How to Quit Drinking Alcohol and Beer

You're reading this article because you want to quit drinking alcohol and beer. That's great news. However, there’s a less-than-great truth: quitting alcohol and beer is very difficult. It's a harsh reality, and people shouldn't sugarcoat it. The good news is that modern medical technology, along with community support and psychological counseling, can make the process of quitting easier than ever. If you feel you're drinking too much, you should be aware of the benefits of quitting alcohol: preventing strokes, losing weight, avoiding drunkenness, and reducing the risk of liver disease, along with other positive effects on your overall health.

Talk to your doctor. If you choose to begin your recovery by going it alone, remember that quitting alcohol suddenly can be life-threatening. If you start experiencing symptoms that commonly accompany withdrawal (such as panic, anxiety, tremors, or a fast heartbeat), you should seek immediate medical help. This condition could worsen and lead to severe delirium, which can be fatal if left untreated.

• Don’t think you have to quit drinking by yourself. You may feel burdened, but many people (including medical professionals) are willing to share the load. Quitting alcohol is often easier with medical support, and it is safer than abruptly stopping on your own.
• Doctors treating individuals for alcohol withdrawal often prescribe benzodiazepine medications to alleviate symptoms. These include alprazolam (Xanax), clonazepam (Klonopin), diazepam (Valium), and lorazepam (Ativan). These medications are used as sedatives to help individuals stay calm, reduce anxiety, and soothe panic attacks. They are relatively safe and rarely fatal if overdosed.

Change your mindset about quitting alcohol. Remember, this isn't like having to give up a friend who’s been kind to you. Instead, think of it as finally removing an enemy from your life. Alter your perspective, and it will be easier to quit drinking. One part of you wants to stop, while the selfish side of you wants to keep going.

Choose the right timing for quitting alcohol. You need to be determined, but also practical. If you're heavily dependent, start by cutting back gradually to avoid withdrawal symptoms. In this case, it’s best to consult a doctor to help you develop a plan for a safe and effective process.

Get rid of all bottles, cans, and alcohol-related items. Don’t think that you need to offer your guests beer, wine, or cocktails whenever they visit. Instead, offer tea, lemonade, soft drinks, or similar alternatives that are just as good.

Follow your emotions. Cry when you feel like it. Laugh when you can. Eat when you’re hungry. Rest when you’re tired. This might sound unusual at first, but just go with it. You haven’t been following your feelings for a while. This new habit will make the process of quitting alcohol more effective in the long run.

Avoid meeting up with friends or entering situations where you may be tempted to drink excessively. There’s an old saying, 'Birds of a feather flock together.' Apply this principle to your situation. You might need to distance yourself from friends who drink with you or places where alcohol is the focus. It’s better to socialize with people who only occasionally drink a beer or have a glass of wine with you.

• Don’t do anything if you feel unprepared. If an annual beach trip is a time you typically drink a lot, skip it this year. If a dinner party at a friend’s house is a drinking trigger, ask to postpone. Protecting your moderation should be your priority right now. Take care of yourself and don’t worry too much about what others think.

In the early stages, reduce the amount of alcohol you consume. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and you can’t break your habit in a week either. This is perfectly normal. But small victories lead to larger ones. At the start, simply focus on reducing the amount of alcohol you consume. Quitting cold turkey from heavy drinking can be dangerous for your physical and mental health.

• Imagine how awful you feel after drinking too much—nausea and a terrible headache. If you’ve experienced that before, try to recall those memories. The pain you endured is useful: it strengthens your resolve to change your habits, and that’s the first step.
• Even cutting back by just one drink a day is an achievement. No progress is too small at this point. The mistake would be to feel satisfied with reducing by one drink. Keep reducing the amount of alcohol you consume. Try cutting one drink each week, or if you’re determined, aim to reduce your alcohol intake by half each week.

Eat before drinking. Eating before you drink will reduce your craving for alcohol and help you stay less intoxicated. However, don’t trick yourself into thinking you’re drinking like you did when you hadn’t eaten—though clever, that’s called cheating yourself!

Drink plenty of water. Water will keep your body hydrated, make you feel healthier, and help flush toxins out of your system. Men should aim for around 3 liters of water per day, while women should aim for about 2 liters.

