If you struggle to sleep, talk to your doctor about solutions that might help. This may be more pronounced if you often use alcohol as a way to manage existing sleep problems. Unfortunately, while alcohol may make it seem like you are falling asleep quicker, it can also lead to worse sleep quality. Drink plenty of fluids, but you don’t have to drink just water. Keep it interesting and varied with sparkling water, virgin cocktails (also known as mocktails), fruit juices, low-fat milk, or kombucha. Keep in mind that fruit juice and kombucha may be high in sugar.

Why Do You Experience Withdrawal Symptoms?

How you feel when you stop drinking is largely based on how often and how heavily you drink. People who only drink occasionally probably won’t notice any physical or psychological symptoms. People who have a severe reaction to quitting alcohol should seek emergency treatment. Whether you’re sober curious, know for sure you’re ready to quit, or fall somewhere in between, Dr. Streem shares advice for how to stop drinking. If you’re living with alcohol use disorder (also known as alcoholism), you’ll likely benefit from additional medical interventions.

Addiction and Mental Health Resources

Alcoholism is a common and different term for alcohol use disorder. Milder cases — when people abuse alcohol but aren’t dependent on it — are as well. In a large-scale study of alcohol treatment methods, researchers found that a combination of medical management, medication, and cognitive-behavioral interventions was most effective. The study also showed that there was no single treatment approach that was right for every individual. If you experience symptoms of DT, such as confusion, disorientation, hallucinations, or delusions, seek medical attention immediately.

Mental Health Services

It was also the only combination where people actually did significantly reduce their alcohol consumption over the six weeks. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, alcohol should be consumed in moderation — up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men. “There are people who have learned to practice very reasonable alcohol consumption that contributes to psychosocial well-being in a way that does not impair their health,” Kumar noted. In addition to the health benefits, when you stop drinking for any amount of time it automatically saves you money.

• What many people don’t realize is that alcohol produces a toxic effect on the body.
• In other cases, long-term alcohol exposure can increase a person’s risk of developing a psychiatric illness.
• People with alcohol use disorder can’t stop drinking even when it causes problems, like emotional distress or physical harm to themselves or others.
• One of the unexpected benefits of giving up alcohol is that you may find yourself more productive than before.
• “I would suggest cutting back on several things rather than completely eliminating to avoid feeling deprived, which can lead to rebound eating/drinking and weight regain,” she said.
• If you are thinking about quitting drinking, talk to your healthcare provider.

“There is early evidence that even taking a one month break from fairly low levels of consumption reduces some burden on the liver,” White says. Being dependent on alcohol means you feel you’re not able to function without it and means stopping drinking can causes physical withdrawal symptoms like shaking, sweating or nausea. If you have these symptoms when you don’t drink, it could be dangerous to stop drinking too quickly without proper support.

It’s important to acknowledge that everything you try won’t be right for you. Keep trying until you find the activities that resonate How to Stop Drinking with your passions and ultimate wellness goals. Alcohol cravings are an inevitable part of detoxing and getting sober.

Your Body Starts to Detox

Excess alcohol consumption may cause weight gain, which means that cutting out alcohol could lead to weight loss for some people. While it has been suggested that one or two drinks per day may have health benefits, one meta-analysis found that even moderate intake has serious health risks. Women who had two or more drinks per day and men https://ecosoberhouse.com/ who had four or more drinks per day had significantly increased mortality. One of the most significant benefits of giving up alcohol is that you may increase your lifespan. Alcohol misuse can lead to serious health problems like liver disease and cancer. So, giving up alcohol can help you to avoid these potentially deadly diseases.

Social Networks

Stopping drinking abruptly can lead to seizures and can even be fatal. If you’ve been drinking for a long time, you may experience withdrawal symptoms when you quit drinking. If you want to quit drinking, start by talking to your doctor. They can recommend treatment options that can help, including therapy and medications. When you first stop drinking, your body will begin to detoxify itself.

Avoid temptation

You may want to talk with a loved one or therapist about why it happened and what you can do differently next time. Overall, do whatever you can to make yourself as comfortable as possible. If you’re sweating, place a cold towel on your forehead or on the back of your neck. Prepare a playlist of your favorite songs or movies to pass the time.