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How Do I Quit Drinking On My Own?

by | Apr 24, 2013 | Addiction Treatment, Drug Addiction

One Woman’s Story of Quitting Alcohol

I’ve wanted to quit alcohol for awhile now. It’s been years since I could control and enjoy my drinking. I’ve tried to regulate and cut down with little success. Whenever I do, it isn’t fun. I don’t have a good time and I ALWAYS go back to out of control drinking.

is alcoholism is a disease

So, I went looking for a successful way to quit drinking. I listened to meditations while I slept. I drank non-alcoholic beer. I took up exercise and other activities. Nothing worked! After a ton of research, I found something that did.

How I Quit Drinking

I wrote down the pro’s and con’s of drinking. I put them on paper to see, right in front of me, the truth about what happens when I drink. Some of the pro’s included: drinking helps me unwind, it helps me have fun, and it helps me be more outgoing.

Okay, those are all good things. Still, I had a ton more con’s. These included: strained relationships, lack of energy, lack of accountability, depression, and guilt. There were about 500 more!

So, my con’s far outweigh my pro’s. I made up my mind for good. I was done drinking. Here’s what I did next –

  • I decided on a quit date. On this specific date, I quit drinking and started to implement constructive goals to work towards.
  • I began getting rid of temptation. I removed all alcohol from my home and office. I also removed all reminders of alcohol and my drinking days (things like shot glasses, pictures, etc.).
  • I announced my decision to quit. I told my friends and family that I was done. I gave myself accountability. I’d never done this before because I never really wanted accountability. Now I had it. I was upfront about what I could, and couldn’t, handle and how I needed to stay away from bars and certain events.
  • I kept a diary of my thoughts and behavior. I wrote down anything and everything that happened to me. I wrote if I wanted to drink. I wrote if I did drink. I began to learn from the past. I began to use the past as a tool to help my future.

    • Before You Quit

    Depending on how much you drink, you should check with your physician before quitting. Scratch that, check with your physician no matter how much you drink. It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Besides, alcohol withdrawals can be deadly! If you need help, get help.

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