How to Quit Drinking: A Complete Guide to Taking Back Your Life

How to Quit Drinking: A Complete Guide to Taking Back Your Life

Understanding Alcohol Use and Why It’s Hard to Quit

What Is Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)?

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is when drinking becomes compulsive, hard to control, and continues despite harm.

Compared to other substance use disorders, alcohol use disorder is by far one of the most common, with an estimated 27.9 million people ages 12 and older reporting having AUD in 2024. Alcohol abuse is a serious issue affecting both adolescents and adults alike.

AUD is marked by an inability to quit drinking alcohol, even when you know it’s causing you and others harm. People often try to cut back or quit drinking, but fail when withdrawal symptoms and cravings become too painful.

Why Is It So Hard to Quit Drinking Alcohol?

Alcohol changes brain chemistry, which creates cravings and makes stopping difficult.

The more you drink alcohol, the more your body begins to expect it. This is known as dependence, and over time, you develop a tolerance. A tolerance to alcohol forces you to drink more and more to achieve the same effects as before.

Over time, attempting to cut back on alcohol can cause negative effects, such as cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Many people want to stop drinking, but cannot due to these factors.

Drinking habits are also a significant factor in how difficult it can be to quit drinking alcohol. Alcohol consumption is normalized to the point that it can be found in casual places and situations.

People are often encouraged to drink, and social pressure can be difficult to navigate. This is especially true for those with friend groups and loved ones who encourage and engage in drinking themselves. Such pressure can make it difficult to stop drinking, even if you want to.

When Should You Consider Cutting Back or Quitting?

You should consider quitting if drinking causes health issues, relationship strain, or work problems.

Some specific examples include:

• Being diagnosed with AUD or having symptoms of alcohol abuse or dependence
• Having medical conditions, such as cirrhosis of the liver, hepatitis C, chronic pain, certain heart conditions, or mental health disorders such as bipolar disorder
• Needing to take medications that will interact negatively with alcohol
• Currently pregnant or planning to become pregnant 
• Having difficulties fulfilling obligations to work, school, or home due to alcohol use
• Legal troubles, such as public intoxication or DUI 
• Your loved ones are expressing concerns over your drinking 

Remember, you don’t have to wait for a crisis or to hit “rock bottom” to cut back or quit drinking alcohol. If you want to quit or cut back on drinking alcohol but cannot, it’s important to seek professional help right away.

The Health and Mental Health Impact of Drinking

What Health Problems Are Linked to Drinking Alcohol?

Heavy drinking can damage the liver, heart, and brain as well as increase the risk of cancer.

Older adults are especially at high risk for health complications after long-term alcohol use.

Drinking alcohol can come with other unpleasant effects, such as hangovers and dehydration. Excessive alcohol use can also affect your sleep and digestive system, making you feel generally unwell and fatigued.

A sometimes fatal condition can occur when someone stops or cuts back on heavy, long-term drinking, called delirium tremens (DTs). Symptoms of DTs include confusion, hallucinations, and tremors. This condition can be life-threatening if not treated, and it’s vital to seek help right away should you or a loved one experience these symptoms.

Drinking alcohol excessively can also lead to overdose and make you more prone to accidents due to impaired decision-making. Serious injuries and even death are attributed to excessive alcohol use.

How Does Drinking Affect Mental Health?

Alcohol can worsen anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions over time.

Excessive alcohol consumption is often used as a type of self-medication to mask, numb, or ignore negative feelings associated with various mental health problems.

However, self-medicating with alcohol is not an effective or healthy way to deal with pain, negative thoughts, and difficult feelings. If anything, alcohol use can make these feelings worse and cause behavioral changes that negatively impact your relationships.

What Are the Benefits of Living Alcohol-Free?

Living alcohol-free can improve sleep, mood, energy levels, and relationships.

People who quit drinking alcohol notice an overall improvement in their general wellness and appearance. Alcohol can damage important organs of the body, and many, such as the gastrointestinal system, will begin to heal once alcohol use has ceased. Skin and hair become healthier, and some may even lose weight.

Other unintended benefits of sobriety are saving money (as alcohol can be expensive), greater emotional stability, and improved focus and cognitive functioning.

Preparing to Quit Drinking

How Do You Know If You Need Professional Help?

