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Alcoholism is something very serious that requires a lot of professional help because, to begin with, they do not usually recognize it. Normally, people who drink regularly wake up in a bad mood, with a headache, with feelings of regret, anger, shame, rage, or disappointment. They did not want to drink but they have done it again and have relapsed. Perhaps it is time to go back to being the person you once were, to recover what really matters to you and to be yourself without the need to drink.
Normally, people who drink regularly wake up in a bad mood, with a headache, with feelings of regret, anger, shame, rage, or disappointment. They did not want to drink but they have done it again and have relapsed. Perhaps it is time to go back to being the person you once were, to recover what really matters to you and to be yourself without the need to drink.
How to Identify the Best Time to Stop Drinking?
There are a series of guidelines that can help the patient with alcohol problems to identify if it is the ideal time to stop drinking:
- If you think you have drinking problems, you can take this test as a first step.
- Asking yourself if something specific has happened to ask yourself if now is the time to stop drinking: violence, appreciable physical deterioration, mental blackouts, etc.
- Not feeling well physically, if not when drinking or after drinking. Drinking too much can cause appearance and physical appearance to change over time.
- If the patient notices that he has less memory capacity, headache, nausea or vomiting, and even loss of self-control.
- The patient frequently repeats to himself that he has the situation under control, that he knows what he is doing, that he drinks with a head and that he is not like the rest.
- If you have had a legal problem: problems with the authority, fights, withdrawal of your driving license due to drunk driving…
- If the patient notices some effects derived from alcohol consumption: in the heart it causes an increase in cardiac activity and an acceleration of the pulse. In addition, when alcohol reaches the blood there is a decrease in sugars, which causes weakness and physical exhaustion.
How does alcohol affect you physically and psychologically?
Alcohol also has a number of effects on the body and mind:
- The consumption of alcohol is not the natural state of the body. Both the perception of the outside and the way of relating to the environment altered. With changes in self-esteem and emotional ups and downs.
- At the brain and neuronal level, memory losses and gaps occur when drinking. So the patient does not remember what happened when he was drunk.
- At the sexual level, impotence or erectile dysfunction occurs in men. In women there are usually imbalances in the menstrual cycle, with derived problems in the hormonal system that. In turn, can lead to anxiety or depression.
- Sleep disorders and insomnia.
How Alcohol Addiction Affects Social and Family Life
Normally many people with alcohol addiction have a very strong feeling of shame. Hence, it is possible that the patient feels the need to drink secretly from family or friends. So as not to give explanations. Not have to endure “fights” or so that they do not see that he drinks more than the rest.
On the other hand, it may be that the fact that makes the patient begin to consider. He has to stop drinking is that a family member or friend has warned him that his character has changed. “Before you were an outgoing, fun, patient person… and your character is becoming more irascible. You have less patience, you do not tolerate criticism, you lose your nerves… ”.
If the patient lives with the family or partner, it is possible that the arguments are increasing. The person with alcohol problems is less patient and tolerant of external stimuli, reacts in a hostile way to ordinary situations… In general, there is a greater risk of having a violent attitude when consuming alcohol.
In addition, people with alcohol addiction feel the need to consume alcohol to socialize and establish relationships. So its consumption is the excuse to meet friends, generating a dependency to interact with the outside.
Do not forget that alcohol also affects work: as the brain has a slower response. It costs more to concentrate and, therefore, to make decisions. To this is added the lack of rest, the worst physical recovery after hangovers, poor performance, being late, losing commitment… All this influences the relationship with colleagues and superiors, which suffers, and can make the person ends up even fired.
What stages does the decision to “stop drinking” comprise?
Making the decision is a process that will take several stages:
- Be prepared to stop drinking.
- Make a list of the advantages and disadvantages of stopping drinking.
- Establish small changes such as, for example, thinking about how to face a situation where you normally would without drinking.
- Let others help you: family, friends, coworkers…
- Search for professional help. Psychology specialists will help the patient learn how excessive alcohol consumption affects their body, as well as its effects. They will also teach you to learn to stay away from alcohol and to share your experiences with people in the same situation to recover physically and mentally. As well as to get back on track with your life.
Habit and lifestyle changes that can help overcome alcohol addiction
When a patient makes the decision to stop drinking and regain the direction of his life. He can carry out a series of changes that can help:
- Avoid certain people with whom you normally drink and places where you can consume alcohol.
- Make plans where alcohol is not strictly necessary.
- Keep the home alcohol-free.
- Follow certain steps when you appreciate that you feel like drinking: identify. That need and have some guidelines to follow so as not to consume.
- Attend support groups where you can share experiences and see that you are not alone.