I'm Ready To Quit Drinking! What Next?

Have determined that you are at a low risk of withdrawal? You may decide to quit drinking cold turkey and without the help of medical professionals. If, on the other hand, your drinking levels are such that you are at a high risk of experiencing dangerous withdrawal symptoms, you need to take a different approach. Safe detox is one of the main reasons people seek inpatient programs, and you really don't want to be quitting cold turkey if you are at risk of delirium tremens. 

SteadyHealth has readers from all over the world, and we recognize that not everyone has access to inpatient programs as well as that barriers that prevent alcoholics from accessing such treatment programs exist even where those programs are present. What can you do, if you aren't able to detox in hospital yet drink enough that you're at risk of major withdrawal?

Tapering Down To Prevent Withdrawal

Tapering your alcohol intake down gradually is one approach that has been used for many generations. As medicalized treatment options for alcoholism have become more popular, it is hard to find good information on how to do this safely and effectively. You will be able to individualize this process depending on how much you were drinking before, but the bottom line is that you need to keep careful track of your alcohol intake and decrease it every day.

While you are tapering down, having a support network or even just one person who keeps an eye on you and holds you accountable can make the difference between failure and success. Depending on how much you drank to start out with, your tapering process may be complete in as little as two days, or it may take a week or even longer. Remember: your goal is to drink just enough to keep withdrawal symptoms at bay, not to get drunk. 

Another option is to ask your family doctor for a medication that helps you cut down on alcohol, such as naltrexone or campral. You can use these medications in conjunction with regular visits to your family doctor, or you may choose to attend an outpatient program or a support group as well. 

Do You Need A Support Group?

It's important to recognize that, the first few days and weeks of alcohol-free life present a huge challenge getting through it successfully is a great achievement, what you do afterwards matters just as much.  

People do become sober and stay sober without attending support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous all the time. However, research has shown that those who attend support groups generally do better than those who go through the recovery process without people who understand exactly what they are facing. Not all support groups are the same; they each have their own philosophies and cultures, with some being religious in nature and others not.

READ Alcohol Abuse and Anxiety Disorder Relationship

Some people instead choose to have frequent individual counseling. Others successfully manage to become sober with the help of their own family and friends alone. What is crucial though, is that you have some form of support, and some source of accountability, on your road to recovery. As you embark on the exciting but also challenging journey of building your life anew, you need some company — and not the company of former drinking buddies, but of people who are also sober.