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The question for every struggling soul is when is the point you realise that you need to stop drinking and how can you ditch the drink for good after so many years? This is a decision that only you can make for yourself and it’s a deeply personal one. It’s important to say that there is no timeline where you can say that on this day I will stop drinking. Unfortunately for a lot of people, that’s not how it works.
We wish we could give you an answer but deep down, this was already common knowledge and as I saw on an episode of Fleabag, when she was talking to her therapist, asking for guidance on what to do and a way of reaching out so you didn’t fall back into her old bad habits that have gotten her in trouble in the past, the therapist responded that you already know what you are going to do. This moment really resonated with me, as you cannot tell someone what to do no matter who you are to that person and the truth is, we already know what we want and what we will want to do, especially when it comes to complete sobriety. It has to be a change that you want to see to prioritise your health.
Why There’s No Perfect Time?
External Factors
While waiting for an external sign like a new job or a birthday might seem ideal, true success in sobriety comes from an internal decision. External factors do not guarantee success, and what I mean by that is that waiting until after you’ve attended a wedding, birthday party or event before you stop drinking for good is just delaying the inevitable. It’s a way of feeling like you are dealing with the issue without actually going through the process and it’s the same as saying you are going to start the gym; you buy all the gear and never go. Asking when is the right time is another way of pushing it back.
The Unknown
The unknown is also scary and people can be so set within their routines that it’s mentally and physically hard to just change everything that they know and the idea of completely ditching the drink can be overwhelming. However, fear of change shouldn’t be the dominant factor as to why you can’t push past these fixations. Look back on when you’ve had to go through big changes in the past and remember that you got through it and it was fine. For example, it was an unknown change to start drinking so the same energy put into starting should be given to sobriety.
Rock Bottom
Remember, rock bottom isn’t a requirement. The sooner you address your relationship with alcohol the better. Reality is a tough pill to swallow but if you are also hearing concerns from friends and family they are likely to be right, they see and know you better than anyone so noticing a habit comes pretty easy.
Understanding that these difficult conversations are only being handled because it’s coming from a place of love. The earlier you confront your demons and ditch the drink the better your physical, and mental health will be.
How Do I Stop?
Listen To Yourself
Pay attention to what you know deep down is the right thing to do. If you are anything like me I can sometimes go into a spiral trying to convince myself that it won’t be that bad and one drink is possible and fine but 9 times out of 10 I feel awful and am full of anxiety, guilt and regret. The fact I end up convincing myself to do something bad is like the devil on my shoulder I need to flick them off and little voice of reason. There is a reason why your subconscious is crying out for help.
Baby Steps
Sobriety doesn’t have to happen overnight; it’s a journey. You can’t know when the right time is; if it’s the same, you can’t race to the finish line. There are little changes you can make in your life, such as talking to a therapist, joining a support group or even healthier alternatives, such as non-alcoholic drinks.
Establishing your triggers can help you take some of the first initial steps into sobriety. For example, every time you have a cigarette, you crave an alcoholic beverage that could be a small yet significant trigger so these things need to be identified so you can move forward to recovery without temptations.
This suggests that alternatives need to be in place, such as, instead of smoking, trying velo pouches or patches or if a group of people always encourages drinking, maybe it’s time to break those relationships. Recovery means a little bit of everything will need to change but it all works out in the end.
Embrace the Benefits
Sobriety is not just about giving up one thing; it’s about striving for a happier and healthier life. Focus on the positive changes that can come from it, such as building up broken relationships from the past or having the confidence, money and motivation to take control of your life. This one change can transform and even save your life.
There are a number of benefits when you stop drinking that will make your life a lot better. Your overall will improve at work for starters. Furthermore, you will notice that your performance improves with exercise. Alcohol can dehydrate your body which will cause many recovery problems and even slow down the recovery process after exercise. However, if you stop drinking alcohol and drink more water instead, you will soon see that your body recovers a lot better.
Final Thoughts
The road to sobriety is long but it’s all worth it in the end. Unfortunately, there is no one standing there waiting to tell you the time is now to stop drinking and while you might have heard these demands from friends and family, it’s clear that the decision comes within. The first step is admitting that you need to ditch the drink and with Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and other recovery support groups around you, there is no need to fear the change or the process.
There are many issues that are caused by drinking too much so it is important that you quit before they cause further daage. For example, some alcoholic drinks can cause issues with oral health so you may require dental implants in Melborne further down the line. Mainly, it can cause issues with your stomach and liver so ensure you quit early before you have to deal with these issues.
Take one step at a time and we will be here for you!