How to stop drinking and get your life back

Do you have this little voice in the back of your mind telling you that you’re drinking too much? When you wake up in the morning, do you tell yourself, “I’m not going to drink today” but all you can think about is drinking until you give in and drink. Then you feel guilty and beat yourself up because you gave in and drank, again? It’s a vicious cycle isn’t it, you once considered yourself a strong person but alcohol has whipped your butt? You’ve tried to stop, many times but it’s too damn hard to stop altogether and if you’re a heavy drinker, it’s almost impossible to stop on your own. To abruptly stop drinking for heavy drinkers can cause severe brain damage and even death. There’s no two ways about it, you’re going to have to detox and if you don’t know what that is it’s getting all the alcohol out of your system. You’re going to need help to get you through the detox process of alcoholism. There is probably an alcohol detox center in your town or one close to your town. If you’re wondering whether you have a drinking problem or not here’s a little hint: Most non-alcoholic people don’t have to ask themselves that question. Alcohol detox centers have a 3 or 7 day detox program and while your there the staff takes very good care of you. If you have the opportunity to stay 7 days then take advantage of it and stay, the more days away from alcohol now will make you stronger. Most of the staff and counselors at alcohol detox centers are recovering alcoholics or addicts themselves and have been in the same position you are now, so they know exactly what you’re going through. There are medications that will help you get through the first few days of detox and the doctors there will keep you on them as long as you need to be on them to help you through your detox.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Your local telephone book and the ability to be honest with yourself when you know your drinking way too much.

1. If you’re worried about money and how much this is going to cost, then you should know that most detox centers charge you on your ability to pay. For example: If your yearly income is between $20 to $50 thousand dollars, then you will only be charged around $50 dollars per day. A yearly income of $50 to $100 thousand dollars a year, then the price goes up and tops off at around $450 dollars a day, this includes three meals a day and a bed to sleep in, counseling, and the medication that is given to you while you’re detoxing. Because it can be classified as a medical condition, some insurance plans will help you pay for a one-time detox and treatment facility.
2. When you first arrive at the alcohol detox center you will be asked a lot of personal questions such as, how much you drink, are you doing any other drugs and if so, what are they? How do you afford your addictions, do you sneak you’re drinking and try to hide how much you’re really drinking from family and friends? If you’re filling the vodka bottle back up to where it should be before your spouse gets home from work, then you have a drinking problem. Answer these questions honestly because that’s the only way they can give you the help you need, everybody has a different program, remember there is nothing you can say to a counselor that will shock or disgust him/her.
3. After you have been admitted, someone will show you to the room you will be sharing with others who are there for the same reason you are. It’s a dorm-like situation but its not co-ed, in fact, there may be strict and enforces rules about getting too close to the other patients there. This is a serious situation you are in and getting involved with someone in detox is prohibited and if caught, you will be asked to leave. Your days will be filled with learning how to live without drinking and AA meetings. You will hear others tell their story of how they got where they are today and you will find that some have it worse than you—imagine that, while your story may be worse than others.

Tips & Warnings

• Alcoholism is a slow and painful death and it will take you places you would never step foot in otherwise and it will make you do things you thought you would never do. It will eventually take everything from you, your friends, family, job, and the really sad thing is you won’t even care that you lost those things all you care about is the alcohol. Sleep becomes more like unconsciousness and pretty soon a full night sleep will be broken because your body will start to crave the alcohol and if you’ve been sleeping three or more hours, your body will wake you and need a drink. If your not to this point yet and think it won’t get that bad for you, it will. As long as you drink, the progression will keep getting worse, if you’re reading this and it sounds even remotely like you then please get help by calling an alcoholic detox center right away. You don’t have to live this way anymore and there are people who want to help you if you let them. Hitting rock bottom is not required but unfortunately that’s usually what it takes for someone to want to get sober. Get help for yourself and get your life back, don’t let alcohol ruin your life because as sure as your reading this article, your drinking will continue on a downhill slide that you can’t get off. Being an alcoholic and getting help is nothing to be ashamed of, not getting help and continuing to drink is.