April is Alcohol Awareness Month. You may have become aware
that your occasional drinking has turned into a drink that you feel you must
have every night. The first step is recognizing that you want to, or need to,
make a change. The next step is learning how to stop drinking every night.
Alcohol Awareness Month
It can be beneficial to you to understand more about alcohol
and to share this information with others so they can also become aware of
issues involved with drinking. One thing to realize is that the consumption of
alcohol is prevalent
in the US. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health conducted in
2019, 85.6% of adults over the age of 18 reported that they drank alcohol at
some point in their lifetime. Of those, 69.5% reported that they drank in the
last year and 54.9% reported that they drank in the last month.
Health Effects of Drinking
Another very important aspect of alcohol awareness is
knowing how it affects your health. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and
Alcoholism (NIAAA)
states that drinking too much can take a serious toll on your health. You might
drink excessively in one evening or across multiple nights of drinking. Either
way, learning how to stop drinking every night can help you with your mental
and physical health.
The NIAAA reports that drinking can affect your brain’s
communication pathways and can even impact the way your brain looks and works.
You can experience mood and behavior changes and find it more difficult to
think clearly and to move with coordination. Drinking can also cause damage to
your heart, liver, and pancreas, and has been associated with several types of
cancer.
Steps to Stop Drinking
The NIAAA suggests that there are several steps
you can take to help you stop drinking every night.
Put your reasons and goals in writing. Why do you want
to stop drinking? Do you have a goal of better health? Keep a journal and be
specific as you list the reasons and the results you’d like to see.
Remove alcohol from your home. Easy access makes it
more tempting to have another drink. Not having alcohol available can keep you
from drinking in the evening, particularly if you are already worn out from a
long day of work and don’t feel like going out to the store to purchase more.
Resist peer pressure from friends and family members.
When you want to stop drinking, it can help to let others know. That can also
cause them to put more pressure on you to “just have one.” Stay strong in your
determination and practice polite ways to tell them no.
Find something else to do. Maybe you drink at night
because you have had a long day, you are tired and frustrated, or you are just
bored. Find another activity to keep you busy and take your mind off wanting a
drink. Go outside for a walk, work a puzzle, or play games with your friends or
family members.
Addressing Your Reasons for Drinking
It can be helpful to address the underlying reasons for your
drinking. Has drinking every night become a habit, a part of your routine? Are
you using alcohol in an attempt to cope with stress and negative feelings that
you are experiencing on the job?
Take the time to think about why you are
drinking and then work on some alternative methods of addressing those issues.
You may need help with this part, so it can be a good idea to seek support from
an addiction treatment professional. Even if you do not feel as though you are
addicted, your need to drink every night means that you should make an effort
to better understand the underlying causes of your drinking. Therapeutic
support can help.
Find Strength in Your Faith
The first three steps in the 12-Step program are
admitting that you are powerless over alcohol, that you have come to believe
that a Power greater than you can restore you to sanity, and that you have made
a decision to turn your will and your life over to the care of God. You can
find the strength you need in your faith, knowing that all things are made
possible through Him (Matthew 19:26).
California Faith-Based Addiction Treatment
When you need help to stop drinking every night, we are here
for you. Please contact Celebrate Hope to learn more about our
faith-based addiction treatment program. Our team helps men and women break the
cycle of addiction and begin anew. We rely on the teachings of Jesus Christ,
along with evidence-based therapies to get individuals on the path of recovery.
