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 major factors which make alcohol abuse such a difficult disorder to diagnose and cure, is that the victim himself is often unwilling to come to terms with his addiction. He is in, what is referred to as the phase of denial. The most objective method to ascertain if you are indeed, in the throes of addiction is to count the number of drinks you consume. If you find yourself consuming more than 4 drinks a day and 17 drinks a week, you need to pay heed to your consumption patterns. Also, if you drink more as a way to escape your depression or simply because you can't think of any other way to spend an entertaining evening, you are well on your way to becoming a victim of addiction. The best thing to do at this point would be to talk to a doctor about your drinking, as your analysis may not always be the most objective and the most unbiased one. You may defend your addiction with a number of excuses and justifications, or even think that every one else around you is blowing the matter out of proportion.
But if you find that your drinking is causing your friends and family members to be concerned about your well being, 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 make up your mind to do away with your addiction for good, reinforce your decision by making a list of all the reasons which made you take this resolution. Now, put up this list in a place where you are sure to see it often, as a motivator to adhere to your decision. Make sure to jot down any and every reason, from your physical health to your familial bonds they all help to remind you of why it is so important for you to quit. Allow your family and your friends to be your support during this tough phase. Opening up to them and letting them share your ups and downs lets you strengthen your bonds with them while also making the transition from addiction to de-addiction much easier for you. Also, if your addiction is fuelled by deeper rooted psychological problems, rather than alcohol itself, you will find respite in the expert advice of trained counselors. You can also participate in Group Therapy Sessions and activities to interact with others who have overcome the obstacles similar to the ones you are faced with, and gain from their insights.
Divide your process of recovery into milestones and reward yourself with every one that your achieve. Your rewards could be anything that means the most to you a quiet dinner or a movie with your family, or even buying yourself something you've always wanted. Your new way of life will invariably result in you saving on all the money that you formerly spent on alcohol. You can make use of this money as an enticement to stick to your resolution, until it blends into your daily routine. There are several other techniques you can use to alleviate your withdrawal symptoms like hypnosis or acupuncture or simply 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.
One of the major factors which make alcohol abuse such a difficult disorder to diagnose and cure, is that the victim himself is often unwilling to come to terms with his addiction. He is in, what is referred to as the phase of denial. The most objective method to ascertain if you are indeed, in the throes of addiction is to count the number of drinks you consume. If you find yourself consuming more than 4 drinks a day and 17 drinks a week, you need to pay heed to your consumption patterns. Also, if you drink more as a way to escape your depression or simply because you can't think of any other way to spend an entertaining evening, you are well on your way to becoming a victim of addiction. The best thing to do at this point would be to talk to a doctor about your drinking, as your analysis may not always be the most objective and the most unbiased one. You may defend your addiction with a number of excuses and justifications, or even think that every one else around you is blowing the matter out of proportion.
But if you find that your drinking is causing your friends and family members to be concerned about your well being, 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 make up your mind to do away with your addiction for good, reinforce your decision by making a list of all the reasons which made you take this resolution. Now, put up this list in a place where you are sure to see it often, as a motivator to adhere to your decision. Make sure to jot down any and every reason, from your physical health to your familial bonds they all help to remind you of why it is so important for you to quit. Allow your family and your friends to be your support during this tough phase. Opening up to them and letting them share your ups and downs lets you strengthen your bonds with them while also making the transition from addiction to de-addiction much easier for you. Also, if your addiction is fuelled by deeper rooted psychological problems, rather than alcohol itself, you will find respite in the expert advice of trained counselors. You can also participate in Group Therapy Sessions and activities to interact with others who have overcome the obstacles similar to the ones you are faced with, and gain from their insights.
Divide your process of recovery into milestones and reward yourself with every one that your achieve. Your rewards could be anything that means the most to you a quiet dinner or a movie with your family, or even buying yourself something you've always wanted. Your new way of life will invariably result in you saving on all the money that you formerly spent on alcohol. You can make use of this money as an enticement to stick to your resolution, until it blends into your daily routine. There are several other techniques you can use to alleviate your withdrawal symptoms like hypnosis or acupuncture or simply 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.
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