Alcoholics promise to quit drinking almost every day. Unfortunately, most relatives believe that it is impossible to cope with the disease on their own. So how do you quit drinking alcohol on your own at home, and is it really possible to do so?
Psychology of an alcoholic: what keeps you from quitting drinking?
Without psychological support, it is quite difficult to quit drinking on your own, not only because of the strong chemical bond, but also because of a certain type of thinking of an alcoholic. The following psychological aspects prevent the drinker from coping with addiction:
- inability to express love. Under the influence of alcohol, a person who drinks has a feeling of lightness in his soul, as he begins to love not only those around him, but also himself. Self-respect awakens and criticality disappears. Once the effect of the alcohol wears off, the negative emotions, guilt and pity return, which do not go away until a new dose is taken;
- oversaturation of negative emotions. Mental pain is an alcoholic's most frequent companion. Sometimes this state can only be drowned out with the help of alcohol. Moreover, the more an alcoholic drinks, the more painful the attacks of mental pain, and the more alcohol is required to suppress it;
- presence of complexes. In this case, we are talking about complexes that are formed throughout life, for example, when parents inspire a child that he will not succeed or that he is worse than other children. Alcohol allows you to "let go" of complexes for a while, a person begins to feel strong, beautiful, successful;
- lack of ability to cope with difficulties. If throughout life decisions have been constantly made for a person, then when he finds himself in a difficult situation, he finds himself in an environment for which he is not completely ready. In addition, people often get drunk to whom, on the contrary, too much responsibility has been entrusted.
Is it possible to quit drinking at home?
According to the famous phrase - nothing is impossible in the world! It is possible to stop drinking at home, but according to statistics given by psychotherapists, only 2 to 5% of alcoholics succeed. What to do to be one of those "lucky ones" who have been able to change their lives?
First, you can only quit if you have the support of family and friends. At the same time, it must be understood that any pressure on the alcoholic while he is trying to recover can set the whole process back.
Second, changing the environment is extremely important. Drinking buddies are unlikely to be called best friends. These are just familiar people who, by the will of fate, got together with a drug addict in the same boat, but no more.
The duration of binge eating is another criterion that helps answer the question. If the binge lasted up to 1-1. 5 weeks, then it is possible to cope with the problem on your own, however, with longer blackouts in the early stages of recovery you cannot do withouthelp from a psychotherapist.
General tactics for avoiding alcohol
Giving up alcohol requires a complete overhaul of lifestyle and thinking. In order for this period to pass as comfortably as possible and without complications, experts recommend following special tactics. The main activities in this area include:
- disease recognition. It is not necessary to deny the problem, for this you can go to the mirror and honestly admit that you have a disease. This is an important condition for not drinking;
- acquire the ability to control the sensation of drinking. When an unbearable desire arises to take a dose of alcohol, you can begin to say out loud the following phrase - "I will not drink anymore". In addition, the replacement method is very effective, for example, you can replace drinking with running or reading: as soon as you feel like drinking, pick up an interesting book or go for a run;
- start taking contrast showers. This procedure can be repeated 2-3 times a day. Thus, you will strengthen the vascular system, as well as reduce the desire to drink;
- drink plenty of fluids and avoid spicy foods. It is important to drink at least 10 glasses of pure water a day;
- avoid old companies. This rule applies not only to businesses, but also to places where you usually hang out. It is better to change the route and try not to go through the bars.
Having learned to bypass drinking places and the craving for alcohol weakens, you can proceed to the general restoration of the body. To do this, you can undergo a comprehensive examination, take multivitamins or join a gym. Don't forget that the atmosphere around you must be positive: walk more, watch comedies and visit cultural places.
Folk remedies that cause aversion to alcohol
Treatment with folk remedies is not a panacea. Before using this or that recipe, you should consult a specialist. In addition, the dosage should not be exceeded in any case, since a number of folk remedies for alcoholism are prepared on the basis of poisonous plants.
Decoction and puppeteer's hoof
For a decoction, you need to take the roots of the puppeteer and the hoof. Crushed raw materials are mixed and take a teaspoon (no more) of roots, which are poured with a glass of boiling water. The drug should be infused for an hour, after which it should be filtered. In order to cause persistent disgust in an alcoholic, 10-15 drops of infusion are needed per bottle of vodka. The product itself should be stored in a dark, cool place. After the addict drinks vodka with infusion, he will experience severe vomiting, general weakness and dizziness. After a while, the patient will develop an aversion to alcohol and may not drink alcohol at all.