You likely need professional help if you have severe withdrawal symptoms or cannot stop drinking on your own.

If you find yourself spending most of your time preoccupied with obtaining, using, and recovering from alcoholic drinks, it’s an indication that you may be struggling with AUD. Loved ones may also express to you that they are worried about your health and would like you to quit drinking.

Sometimes getting in trouble with the law, such as being cited for public intoxication or a DUI, is a serious sign that you need professional help.

However, it’s always okay to seek professional help if you want to stop drinking. You don’t need to have a severe addiction or AUD to benefit from professional assistance.

How Do You Create a Plan to Quit Drinking?

Setting a quit date and preparing coping strategies can make quitting more successful.

The best course of action is to seek professional help from those who are trained in helping people quit drinking. Your healthcare provider can refer you to specialized professionals.

Some, like those at Infinite Recovery, are qualified to provide addiction treatment and, as such, can help you safely create a plan to quit drinking. This plan will include factors such as your health information, the level of support you have, and what triggers your cravings.

Family and friends often become involved to help keep you accountable as you work to quit alcohol. Common coping strategies can include replacing a usual alcoholic drink with a mocktail, engaging in sober hobbies, and establishing your home as an alcohol-free zone.

Should You Involve Family Members or Loved Ones?

Involving loved ones provides accountability and emotional support during recovery. 

Some ways loved ones can assist you include:

• Meeting you at alcohol-free locations and avoiding places where alcohol is prevalent
• Refusing to serve or buy you alcoholic drinks, even if you later ask them to
• Not asking you to serve or buy them alcoholic drinks 
• Helping you create and practice a response should you be offered alcohol
• Supporting you through detox and rehab 
• Providing unconditional love and encouragement 

Trying to quit drinking alone can be difficult. Having loved ones to support and encourage you can be the key to achieving successful sobriety.

Treatment Options for Quitting Drinking

What Happens During Alcohol Detox?

Detox safely manages withdrawal symptoms under 24/7 medical supervision.

During detox, clients are closely monitored by a medical professional to ensure that they are safe and comfortable. Many detox centers, such as Infinite Recovery, offer comfortable accommodations and amenities to help make clients feel relaxed and at ease.

For alcohol detox, clients will typically receive medications to help manage withdrawal symptoms and prevent serious complications. Clients may also participate in various therapeutic modalities, such as individual and group therapy.

Should You Choose Inpatient or Outpatient Treatment?

Inpatient treatment provides full-time support, while outpatient lets you live at home.

Treatment facilities like Infinite Recovery understand the importance of continued care, and as such, offer both inpatient and outpatient treatment. This allows clients to transition into further care without delays that can interrupt the recovery process.

Whether you need inpatient or outpatient care depends on the severity of your AUD or addiction. At Infinite Recovery, it’s common for those with a severe alcohol addiction to begin in inpatient care, before moving to a partial hospitalization program (PHP), and then into an intensive outpatient program (IOP).

If you are still struggling with cravings, need continued support, or are at a high risk for relapse, inpatient care may be best for you. On the contrary, if you are at low risk for relapse, have a support network in place, and are stable enough to be on your own, outpatient care may be the best for you.

Your treatment provider will help determine the right treatment plan to support your recovery.

What Therapies or Medications Can Help You Quit?

Therapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and medications like naltrexone can reduce cravings and prevent relapse.

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is an important part of alcohol addiction and AUD recovery. Medications like naltrexone (also used in opioid addiction treatment) and acamprosate are used to help reduce cravings and maintain abstinence from alcohol.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a key therapy in addiction recovery. CBT helps clients identify harmful thought and behavior patterns and then establish healthy coping strategies to change them. Clients utilizing CBT also use this therapy to help identify the source of their drinking, such as pain, trauma, or undiagnosed mental health disorders, and obtain assistance in treating those.

Although other therapeutic modalities are used to treat AUD, CBT and medications are by far the most commonly utilized in an average treatment plan.

Managing Cravings and Preventing Relapse

How Can You Cope With Alcohol Cravings?

