How to Quit Drinking Alcohol on your Own – 5 Easy Ways

There are many reported techniques on how to quit drinking alcohol on your own. Some are helpful, while some lack the safety measures that should be observed during alcohol withdrawal. If you are a heavy alcohol drinker, you know better than anyone else that immediately stopping your liquor intake can cause withdrawal symptoms. Even light drinkers can experience these symptoms, especially if it has become a part of their daily lives. Stopping your alcohol intake can improve the quality of your life, but quitting this habit abruptly can also harm your health.

This article will explore the different ways to stop drinking alcohol on your own without suffering from the harsh side-effects of alcohol withdrawal.

Quit Drinking Alcohol without AA through At-Home Detoxification

How to Stop Drinking Alcohol on Your OwnAlcoholic Anonymous has been the lifesaver of many people with drinking problems. However, not everyone who joins the group recovers fully from alcoholism. There are also methods to give up alcohol on your own like performing at-home detoxification.

Detoxification or simply detox is the process of removing toxins inside your body. Detox is actually a misnomer because it does not really involve the removal of alcohol in your system. What it does is get you off alcohol safely and comfortably. Detoxification is usually done at detox centers, but you can also do it at home. At-home detox is best for drinkers who are not yet alcohol dependents.

The process of at-home alcohol detox is a simple way on to stop drinking on your own. All you need are plenty of water, potassium-rich foods like bananas, oranges, and green leafy vegetables, and heavy blankets and sweatshirts. At home detox focuses on flushing out alcohol from your system through sweating and shedding liquids from your body.

Drinking plenty of water also helps reduce the withdrawal symptoms. Foods that are high in potassium keep your body well-hydrated and also aids in replenishing the lost potassium because of liquid shedding. Cover yourself with blankets and put on heavy sweatshirts to allow yourself to sweat. Taking long hot baths can also help as long as you keep yourself hydrated.

How to Stop Drinking Alcohol Safely through Slow Reduction and OTC Medications

Common beverage alcohol is considered as a drug that works as a central nervous system depressant, which is the same as sedatives, barbiturates, and anesthetics. One of the initial methods on how to cease drinking  is by reducing the intake gradually.

This approach is called gradual tapering approach, a technique used in alcohol detoxification and rehabilitation centers. This method is best for drinkers who are not alcoholics and suffer from withdrawal symptoms.

Gradually reducing the amount of booze you take may also cause some withdrawal symptoms, like nausea, shaking, vomiting, insomnia, restlessness, agitation, diarrhea, and anxiety. Taking over-the-counter medications may aid in preventing and reducing these side-effects. Mild painkillers and medications for headaches, nausea, and diarrhea can lessen the symptoms during the gradual tapering approach.

Reducing your alcohol intake is one of the safer ways to give up drinking. Just remember that you should not drink when you are in medication to prevent medicine interaction. It is recommended that you taper your liquor consumption to the low-risk amount, which is no more than four alcoholic drinks a day. Work your way to the healthy recommended alcohol intake of no more than two drinks per day.

How to Give Up Drinking by Knowing the Standard Drink

Once you are able to lessen your alcohol consumption, the next thing you need to learn is the amount of standard alcoholic drink. In the United States, the standard drink contains approximately 0.6 ounces or 14 grams of pure alcohol. This translates to one 12 fl oz (fluid ounce) of regular beer, 8-9 fl oz of malt beer, 5 fl oz of table wine, and 1.5 fl oz of 80-proof spirits or hard liquor, like margarita, whiskey, vodka, rum, gin, tequila, and others.

The amount of standard drink may vary if you have an existing medical condition, if you are pregnant or trying to be pregnant, or if you are going to operate heavy machinery or are going to drive home.

Knowing the amount of standard drink can help you to leave  booze by keeping your intake to the minimum. According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the moderate level of alcohol intake for men is two standard drinks per day and one standard drink for women. If you can stay within these limits, there is a huge chance that you can stay sober safely any day.

How to Quit Drinking on Your Own by Avoiding Triggers

Triggers are things, people, and other factors that prompt you to get drunk. Each person has different triggers. Some sample of triggers include peers, sleep disorders, and even places where you have a history of drinking. Some people also tend to binge when they are alone at home, or when they feel depressed or stressed.

One way to avoid liquor is by recognizing these triggers. Write these triggers on paper and list ways on how to avoid them. If you tend to drink when you are alone, call one of your non-drinking friends and ask if they (or you) can come over for some midnight game or chat.

When you feel stressed at work, release it by engaging in sports. Invite your colleagues to a bowling or tennis game. Going to batting cages and hitting some balls can also help release your stress. Some people also used alcohol as sleep inducers. Prevent this by doing some exercise and taking a long hot bath to relax.

Unhealthy emotional relationships can also trigger your alcohol cravings, as most often than not, these entanglements can cause depression that can lead to drinking problems. Release yourself from such attachments and start a sober life.

Leave Booze and Stay Committed to Your Decision To Stay Sober

When you start your plan on how to quit your drinking on your own, you should stick and commit to this plan no matter what. During this plan, you will go through a lot of challenges and face many temptations.

It would be useless to go through such hardships and pain if you drink at the most basic urges, like seeing a bottle of beer or wine. When someone asks you out for a drink, just say “no” politely or persuade the person to eat a healthy dinner or lunch with you instead.

You will not be able to stop drinking if you don’t take control of your alcohol cravings. When you decide not to drink, you should prepare yourself for the significant changes that are going to happen in your life. Remember that you are doing this all for yourself and not for someone else.

You are the one who is responsible for your own drinking problems, so you should be the one to solve by planning carefully the ways to quit liquor. Life is all about making tough decisions and sticking to commitments. It may be difficult at first, but it is all worth it in the end.

close button