| A detailed guide about help for alcoholism and how a | | | | might sound like a death sentence at first but it really is |
| struggling alcoholic can explore their options in | | | | not so bad once you get past the initial detox and start |
| controlling their drinking or attempting to quit. Sound | | | | living a real life again. |
| reasonable advice without being preachy or insisting on | | | | Please note that the physical detoxification from |
| abstinence, but a genuine guide to finding the best path | | | | alcohol is extremely dangerous and can actually be |
| regarding your drinking. | | | | fatal, so do seek out medical supervision if you are |
| Here is a crash course guide in alcoholism help. If you | | | | serious about quitting drinking. It is actually safer to |
| are struggling with a drinking problem or you know | | | | continue drinking alcohol than to go through a serious |
| someone who is, then give these ideas a try and see | | | | withdrawal from it because the withdrawal can |
| if they can't help you out. | | | | produce life threatening seizures. |
| Moderation | | | | If you do decide to give abstinence a try then one of |
| If moderation works for you then that is great. | | | | the best breaks you can give yourself is to find a local |
| Chances are you are not a true alcoholic if you can | | | | treatment center to check into. There are a number of |
| figure out how to successfully moderate your drinking. | | | | benefits to seeking treatment: |
| For the rest of us drunks our disease is defined by our | | | | 1) Medically supervised detox |
| inability to control our intake. | | | | 2) Residential program - to learn about recovery |
| Now this can become especially tricky because most | | | | 3) Peer support - you're with other recovering |
| alcoholics actually can control their level of | | | | alcoholics so you can draw support from this group |
| consumption for a certain period of time. Some | | | | 4) Professional help - therapists and counselors can |
| alcoholics can even control their drinking for several | | | | give you guidance |
| months or even years at a time. However, note the | | | | 5) Medical help - the medical staff might help with |
| following two things: One, they will not enjoy the | | | | medications for overcoming addiction (such as |
| drinking while they are "controlling" it, and will do so only | | | | Campral for alcohol cravings, etc.) |
| through gritted teeth while being terribly discontent. And | | | | 6) Aftercare - they can set you up with long term |
| two, no alcoholic can maintain this control forever; | | | | support and programs that can help sustain you on the |
| eventually they will go off the deep end and go on a | | | | outside. |
| bender. | | | | So do consider treatment if you are thinking about |
| So basically, you can attempt moderation in your | | | | quitting drinking. |
| drinking and if you find success with it then that is good | | | | Remember if you are not sure about the whole thing |
| for you. But be honest with yourself and if you slip up | | | | to go try some more moderation. There is nothing |
| or end up drinking way more than you wanted to then | | | | wrong with this if you are careful about it. But be |
| own up to it and realize that you have lost control. | | | | honest with yourself about how well the moderation |
| Saying that you can control it "when you really want | | | | strategy is working for you. If you can control your |
| to" is probably denial at that point, and you need to | | | | drinking for a week that is no real victory. If you can |
| realize that most "normal people" (meaning | | | | control it for a year then that is real progress. But |
| non-alcoholics) are pretty much always controlling their | | | | understand that nearly anyone who is wrestling with |
| drinking by default. In other words, normal drinkers don't | | | | this question will not be able to control it for a full year |
| have to struggle to control their intake. If you do, then | | | | and should probably take a serious look at quitting |
| this might be a serious red flag for you. | | | | altogether. |
| Abstinence | | | | There is much more to be learned on the path to |
| If you finally make the decision to do something about | | | | recovery and if you're serious about quitting drinking |
| your drinking other than simply trying to moderate it, | | | | then I invite you to learn more as the benefits to |
| then the time has come to quit altogether. Now this | | | | quitting are tremendous. |