There are a multitude of healthy ways and coping tools to help cravings pass faster, including:

• Identify, understand, and keep track of triggers 
• Avoid triggering places and situations, especially places that encourage alcohol use, like bars 
• Distract yourself with sober hobbies and activities, such as exercise, reading a book, or baking 
• Utilize mindfulness techniques
• Reach out to a friend or mentor for support 
• If needed, utilize medications like naltrexone 
• Stay hydrated and nourished 

It’s also helpful to identify habits that may spark a craving and change them. For example, if you went out drinking with friends every Friday night, it’s not unusual to have cravings around the same time. Instead, establish a new habit and engage in a sober activity on Fridays. Over time, this will become your new normal, which can help reduce cravings.

Why Is a Support Network Important?

Support groups, therapy, and sober peers keep you motivated and accountable.

The role of a support network is to make sure that you are close to help should you ever need it. A support network is typically made up of loved ones, but can also include sober peers and mentors. As long as they are people who encourage your sobriety and prioritize your mental health, they can be part of your support network.

A support group specifically for those recovering from AUD or addiction is also helpful for recovery. Support groups offer extra support from peers who understand exactly what you are going through. This mutual support and understanding can not only help keep you accountable but also help you learn from the wisdom of your peers to avoid mistakes and pitfalls.

If you need help creating a support network or finding support groups, your treatment providers can help. Reaching out to local addiction treatment facilities like Infinite Recovery can start you on the path of finding continued support.

How Do You Maintain Long-Term Recovery?

Relapse prevention planning and ongoing community support are key to lasting sobriety.

Many addiction treatment facilities utilize relapse prevention therapy to help clients navigate sobriety post-treatment. This includes teaching clients valuable skills, such as recognizing and resisting peer pressure, creating healthy boundaries with others, and managing cravings. Continued support post-treatment is important, as well as establishing a support network.

Should you be concerned with or believe you are at risk of a relapse, it’s always okay to reach out for help. This does not make you a failure if you do experience a relapse. It simply means that you need further help, and it is not a mark against your character. Long-term recovery is possible, but it can be difficult without continued support from one’s loved ones and community.

To further help clients prevent relapse, addiction treatment facilities like Infinite Recovery organize check-ins and community events through their alumni program. This gives alumni a safe place to find companionship, engage in a new sober hobby, or discuss their mental health with a professional. Having access to a community like this keeps alumni engaged and supported for the rest of their lives.

FAQs About Quitting Drinking

Can you quit drinking on your own?

It’s possible to quit drinking on your own, but it can be dangerous.

Generally, it’s advised to seek professional help when cutting back or quitting alcohol because of how dangerous withdrawal symptoms can be. This is especially true for heavy drinkers, as delirium tremens and seizures can occur. Seeking the assistance of professionals keeps you safe and increases your chances of successfully quitting.

What are the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal?

The symptoms of alcohol withdrawal vary and typically appear within 6-24 hours of stopping or cutting back from heavy, long-term alcohol use. 

Some symptoms, from mild to severe, can include:

• Headache
• Irritability, anxiety, or nervousness
• Insomnia
• Excessive sweating
• Upset stomach/nausea 
• Heart palpitations 
• Increased blood pressure and/or heart rate
• Hyperthermia 
• Tremors 
• Confusion/Delirium 
• Hallucinations
• Seizures
• Delirium tremens

These symptoms, especially the more serious ones, are why it’s advised to seek professional help before attempting to detox on your own. Medical oversight doesn’t just make you more comfortable during detox; it could save your life.

How long before you feel better after quitting?

People typically begin to feel better as early as one week after quitting alcohol.

Usually by this time, the physical symptoms of withdrawal will be past their worst point, and the benefits will become more noticeable. Some of the most common benefits are better sleep and being less dehydrated. The longer you go without drinking, the more benefits you will see and the better you will feel.

Alcohol can quickly take over your life, leading to severe health complications, damaged relationships, and trouble with the law. In severe cases, it may claim your life through an accident or overdose. Quitting alone can be difficult, but compassionate mental health care professionals are here to help. Infinite Recovery in Austin, TX, provides comprehensive, evidence-based, and quality mental health and addiction treatment for those struggling with alcohol use and abuse. From detox to treatment to aftercare, Infinite Recovery is here to assist you and your loved one in reclaiming their lives from alcohol. So don’t wait to learn how you can quit drinking. Call Infinite Recovery today at (844) 928-1502.