If you have alcohol use disorder and are looking to get control back over your life, you will need to be aware of the withdrawal process. It is important to know that this process can be a difficult one and there are often challenges along the way. Setbacks are normal as you change behavior that both your mind and body have formed a dependency on.
But you can increase your chances of a successful withdrawal and recovery by collecting the right resources and adopting a particular mindset before you begin the process of giving up alcohol.
Getting the Right Resources for Alcohol Addiction Recovery
Alcohol generally comes with many negative consequences particularly when you have alcohol use disorder. Long term health effects, strained relationships, financial challenges, and poor mental health caused by alcohol can decrease your overall well being. But despite the challenges, dependency makes this a difficult behavior to change.
When you are interested in stopping drinking, having these support resources in place can make the process more manageable and your success more likely:
- Establish Your Motivation – Overcoming alcohol dependency is a significant change. To be successful, those changes most often need to come from an internal motivator. Deciding to give up alcohol because someone tells you to or there is coercion may work in the short term, but leaves you open to returning to alcohol use in the future. Instead, you should pick a strong internal motivator to hold on to while you were making this change.
- Build a Support Group – When friends and family around you are regularly drinking, it can be hard to avoid the behavior without feeling left out. Get people around you that will support the change you are making.
- Join a Support Group – One good way to get the right people involved in your journey is to join a support group for those giving up alcohol where you can connect with people who are going through the same challenges as you. Both in person and online alcohol and sober living groups are available.
- Find New Activities – Engaging in new activities can be a distraction from the urge to drink and is also a way to fill the social and personal time that may have previously been limited by the consumption of alcohol as you seek out a more fulfilling life with new joys. Writing out a list so that you know exactly what to turn to anytime you feel compelled to drink can help.
- Understand Your Triggers – For many people with alcohol use disorder, there can be triggers that prompt drinking, such as being with certain friends, dealing with stress, or visiting particular places. Knowing what your triggers are and staying away from them while you are in the recovery process can reduce the number of times when you feel the need to have a drink.
- Working with a Dallas Psychiatrist – Even with these solutions in place, a withdrawal can be challenging. There may be physical symptoms as you stop alcohol usage as well as increased anxiety and depression. Your psychiatrists can work with you and prescribe medication that will help reduce symptoms when appropriate. They can also use different psychotherapy techniques to help you navigate the recovery process.
Another important factor to remember during your recovery from alcohol use disorder is that there may be moments where you relapse and drink again. This does not mean that you failed in your recovery. This is a challenging process and many people do not immediately succeed without work. With the right support system, you can use any setbacks as learning experiences to help you avoid similar relapses in the future and strengthen your approach to becoming sober.
Wherever you are in your journey towards overcoming alcohol use disorder, working with an addiction psychiatrist in Dallas can get you started with the different resources you will need. Dr. Sehdev at Aware Behavioral Health helps patients experiencing alcoholism and alcohol use disorder to have a successful recovery and achieve better wellbeing. Contact Aware Behavioral Health to learn more about our alcohol recovery treatment in Dallas and start your own process today.
