Your Key to Alcohol Addiction Recovery: 15 Tips on Avoiding Triggers

If you want to stop drinking I drink every night am I an alcoholic for good, don’t let past relapses discourage you from trying to quit. It is normal and even expected for people to try to quit at least once before achieving sobriety. Many people with alcohol use disorder also have other mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia. Support can come from family members, friends, counselors, other recovering alcoholics, your healthcare providers, and people from your faith community.

Addiction Treatment Options for Drugs and Alcohol

Foods rich in vitamins and minerals, like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains, can support the body’s recovery. Hydration is also important, so drinking plenty of water and avoiding caffeine is advised. Some people find that smaller, more frequent meals help if nausea is an issue. A good diet won’t lessen withdrawal effects but will support your body’s ability to deal with them.

Alcohol Use Disorder: Nutrition During Recovery

Building a support system may take time and involve identifying individuals who are genuinely supportive and understanding. It is essential to surround oneself with people who uplift and encourage sobriety while distancing oneself from those who may enable or trigger relapse. It may also involve identifying patterns of behavior that indicate alcohol dependence. Below are samples of e-health tools developed with NIAAA funding. Each of these fee-based tools has a research base that shows its potential to help people cut down or quit drinking. Setbacks can be common, so you will want to know how they are addressed.

How To Detox Your Body Before a Drug Test

• Excessive and prolonged use of alcohol triggers potentially long-lasting damage to your physical health, up to and including death.
• Regain balance by reflecting on what piece of your self-care puzzle needs attention.
• They often will minimize your addiction by telling you it’s not that big of a deal.

Consider creating a visiting schedule so you are never alone during the first week of detox. A supportive friend or family member can help you in many ways during withdrawal. If you’re seeking help for yourself or a loved one, our expert team is here to guide you every step of the way. Physical health improves significantly and gradually when recovering as long as you stay sober. As proof of this, improving liver function, sleep quality, and overall quality of life can become evident quickly. Quitting alcohol won’t just protect your physical health—it can also improve your mental well-being.

How to Stop Drinking for Good

Knowing why you drink is essential, says Cyndi Turner, LCSW, LSATP, MAC, a Virginia therapist specializing in addiction treatment and alcohol moderation. Remember that relapse is part of recovery for many individuals, and your loved one may be one of them. Instead, relapse indicates that additional and/or a different form of treatment is necessary. If you’re involved in a 12-step program, you likely already know the importance of milestones. In these programs, it’s customary to receive plastic chips as you progress to the one-year mark, at which time you receive a bronze coin. If these emotions become excessive, they can hold you back from recovery.

Types of Behavioral Treatments

There are certain brain chemicals called excitatory neurotransmitters that will stop doing their job when you drink, which can make you feel sleepy and sedated. As alcohol is broken down and metabolized by your body, toxins get released. Some will eventually get broken down into less harmful compounds, but your body’s ability to process these substances is limited. One of the most profound ways that alcohol affects you is through what it does to your body. After you drink alcohol, Volpicelli explains that the small molecules inside it get absorbed by your gut. From there, they travel to other parts of your body and affect organ systems, including the cardiovascular, immune, and nervous systems, along the way.

• When asked how alcohol problems are treated, people commonly think of 12-step programs or 28-day inpatient treatment centers but may have difficulty naming other options.
• And you don’t have to wait until you hit rock bottom; you can make a change at any time.
• Like deep breathing, meditation can help you stay balanced and relaxed during your withdrawal.
• By avoiding alcohol, you’re taking a big step toward improving physical health.

– Remember that the pain is only temporary.

Alcohol can also trigger the release of chemicals called endorphins and raise levels of the “feel good” hormone dopamine. This can make you feel energetic and even extremely happy (euphoric) shortly after you drink alcohol, but the effects don’t last. Write your drinking goal down and keep it where you will frequently see it, such as on your phone or taped to your refrigerator.

Reduced Heart Disease Risk

Let’s address some of the most frequently asked questions about alcohol withdrawal, providing insight into different aspects such as medication, home remedies, dietary considerations and more. People should learn from these things since, as mentioned before, requesting help, attending a support group, or contacting a friend is critical to recovery. Finally, an important aspect of alcohol recovery is building trust. Relationships usually get stronger when you talk to your loved ones and earn their trust. If, by any chance, you relapse, you are going to have support and the education to understand that rehabilitation is an ongoing process that requires constant work and commitment. There are effective treatment approaches that can help you quit, so talk to your doctor or a mental health professional if you need more help finding options that will work for you.