy lifestyle by eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, managing stress, and adopting a good sleep pattern. This habit will make it easier for you to overcome alcohol addiction.
If you have been drinking alcoholic beverages too often, try to replace them with other, healthier drinks, such as water, infused water, fresh fruit juice, or tea.
Do positive activities
To overcome the desire to consume alcoholic beverages, you can divert it by doing positive activities. Take up a hobby or activity that you enjoy, such as gardening, fishing, or reading a book.
Also, when you feel stressed and want to drink alcohol, try to calm your mind by doing exercise, meditation, or yoga. These methods are effective for relieving stress and anxiety.
Overcoming Alcohol Addiction with Medical Help
If the various ways above have been done but you have not succeeded in getting out of alcoholism, you should consult a doctor for treatment. Your doctor can recommend treatment or therapy options that are appropriate for your level of addiction.
Some types of alcohol addiction treatment that doctors can give are:
Detoxification
Detoxification aims to remove alcohol and toxic substances from the body. This process is the first and most important treatment step to get out of alcohol addiction.
Alcohol detoxification therapy usually takes about 5–7 days and can be done in a drug dependence hospital (RSKO).
During the detox process, you will experience symptoms such as shaking, confusion, hallucinations, and seizures. However, this can be prevented by giving certain drugs.
Counseling and behavioral therapy
This program can help you learn how to overcome the urge to drink again. There are several types of behavioral therapy that can help you overcome alcoholism, including:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy, to identify triggers for alcoholism and teach how to overcome them
- Motivational enhancement therapy, to build and strengthen motivation so that it can change alcohol addiction behavior
- Marriage and family counseling, to correct possible problems in the family or with a partner that are the cause of alcoholism
Drugs
There are several medical drugs that can be used to treat alcohol addiction, including:
- Disulfiram, a type of drug that can cause pain in the body when consuming alcoholic beverages, thereby reducing the desire to drink these drinks
- Acamprosate, a drug that works by balancing certain chemicals in the brain, so that it is able to resist the urge to consume alcoholic beverages
- Naltrexone, to block the pleasure or comfort effects of alcohol
In its application, the various treatment methods above need to be combined to get the best results.
The struggle to overcome alcoholism is not an easy thing to do, but it is not impossible. To make this easier, ask for support from family and friends.
If you have a problem with alcoholism and find it difficult to stop on your own, don't hesitate to consult a doctor. The longer your alcohol addiction is left on, the greater your risk of experiencing the permanent effects of alcohol's harm.