St. John's wort decoction
To prepare a decoction, 4 tablespoons of herbs are poured into ½ liter of boiling water. After that, the broth is placed in a water bath and heated for about 20-30 minutes. When the broth cools down a bit, it needs to be strained and removed to a cold place. It is necessary to drink the remedy according to a strict scheme - 2 times a day before meals for a month. Usually the medicine is presented as a remedy for the liver or another medicine. After a month of taking alcohol, a feeling of alcohol intolerance will actually develop.
Mushrooms-dung beetles from alcoholism
To do this, manure mushrooms are collected, thoroughly washed and fried. They can be mixed with potatoes or added to any other dish and served to an alcoholic. Substances contained in mushrooms interact with alcohol, while the consequences for the body are manifested in the form of poisoning. You can use mushrooms for treatment until the alcoholic stops drinking. With this tool, you can stop drinking at home in 1-1. 5 months.
Raspberry bugs
Our grandmothers also used this tool. To cause a persistent aversion to alcohol, you need to catch two raspberry bugs (small gray bugs with an unpleasant smell). After that, the insects are crushed and thrown into a bottle of vodka, after which the container is removed for 2-3 days in a dark warm place. After the time has elapsed, the alcohol is filtered and removed in its usual place. A few glasses of this tincture will not cause the most pleasant sensations in an alcoholic.
lovage root
Root infusion is prepared as follows - 3 tablespoons of raw materials are poured into a glass of vodka and cleaned in a dark place for 2 weeks. During the infusion period, it is important to shake the mixture once a day. After two weeks, the product is filtered and divided into two parts. The first portion is given to the alcoholic on the first day and the second the next day. The root causes severe poisoning, pain in the stomach and diarrhea, against which an aversion to alcohol develops.
Drug treatment of alcohol dependence
The treatment of alcoholism is carried out both by psychotherapeutic methods, which allow to find out the causes of addiction, and by drugs. Here are the most effective medications for reducing alcohol cravings:
- A cyanamide medicine that reduces alcohol cravings, tasteless and odorless, thanks to which it can be easily added to any drink or product. The course of treatment is about 14 days, and the first changes will be noticeable after the first dose;
- A homeopathic remedy (antibody to brain-specific protein S-100) that reduces alcohol cravings and has virtually no side effects. However, to achieve the result, it takes quite a long treatment. It is the best remedy if there is no will;
- An acetaldehyde dehydrogenase enzyme inhibitor is a tablet that slows down the process of alcohol breakdown, due to which the toxic components of alcohol are transported in the blood throughout the body and cause severe intoxication. At the same time, the alcoholic will be tormented by headaches, fever, diarrhea, joint pains, etc.
Any drug that suppresses the desire to drink should only be prescribed by a doctor.
Encoding Techniques
Coding is another way to deal with alcoholism. Removal of alcohol dependence can occur in the following ways:
- hypnotic effect. The essence of this method is a fairly powerful psychological and hypnotic effect on the psyche and way of thinking of an alcoholic;
- pharmacotherapy. This method works in two directions at once. The influence is exerted not only on the psyche of the patient, but also on the general condition of the body due to special preparations.
In addition, there are many alternative methods that influence a person's perception of alcohol and allow a man or a woman to not drink alcohol at all.
Literature to help you stop drinking
The role of literature in the treatment of alcoholism is difficult to overestimate. Good books are the easiest way to start getting rid of alcoholism. In addition, they allow a person to look at the problem from a different angle and give him the opportunity to give up alcohol on his own.
There is a lot of good literature on this topic on the internet.
How to organize your time after quitting alcohol?
The emptiness that forms in the soul of an alcoholic after he refuses alcohol can cause him to drink alcohol again. In order for this not to happen, it is necessary to properly organize your free time. The most effective means in this situation are:
- sports. You can start going to the gym, swimming pool or yoga classes;
- communicate with people who are in a similar situation. Alcoholics Anonymous clubs are available in almost every city, otherwise such people can be found on the Internet in specialized forums;
- self-education. For self-realization and self-esteem, you can go to college and learn a job that you really love. Also, giving up alcohol is the best time to make your desires come true. If you've always dreamed of mastering musical notation, now is the time to do it.
It is important to understand that you can finally stop drinking only after a change in lifestyle and worldview. In other words, you have to become a new person. In order not to think about what to do when you quit drinking, it is better to think over a plan of action in advance.
Closing and Closing
The treatment of alcoholism is a long and complex process in which all relatives and friends of the patient must participate. It is important to give the patient the right attitude and choose truly effective methods. In addition, do not forget about professional psychotherapeutic assistance. A therapist will teach you how to stop drinking alcohol on your own at home.