How to Quit Drinking in 2024, According to Experts

Try to commit to at least two days each week when you won’t drink at all. You might turn to friends, family, and loved ones for this type of support, but this can be challenging if your past alcohol use has alienated people in your life. It can also be difficult if the people in your immediate social circle continue to drink or if they don’t support your plans to quit.

1. 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.
2. It is half the “proof,” such that 80-proof spirits is 40% alc/vol.
3. Knowing why you drink is essential, says Cyndi Turner, LCSW, LSATP, MAC, a Virginia therapist specializing in addiction treatment and alcohol moderation.

There are so many zero-proof options on bar and restaurant menus, and plenty of celebrities, from Cara Delevingne to Drew Barrymore, have discussed their own alcohol breakups. Yet at the same time, choosing to not drink in a society where drinking is the norm is not always easy to navigate. Self Recovery has the aim that everyone can achieve deep and lasting change in their choices and beliefs. Through its holistic and scientific approach, Dr. Hochman aims to translate addiction recovery from the one-on-one treatment sphere into an easily accessible self-help program.

Support groups are run by facilitators who lead members through a structured program that delves into mental health and addiction with a focus on the present instead of the past. Give yourself credit where credit is due as you start to hit your alcohol-free milestones. Celebration helps keep you motivated, so make sure you’re rewarding yourself for goals achieved. Consider setting up a reward chart with things you really want — maybe it’s a dinner out at a new restaurant or a pair of shoes you’ve been eyeing. Set targets for each reward and enjoy them when you get there. You could even go all-out and reward yourself with something big with a major milestone like a year alcohol-free — a vacation sounds lovely, for example.

Many types of support are available in the community and on the internet. However, the best strategies are those that people respond to the best. Sunnyside uses a psychology-based approach to help you drink more mindfully, no matter what your goal is. You’ll get a 100% custom plan, then daily texts to track your progress and help you stay on target. A standard glass of wine is 5 ounces, which contains about 12% alcohol. A shot of distilled spirits like vodka is 1.5 ounces and equally 40% alcohol.

The three basic steps of urge surfing:

If you think you might have an alcohol use disorder, there are evidence-based treatment options that can help you to quit drinking. Learning about your options can help you decide what might work best for you. Having a plan to quit and exploring resources that can help you give up alcohol successfully can improve your chances for success.

Staying Social When You Quit Drinking

If you’re hosting a social event, it’s important to provide nonalcoholic options for people who might not want to drink, he adds. Fiellin says keeping a journal of your drinking habits can help to reinforce how you stick to your limits. You can write down the limits that you set for yourself daily or weekly, as well as the number of drinks that you actually consume. Koob adds that alcohol use should be understood on a spectrum. While some people may be able to enjoy a glass of wine on occasion, others with moderate to severe alcohol-use disorder struggle to cut back or quit despite the consequences they experience.

You might have side effects, so be prepared.

Don’t lie or cover things up to protect someone from the consequences of their drinking. When you drink, sip slowly and take a break of 30 minutes or one hour between drinks. Drinking on an empty stomach is never a good idea, so make sure you eat food when you drink. Make it clear that drinking will not be allowed in your rebuilding your life after addiction home and that you may not be able to attend events where alcohol is being served. BetterHelp is an online therapy service that matches you to licensed, accredited therapists who can help with depression, anxiety, relationships, and more. Take the assessment and get matched with a therapist in as little as 48 hours.

Knowing all the negative effects alcohol has on your physical and mental health can make it easier to understand why you’re better off without it. A recent study has shown that women who drink more than 8 drinks a week are at higher risk for coronary heart disease. According to research conducted by Kaiser Permanente Northern California, young to middle-aged women who have just one more drink daily, on average, are at a 31 to 55% higher risk of coronary heart disease. Fiellin says it’s important to note that there is the same amount of alcohol in a 12-ounce bottle of beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, and a 1.5 ounce shot of distilled spirits. Be careful to follow these guidelines when consuming alcohol, since larger mugs of beer, heavy pours of wine, and mixed drinks might actually be more than one drink.

As you prepare your plan to quit drinking, make a list of the barriers that might be standing in your way and brainstorm ways to deal with these problems. Potential solutions might include looking for low-cost treatment options, joining a support group, and talking to a mental health professional. The same study found that a break from drinking had lingering positive effects on people’s habits around alcohol. More than two-thirds of the participants reduced the amount of times they drank excessively (that is, anything beyond the daily recommended amount of drinks) for six months following their first 30 days alcohol-free.

If you’re living with alcohol use disorder, quitting drinking is important for your health. But quitting on your own can pose risks to your health and is unlikely to be successful. Rehabilitation facilities can help you on your path to sobriety by addressing alcohol withdrawal symptoms and becoming involved in sober living support groups, like AA.

Knowing why you drink is essential, says Cyndi Turner, LCSW, LSATP, MAC, a Virginia therapist specializing in addiction treatment and alcohol moderation. Maybe you don’t think you depend on alcohol exactly, https://sober-house.org/ but you still wonder whether you might be drinking too much. If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol addiction, please contact the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

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. If you’re looking for the best programs to quit drinking, the method you choose will depend largely on your personal circumstances and the health benefits you seek. Options include self-help programs, online therapy, medication-assisted treatments, in-person therapy, counseling organizations, and support groups. To prevent symptoms of alcohol withdrawal from worsening, people need to stay in a controlled and calm environment.

The Recovery Village’s offerings are designed for those who may need more care for substance use and mental health issues. The options range from app-driven telehealth appointments to inpatient and residential treatment. The Self Recovery program offers a self-paced, online program that’s meant to facilitate your success in quitting alcohol while protecting your privacy. It’s built on real-life application of techniques and principles learned in the online lessons.

According to the NIAAA, alcohol pretty much affects you head to toe. Alcohol can make it hard to think clearly, cause strokes or high blood pressure, lead to cirrhosis and weaken your immune system. It may also mess with your sleep, and poor sleep hygiene can lead to further health concerns, like obesity and diabetes.