Modify recipes that include alcohol in your menu. This will help you avoid the excuse of keeping alcoholic drinks at home. You can replace alcoholic sparkling wine with non-alcoholic versions, or simply omit the alcohol from the recipe altogether.

Don’t feel the need to explain your decision to quit drinking to others. Most people don’t drink like alcoholics. They don’t understand what it’s like to struggle with alcohol. Of course, some people share the same problem, but if they don’t, they might say, 'You don’t have a problem!' When you’re quitting, simply say, 'Thanks, I’ll stick to Diet Coke—I’m trying to lose weight.' If you hang out with your friends long enough, they’ll get it and think, 'I hope they can do it!'

If you drink according to a schedule, change your routine. If you usually drink right after work or when you get home, change your routine by doing something else instead. Visit family or friends, for example. Small changes in your surroundings can help break the cycle of addiction.

• Make a plan and change the activities you usually do when drinking. As the saying goes, 'Idle hands are the devil’s workshop,' right? If you participate in group activities, you’ll be less likely to get drunk. Writing these activities down increases the chances of following through.

Don’t give up. Many people make excuses like, 'I’ve been addicted for too long, I’ll never change,' or 'I’ve tried so many times, but I can’t do it.' Some might feel defeated and hopeless, especially if they’ve been diagnosed with something like cirrhosis. But quitting alcohol can extend your life, no matter where you’re at. How much longer you live depends entirely on you. Don’t justify not trying to quit. The first step is to stop making excuses!

• Remind yourself that if you’ve been ready to quit many times in the past, you can try again. There’s no age limit or 'too late' moment. After successfully quitting, you’ll realize the benefits and inspire hope in others.

Don’t let guilt take over you. Some people often feel foolish and guilty for not doing something sooner. Don’t blame others. Alcohol is the enemy. It whispered to you, convincing you it was more important than anything else in life, but nothing is more important than your own well-being. You’ll be useless to anyone if alcohol destroys you. Therefore, you must overthrow the reign of alcohol and start anew, much like many countries are undergoing a revolution.

• Guilt is only half the equation. If you wake up only because you feel guilty, you’ve awakened for the wrong reason. You need to wake up because you care about yourself, about the happiness of your family and friends (those who care deeply for you), and about leaving a mark on this world. Guilt is just one reason to quit drinking.

Buy a ‘Sober Wallet’. Whenever you think about purchasing a bottle of beer or alcohol, put that money into your sober wallet. It will truly shock you. Staying sober helps you realize the tangible benefits of moderation that we often overlook. A sober wallet will make those benefits much easier to notice.

• Use the money in your sober wallet to do healthy, relaxing activities: get a massage, visit a spa, or join a yoga class. If those aren’t your thing, you could use the money to buy things like a new CD set, a piece of furniture, or a gift for a friend.

Buy a small, inexpensive piece of jewelry to remind yourself of your sobriety. Get a ring or bracelet, or paint your nails a special color to remind yourself that your hands won’t be holding alcohol anymore.

Take B vitamins during the first week of quitting alcohol. Alcohol reduces the body’s ability to absorb B vitamins, especially B1. A lack of vitamin B1 can cause serious conditions such as Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome and brain edema.

Create lists. Without alcohol, make a list of ways to do the things you used to do when drunk. A list of ways to organize celebrations. A list of ways to enjoy a romantic dinner. A list of ways to rest and relax. A list of ways to socialize. Many people live a fulfilling life without alcohol’s help; remind yourself that you can do these things much more easily.

If you find yourself tempted, imagine what it would be like if you completely lost control. Do you truly want to become that person again? Don’t get stuck thinking you’ll forever be that way. You might still be someone who drinks, but that doesn't mean you can't evolve into someone who drinks with moderation, clarity, and joy. That is your goal.

You must understand the psychological benefits of sobriety. Appreciate the value of a good night's sleep instead of lying unconscious, unaware of anything, only to wake up at 3 a.m. with a dry throat and a splitting headache. Recognize the beauty of remembering the people you met at last night’s party and the joy they felt meeting you. Understand the happiness of loving yourself instead of criticizing your past mistakes.

