If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

One of the major villains of the modern world is none other than Alcoholism. This disease, which was once considered a harmless inability to curtail one’s extravagances, today accredited the responsibility of destroying millions of homes and devastating an even more shocking number of lives. However, it is not uncommon to find many people disregarding this disease as, “Something that happens to other people” or even justifying their excesses as only “a passing phase.” And it is this attitude that organizations and even governments are fighting against, as these notions are the very roots of the vicious disease that is alcoholism.

One of the most dangerous of all the symptoms of alcoholism is the victim’s inability to recognize that there is something amiss with his patterns of drinking. If you find yourself reaching for that fifth drink at the end of the day, or if your consumption of alcohol exceeds 14 drinks a week, then it’s time you sat up and took notice. Also, if you often find solace in drowning your sorrows in a bottle of scotch, or drink more than you should simply, because you are used to it, you may want to talk to your doctor about your drinking habit. As the victim, you may not be entirely objective in your assessment of whether your habit is veering towards addiction. And this is why you may concoct innumerable reasons to defend your consumption patterns or simply think that those around you are exaggerated in their judgment of how much you are drinking.

But if you find that your drinking is causing your friends and family members to be concerned about your wellbeing, take this as a much needed wake-up call. Don’t cast their warnings away as baseless fears, but set up an appointment with your physician as soon as possible. Remember, it is you who are worst affected by your addiction. From physical maladies like liver cirrhosis, to renal disorders, gastrointestinal aliments and even cardiovascular failure, there is barely a part of your body that alcohol does not attack. Drinking as a recourse from the pressures and tensions of day-to-day life is unlikely relieve you of any stress. This is because alcohol is, in itself, a depressant. Hence, the temporary high that you feel after a strong drink or two rapidly concede to feelings of severe depression, which in turn encourage you to reach out for another round of drinks.

Once you have made the decision to quit, reinforce your resolve in every possible way. Firstly, draw up a list of all the reasons why you want to give up on your habit. This could be your physical health, the estranged ties that have developed with those who were once dearest to you, and even the negative impact your addiction has on your performance at work. Then, put up this list somewhere you can see it often to remind yourself of what prompted you to make the decision to quit. The second most important thing to do is talk. Draw your family and your friends into your confidence and let them talk you through the toughest phases of your de-addiction. If your problem lies, not in alcohol per se, but in other deeper rooted psychological concerns, availing of the guidance of a trained therapist may also prove immensely beneficial. You can also attend group therapy sessions to interact with others like you who are also struggling to overcome similar demons.

Make sure to divide your process of recovery into distinct milestones where you reward yourself for every barrier you overcome. An interesting way to reward yourself would be to set aside the money you save on alcohol and spend it on something you truly enjoy. This could be a quiet dinner with your family, an evening at the movies or even something you have wanted to buy for a long time, but haven’t been able to afford. This system will keep you motivated to stick to your routine until it becomes more of a way of life for you, rather than a regime you impose on yourself. For those excruciating withdrawal symptoms, you can also try alternative techniques like hypnosis and acupuncture or even unwind with a relaxing massage.

The first month of your de-addiction program is bound to be the most difficult. However, once you’ve eased through that crucial phase, make it a point to redesign your social and personal interactions to avoid any circumstances which may prompt relapses. This could involve avoiding those weekend “Let’s get sloshed” sessions with your colleagues from work, or even keeping away from all the people you associated with, during your addiction. Many of these associates may be in the denial phase themselves, and hence not recognize the need for you to take the drastic step to curtail your drinking habits at all. What’s more, they may even try, in all innocence, to coerce you to break your program “Just once,” assuring you that a single drink will not do you any harm. And before you know it, the one drink multiplies into two and then four and before you know it, you’re back right where you began.

Although the difficulties and obstacles, which crop up when you take that first step towards de-addiction, seem overwhelming at first, don’t let them weaken your resolve. As they say, perseverance pays and yours will too keep moving towards your goal relentlessly and you will discover the many beautiful facets of life which your addiction blocks out.

Tags: Health

Popularity: 3% [?]

Share This