How to Stop Drinking Without Rehab
If you are trying to quit alcohol for good, congratulations!
It is not an easy step to seek out support for alcoholism, and taking that first step is essential to a long-term recovery strategy.
If you have been drinking for many years and have tried to quit multiple times on your own with no success, you may be wondering if rehab is your only option.
I’m here to tell you that there is another way! I can show you how to stop drinking without rehab for long-term sobriety and success.
If you are interested in learning about your options to quit drinking, then keep reading. This is the article for you.
Methods to Quit Drinking
Making the choice to quit drinking is going to change the course of your life for the better.
As you know, though, it’s easier said than done.
Most people need some form of support if they are long-time drinkers that are looking to maintain sobriety. Here are a few methods that people try to quit drinking for good:
Cold-Turkey Method:
Quitting cold turkey is a popular way that people try to quit drinking.
This is the method where you simply make the choice to quit drinking, and then through sheer will, you stop.
While this method is popular, it may not be the most effective. Many people that try to quit alcohol through their own willpower alone and without support may have success for a little while but do not work through the core issues that caused them to start abusing alcohol in the first place.
For individuals that have been drinking for years and even decades, the cold-turkey method is probably not for you.
In addition, if you are a prolonged drinker, quitting cold turkey can be extremely dangerous.
Alcohol is a depressant. This means that when you drink, it slows your system down. To compensate, your body produces stimulating chemicals to balance you out.
Over time, your brain gets used to producing these chemicals. If you abruptly stop drinking alcohol, you may go into alcohol withdrawal, potentially extremely dangerous.
Alcohol withdrawal can range from minor symptoms such as anxiety, trembling, insomnia- to more dangerous symptoms such as seizures and delirium tremens, which could be life-threatening.
It is impossible to know how alcohol withdrawal may affect you. As a result, it is recommended to go to a treatment center to withdraw with medical supervision.
While the cold-turkey method alone may not be 100% effective, in combination with another treatment option, this mentality can help lead you towards an alcohol-free lifestyle that you have been working towards!
Alcoholics Anonymous:
Many people choose to quit alcohol by going through Alcoholics Anonymous, more commonly known as AA.
In this group, all you need to join is a desire to quit drinking. There are different types of meetings that you can join to get support through your sobriety journey.
Traditionally, people that go through AA go through a 12 step process to achieve sobriety. This helps people get to the root of their issues and help uncover why they had been drinking in the first place.
AA is a supportive and open environment and has been shown to help people achieve sobriety.
However, many people are unsure if they are true “alcoholics” or just problem drinkers. They oftentimes prefer a different environment to quit their drinking problems.
Rehabilitation Centers:
Rehabilitation centers are an option for alcoholics that are trying and struggling to get sober.
They offer a wide range of services and support to help you on your journey to achieving sobriety.
However, rehabilitation centers often require you to take some time off work to go through the rehab and may be extremely costly if your insurance doesn’t cover it.
Additionally, you may not feel that you need the full services of a rehabilitation center to get sober.
Alternatives Methods:
Today, there are a plethora of ways to get support for getting sober without going to AA or Rehab.
Here are just a few:
Take a Class Online: If you want to maintain your anonymity but still want to talk to a real expert about quitting drinking, then you should consider taking an online class!
Online classes give you access to an expert while still keeping the cost relatively low. Coursework is tailored to your circumstance specifically, and you can complete the course in an environment where you feel 100% comfortable.
Get Free Coaching: Another way to quit drinking is by taking advantage of free coaching online.
This coaching will help you learn the practical steps you can take to quit drinking alcohol and take back control of your life. With options that are free, there really is no reason not to at least try out this option!
Read Sobriety Blogs: Understanding that you are not alone and that other people have gone through something similar to you can transform your outlook on sobriety.
Building an online community and learning more about alcohol and addiction can oftentimes be the foundation that people build to quit drinking. What easier way to try this than by choosing a few sobriety blogs to regularly check in with.
Medical Detox
If you have been drinking heavily for many years, make sure that prior to detoxing that you take the time to look into options for medical detox.
Depending on the severity of your withdrawal, you may need to be in a hospital or specialized facility to minimize the risks that come with withdrawal symptoms.
If you choose not to go to a facility to detox, make sure to at least tell a friend or loved one that you are planning to detox so that they can keep an eye on you throughout and make sure you do not need medical attention.
Many people go through alcohol detox without medical supervision and are successful. This is the first step in achieving a life that is 100% free from alcohol.
Staying Sober Without Rehab
Staying sober without the assistance of a rehabilitation center is 100% possible!
Even if you have tried and tried again to quit alcohol with no success, I promise that you can do it if you have the right mindset and the proper tools.
Here are some essential tips to keep in mind while you are on your sobriety journey:
Focus on Building a Community: Whether it is your already existing friends and family, a group of other individuals that are trying to get sober, or an online community, sharing your struggle and hard work with others is going to help you hold yourself accountable and kick drinking for good.
Be Patient With Yourself: Try to take it one day at a time when you start on your journey towards quitting alcohol. In the beginning, 5 minutes can feel like an eternity, but as you get a few weeks of sobriety under your belt, your cravings will lessen, and your life will start to improve.
Learn Everything You Can About Alcohol: Alcohol is undoubtedly popular in our society. Once you stop drinking, you will feel like you see alcohol everywhere. At dinners, restaurants, on TV, and more. The trick is to understand the truth about alcohol and how it takes control of our lives. Knowledge is power, and this mental switch is essential for your long-term recovery.
Enjoy the Benefits of Quitting Alcohol:
One way to ensure that you don’t go back to drinking alcohol is to focus on all of the benefits that an alcohol-free life will give you!
Here are just a few:
- Closer connections to your family and friend
- Better overall health
- Improved sleep
- Increased energy
- Saving money, you would have spent on alcohol
- Hangover-free mornings
- Being more present in your daily life
- Better weight management
After a few months of sobriety, you will hardly recognize your old life anymore.
People that do the hard work of getting sober are always thankful for the transition that they made. Anyone can get sober with the proper tools and mindset. It just takes concentration, support, and determination.
Now You Know How to Stop Drinking Without Rehab
If you are ready to change your life, now you know how to stop drinking without rehab.
Whether you are an alcoholic or a problem drinker that is ready to change their path, there are options for you to achieve sobriety and all of the benefits that come with it.
Whether or not this is your first time attempting to quit alcohol, or your 100th time, I promise you that you have the tools that you need to succeed and quit drinking for good.
Make sure to check out our site for more great resources on living an alcohol-free life!
You can get started on your own sober journey by reserving a place on our next free quit drinking coaching session.
Find out how we have helped over 100,000 people to get back in control of alcohol… without rehab!
