Is it possible to suddenly stop drinking - certainly, especially with a firm decision to give up daily drinking. Yes, it won't be easy, but the "benefits" of a healthy lifestyle will be assessed much faster. Narcologists compare the gradual reduction in the amount of alcoholic beverages to cutting the tail into several parts. At some point, a person who drinks regularly may simply pull away. In order not to start all over again, it is advisable to undergo a temporary deterioration in well-being.
Abrupt refusal of alcohol - interesting reactions of the body
Alcoholism is both physical and psychological addiction to ethyl alcohol. Therefore, when it suddenly stops entering the body, an immediate reaction arises from almost all vital systems. Unsurprisingly, they should now work in a modified mode. But do not pay attention to the temporary deterioration of health, because "friendship" with ethanol is expensive for the body. Here are the expected consequences of stopping alcohol in the first few days:
- weight loss due to appetite suppression;
- insomnia followed by drowsiness;
- migraine-like dull headaches;
- psycho-emotional instability - irritability, causeless anxiety, apathy;
- mild joint pain in migration, trembling of the fingers.
It sounds intimidating, but these withdrawal symptoms are more common in older alcoholics. If a person uses a little, but every day, the physical condition practically does not deteriorate. There is only psychological discomfort without the usual bottle of beer, a glass of wine or 50-100 grams of vodka.
What are the reasons for such a violent reaction of the body to a sudden refusal to drink? The fact is that ethanol is incorporated into biochemical reactions, thus becoming their equal participant. When you try to remove it from there, a temporary failure occurs in the body. Now he will need to establish nerve regulation, control the production of the optimal amount of digestive enzymes, and restore the damaged liver and urinary organs. He will accomplish these tasks in about 1 to 1. 5 months.
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Typical signs of alcohol withdrawal
How to give up alcohol forever - full mobilization of the will is required only with systematic domestic drunkenness. In such cases, a person drinks a lot, often constantly experiences all the "delicacies" of a hangover. Afterwards, during the next binge, he had problems with his psyche, heart and liver, he firmly decided to "quit smoking". What awaits the alcoholic:
- One day. Withdrawal symptoms immediately manifest as nausea and vomiting, headaches, severe tremors, and of course an intolerable desire to be cured. In fact, the first day of sobriety becomes an alcoholic's test of strength. If he can resist it without alcohol, his chances of overcoming addiction skyrocket;
- 2-7 days. During this period, the alcoholic feels bad - the body needs the usual amount of alcohol, punishing the "owner" with a headache, visual and auditory hallucinations, tremors of the arms and legs. Digestion and peristalsis are upset, and the prospects for a healthy lifestyle don't seem so bright to the alcoholic. Don't give up at this point, medication and sleep will help you get through;
- Day 8. To get a little easier, the improvements are noticeable with the naked eye. The severity of the withdrawal syndrome decreases, the body adapts well to the new conditions of existence. Now he takes care of the restoration of organs and tissues, learning to work fully without ethanol. Headaches, nausea and irritability decrease because ethyl alcohol and its toxic metabolites no longer circulate in the blood;
- 30 to 40 days. That's it - now a person can give advice on how to give up alcohol on his own. Lightness appears in the body, physical and mental performance improves, seemingly lost professional skills return. All vital systems are functioning perfectly, the body works like a clock. But you don't have to relax - even a sip of beer during this time can cause blackout.
And now a little fly in the ointment. If a person drank a lot and often, his internal organs were constantly exposed to ethanol. In a state of intoxication, the cells were destroyed without subsequent recovery. Chronic diseases developed, which the alcoholic did not even suspect. After all, he removed all the alarming symptoms with another serving of alcohol. But apart from the state of euphoria, it will not be possible not to notice them. It's time for a full medical exam. After the diagnosis, the doctor will draw up a competent treatment regimen and prescribe medication.
The sad consequences of a long alcoholic experience are fatty degeneration of the liver, hepatitis, nephrosis, gastritis with atrophic or with strong acidity. All pathologies are severe, but completely curable, the prognosis is therefore favorable. Thus, a sudden refusal of alcohol sometimes avoids disability and even death. After all, as the alcoholic tries to "stop" by reducing the dose, dangerous diseases develop, progress and reappear in his body.
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We will help you in any way we can - advice for those who decide to 'tie up' quickly
The decision to stop drinking is often made spontaneously when a person suddenly realizes that a stroke, heart attack, or cirrhosis is just around the corner. Therefore, he does not have time to prepare for the next alcohol withdrawal after a binge. Unlike relatives, family members who are able to quickly find all the information they need. A person must be helped to stop drinking, to support, to substitute a shoulder for him in a difficult period of life.
A breakdown is more than real in the first two weeks, so it makes sense to see a doctor. The transition to a sober lifestyle will be easier with pharmacological support. Parenteral administration of saline solutions, B vitamins, sedatives and anticonvulsants, respiratory analeptics, antiarrhythmic drugs, nootropics will help. The results of the medical intervention are obvious:
- cardiac activity and respiration are normalized;
- sleep and appetite will be restored;
- nausea and vomiting will stop after the next meal.
How to suddenly stop drinking - only by combining willpower, the use of drugs and psychological support. The latter is very important, because the state of the central nervous system changes dramatically. As long as they adapt to working without ethanol, the person who overcomes the addiction suffers from hallucinations. He chats with imaginary interlocutors, withdraws into himself for several hours and even sings. It is not worth calling attention to this - the psyche will recover after the removal of harmful substances from the body.
Correct rehabilitation - learning to live again
How to completely give up alcohol is a burning question. Narcologists note that the likelihood of long-term remission increases significantly with the active desire of a person to refuse to drink alcohol. Therefore, when making an important decision to stop drinking, an alcoholic should understand that now anything that contains ethanol is strictly prohibited.
It is difficult to permanently part with alcohol without preparation. After you have overcome the most difficult first days of withdrawal symptoms, you should seek additional resources to alleviate your physical and psychological condition:
- Eliminate fatty and fried foods, foods saturated with salt and spices from the usual diet.
- Walk in the fresh air for 1 to 2 hours at least once a day.
- They will return to their old hobbies, to the one that sparked the interest of immersion in unbridled drunkenness.
The transition to a sober lifestyle is gradual. A person often becomes discouraged, sees the future only in black. And then he pulls himself together, persuaded not to give up, participates again in solving family problems. Narcologists advise speeding up recovery through physical activity. You don't have to go straight to the gym or run long distances. Gentle physical therapy is a great way to recover quickly.