You have developed habits over the years that have led you to look for the best way to quit drinking. Perhaps your drinking has gotten out of control and you are finding that your life is unhealthy. Maybe your drinking is causing harm to relationships that you want to keep healthy.
Whatever the reason, you will need to change more than just one thing about your alcohol habits to stop drinking. It will require a healthy lifestyle change and making decisions to change what and how you drink with friends. You can quit drinking, but you have to be in control of the desire to ditch alcohol.
#7 Cleaning Your House Is A Good Start To Quitting Drinking
Most people who drink have a supply of alcohol at home. It makes for easy access for a pre-party cocktail or a relaxing night cap. However, this alcohol in your home is acting as a temptation to consume more or drink in situations that are not necessary.
You need to eliminate these temptations by cleaning house. Look through every room and find any remaining alcohol or alcohol related items. This means wine bottle openers, posters, drink holders, and specialized alcohol glasses such as brandy snifters and beer glasses.
If you live with someone who wants to continue to consume, ask them to be respectful of your decision and have them put their alcohol in a secret location that you cannot find. Cleaning house is an important step in reducing temptation and will help you reach your goal to give up alcohol. It is part of a long list of tips that make up the best way to give up drinking.
#6 Stop Drinking Alcohol On Your Own By Ditching Your Favorites
When you drink you probably have a lot of favorite activities that go along with it. You have a favorite beverage, a favorite glass to drink from, a favorite drinking spot, and a favorite thing to do while you are drinking. In order to stop drinking, you will need to replace all of those favorite things to make drinking seem less comfortable.
If you typically enjoy a beer while watching the big game at the bar, choose a new spot to watch sports and drink a different brand of beer. This will seem uncomfortable, but that is the point. If drinking has become second nature and you let it remain that way, you will not be driven to quit.
Drinking the same thing in the same place at the same time adds to your willingness to drink more. Removing yourself from your favorite things and replacing it with new opportunities will make drinking less available and will make it easier to quit.
#5 Start Buying Less To Stop Drinking Alcohol
When you are planning your week or weekend, it probably includes an alcohol purchase. You probably find yourself wanting some wine or beer with a good meal, so you go to get a bottle. But instead of getting one bottle, you pick up two or three. It is easy to see that something is on sale or a good deal, and grab more.
If you intend to drink one bottle of wine with dinner at $10, but you find a deal that is three bottles for $25, you will be tempted to buy them all. However, if you consume three bottles over the course of two days, you are spending $25 instead of $20. That adds up to over $10 per week just on what seems like a good deal.
The idea that you will save yourself trips to the store or save money are not grounded in sound thinking. Having more alcohol will just provide you with more opportunities to drink more. Avoid buy more than your desired intent.
#4 Quit Drinking Liquor Without AA By Being The Designated Driver
Going out with friends for a special occasion or some weekend fun can be a fantastic time. However, if you are finding yourself being the drunk friend on every occasion, it is time to offer the role of designated driver.
Offering to stay sober and having people that you care about rely on you will help you to avoid alcohol. You will still have fun as you can drink soda or other nonalcoholic drinks. Reward yourself for being the designated driver by ordering a delicious dessert or some other special treat.
This level of responsibility will be greatly appreciated by your friends and will aid you in reaching your goal to stop drinking alcohol. It will also have the added benefit of building stronger relationships and give perspective in how you may be acting while you are drunk. Seeing others under the influence is a good reminder of why you made the decision to quit drinking.
#3 Limiting Your Cash Can Help You To Cut Back On Drinking
When you go out with plans to drink, make sure to limit your resources for purchasing alcohol. If you bring your credit card, you will probably open a tab and easily lose track of how many drinks you are consuming. When you get your bill later in the month, it might be an unwelcome surprise and put a big dent in your bank account.
Before going out, leave the check book, credit and debit cards at home. Get just the amount of cash you have decided to spend for the evening and bring only that amount. This will limit the amount you can drink if you only have one set amount.
You will find that this approach will save you money and will help you to cut down on how much you are drinking. Paying cash for every drink has a much bigger affect than opening a tab and it is easier to keep track of what you are drinking and how much.
#2 Give Up Liquor By Scheduling Time To Drink
Your drinking habits have probably become unplanned and are a response to just wanting to have a beverage. Unscheduled drinking makes it very easy to lose track of when and how much alcohol you are actually consuming. Try planning time to drink and avoid booze when it is not the scheduled time.
If you already know that you are going to consume when out for a business meeting or out with friends, make that your scheduled booze time and do not drink at any other point during the day. Resist the urge to do any pre-drinking or post-drinking. Only drink during the scheduled time.
By carving out special time to drink, you will find that you enjoy it more which will cause you to drink more slowly and carefully. The overall result will mean that you are drinking less with a more controlled approach. This will help you reach your goal to give up liquor and is just one part of the list for people looking for the best way to quit drinking.
#1 Physical Activity Can Be An Effective Cure For Alcoholism
One main thing that leads to alcoholism is an idle life. It is much easier to pick up a glass than it is to exercise. Often life’s stressors are dealt with through drinking and exercising requires thought and work. However, exercise is a much healthier way of dealing with stress and will help you to cut down on liquor.
Yoga is a low-impact form of exercise that is designed to reduce daily stress. It focuses on breathing and builds strength. Yoga is an excellent alternative to drinking to relieve stress. You could also pick up a more high-impact physical activity such as kick boxing or running.
Raising your heart-rate and letting out unwanted stress will lead you to an overall healthier lifestyle. If you are exercising, you will not be drinking and it will lead to slowly cutting back on alcohol. Exercising will also naturally rid stress at the end of the day, which will add as another reason not to drink.
