There
are lots of reasons to stop drinking alcohol. At BeClink, we recognize and
respect those reasons. Whether you’re an expectant mother, on a medication
which reacts with alcohol, trying to live more responsibly or simply trying to
lead a healthier lifestyle, your reasons to avoid alcohol matter.
If
you are trying to reduce alcohol’s presence in your life, know you are not
alone. According to one study published by
The Washington Post in 2014, 30% of American
adults don’t drink at all. Another 30% consume less than one drink per week, on
average. In fact, only the 10% of consumers drink over half of the total alcohol
consumed in any given year. So, the idea of “everyone drinks alcohol” is simply
inaccurate. If you choose to give up alcohol in your life, you might actually
be in the
majority of the country.
Still,
depending on how frequently you drank beforehand, weaning yourself off of
alcohol can be a challenging task. However, there are a few practical ways to
remove alcohol from your life. Here are some tips for how to give up alcohol.
Set a date.
The
first step in giving up alcohol is setting a “quitting date.” Establish a date
in the near future when you want to fully give up alcohol from your life. This
gives you time to prepare for the transition mentally, physically, emotionally
and even socially. It also provides a logistical starting point, and gives you
a chance to remove alcohol from the home, tell friends and family and set up
boundaries.
Establish smaller goals.
As
you purge alcohol from your life, an important thing to keep in mind is
establishing
smaller goals. If you go
into it with the mindset to “never drink again,” it could be a very challenging
and daunting task. Instead, start with a smaller goal in mind, such as not
drinking for a month, a semester or even a full year. Depending on where your
relationship starts with alcohol, establishing smaller, more attainable goals
will leave you feeling encouraged, rather than looking down a long runway at a
goal which feels unreachable.
Bring in allies.
Giving
up
anything is tough enough, but
giving up alcohol can be particularly difficult, especially if you try to do it
by yourself. Instead, enlist some allies who can support and encourage you
throughout the process. Tell the people you usually drink with you’re taking a
break from alcohol for a while, and ask them for their support in the transition.
Who knows? Perhaps they have felt the exact same way, but needed someone else
to take the initial leap. Tell your friends, family, coworkers, etc. the plan,
your reasonings for giving up drinking and how they can help support you when
temptation kicks in. Your true friends and family will be there to encourage
you every step of the way.
Avoid temptation.
In
the early stages of detoxification, it’s probably a good idea to avoid any
situations where you might be tempted to drink. This could mean opting out of
the Friday bar visit with coworkers, asking a friend to go grocery shopping
with you or even avoiding certain restaurants. Consider times in your current
schedule when you’re likely to drink, e.g. rewinding after a long day at work.
Prepare and plan for the time beforehand by filling the gap with something
else. For instance, if you usually enjoy a glass of wine after work, try
grabbing a cup of coffee on the way home instead. As the detoxification process
continues, temptation will subside, but in the beginning, be careful to avoid
challenging situations.
Reward progress.
As
you go about this process, it’s important to recognize you are making a drastic
and difficult lifestyle change. So, be sure to reward yourself for progress
along the way, and don’t be too hard on yourself when you do slip up and make a
mistake. For instance, if your goal is to give up drinking for one month,
reward your progress each week you go without a drink. Maybe the reward is a
sweet treat, a shopping trip or even a personal affirmation. Give yourself
consistent rewards each step of the way to keep your spirits up and continually
self-motivate.
Try non-alcoholic drinks.
Finally,
if you really find yourself in a pinch when you crave alcohol, give
non-alcoholic drinks a try. Alcohol-free wine and beer are great alternatives
to their alcoholic counterparts, because they provide the same great flavor,
without the worry of alcohol. In fact, there are plenty of surprising health
benefits to both non-alcoholic
wine and beer. Or, get even more creative
and give
alcohol-free mixed
drinks
a try. Pick out some flavors you enjoy and try them out to see how they can
help you kick alcohol to the curb.
Removing alcohol from your life is definitely a
challenging task, but not impossible. If you want to give up alcohol for a
short time, a season or even for life, try these tips to make the process as
smooth as possible. You may just be surprised at how easily you adapt to a
healthier, happier alcohol-free lifestyle.