Remember the reasons why you decided to quit drinking in the first place. Cherish those reasons. There may not always be a clear reason for your actions — maybe you struggle without understanding why — but when you do have reasons, they provide meaning and guide you to stick to your principles. That’s a good thing. So, what are your reasons for staying sober?

Don’t avoid every situation where you’d normally drink. Instead, embrace these situations with a positive attitude, knowing that you can still have fun without alcohol. However, if you find the temptation too overwhelming, don’t put yourself in situations where you might easily falter. Be wise about your boundaries — everyone needs them.

Remember the things that motivate you. Keep a prayer, poem, or quote in mind (like Hamlet's 'To be, or not to be') and repeat it whenever you feel yourself losing control; recalling it can sometimes help you stay grounded. Here are some motivational quotes that might help you stay calm:

• 'Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.' - Buddha
• 'Believe you can and you’re halfway there.' - Theodore Roosevelt
• 'I believe in laughter as the best way to burn off good energy. I believe in kisses. I believe in becoming stronger when things seem to go wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is a new day, and I believe in miracles.' - Audrey Hepburn

Reward yourself with a treat every day or hour that you stay sober. In the beginning, this can have an 'above and beyond' effect. Wrap up the rewards (or not, depending on your preference!) and ask a friend or family member to hold onto them. Check with your friend to see if you've managed to stay sober for an hour, a day, or even a week. If so, claim your prize. Let your friend or loved one share in your joy.

Learn to meditate. Make meditation a regular practice, especially in the mornings. After each session, make a promise to yourself that you will stay sober. Remember the calm mindset you achieve during meditation whenever you feel the urge to drink. It will distract you from your cravings.

Seek support. This may be the most difficult part of your recovery journey, but talking to your family or your spouse about what you’re going through and what you are trying to achieve is a big step. Whether you like it or not, very few people can quit drinking successfully on their own, and even fewer can maintain sobriety. Don’t feel ashamed to open up to your friends and family about what you are experiencing.

• Create guidelines for how you want your friends and family to assist you. Ask them to remove any alcohol if they see you drinking. Ask them to be your better half and help bring you closer to sobriety.

Consider joining support groups. But don’t feel guilty or like you’ve failed if you don’t find the right group for you — they’re not for everyone. Many people successfully quit drinking without help from support groups. Most of those who leave their dark past behind have done so by making a personal commitment to stop drinking once and for all — and never look back.

• That being said, support groups can be incredibly effective in helping you maintain sobriety once you’ve decided that this is the lifestyle you want to follow. Research has shown that people who participate in support groups have an 81% chance of staying sober after quitting, compared to 26% for those who don’t. That’s a difference of more than 50%.
• Stay committed to support groups. The more you participate in addiction recovery groups, the less likely you are to relapse. These programs help develop positive habits that replace your old addictions, with the new ones being sustainable and ultimately leading to a better life.
• Support programs will connect you with a sponsor. A sponsor is someone, ideally not a 'friend,' who you can rely on whenever your sobriety is at risk. A sponsor can point out your mistakes directly, without sugar-coating. Recovering individuals with a sponsor find it far easier to stay sober than those without one.

Witness how sobriety transforms your life right before your eyes. After 90 days of sobriety, your appearance will change, and your body will be fully restored. You may lose weight, but you’ll feel more energetic and happier than before. You are now a completely different person.

Don’t be afraid to talk about your experiences. Whenever you feel weak, tempted, or pessimistic, turn to someone you can trust (it’s hard to chew and talk at the same time, but if you’re struggling too much, seek help). Lean on them. It could be your sponsor, a friend, or your mother. Whoever it is, learn to share your feelings and work through them instead of suppressing them and never truly confronting them.

• When you’re ready, share your experiences with those who need it. You might choose to speak to high school students about your addiction and its consequences. Perhaps you’ll write a heartfelt letter and post it online. Whatever you choose to do, try to give back the help you once received. Even if you only help one person, that’s a great accomplishment.

Admit to yourself that nothing in your life is more important than this. Your life depends on it. Everyone you love plays a part in that. You, yourself, deserve it.