Five simple steps to recover from alcohol addiction

A very common saying about alcohol goes something like, “You take a drink, and then the drink takes you.” Now, drinking is very common. Many of the social activities involve drinking. Some are focused on drinking. While drinking in moderation is fine, when drinking gets out of hand in that it becomes heavy and uncontrolled, it can turn into alcohol addiction.

Alcohol addiction can make things seem dire. Yet, there is life beyond this. It is known as recovery. Recovery is based on something along the lines of if you can quit for one day, you can quit for a lifetime. It is taking one step at a time, one day at a time. The journey can get long and bumpy, yet recovery is taking those simple steps in the right direction.

In this article, we will tell you five simple steps you can follow to ensure you are on the right path to recovery.

The impact of alcohol addiction

Alcohol addiction is a substance use disorder (SUD). SUD is characterized by the persistent use of substances despite their adverse impact on your physical and psychological health. In this case, it will be alcohol.

In the short term, alcohol addiction can lead to intoxication, risky behaviors, injury and accidents, unsafe sex, antisocial behavior, and violence.

In the long term, the impact of alcohol addiction is vast and dangerous:

Anxiety
Depression
High blood pressure
Liver disease
Sexual dysfunction
Infertility
Increased risk of mouth, head, neck, breast, liver, and bowel cancers.
Dementia
Brain damage, which leads to cognitive deficits.

Alcohol addiction can also have wide-ranging impacts on your financial and social life:

Unemployment
Financial troubles
Domestic violence
Family estrangement.

Five steps to recover from alcohol addiction

1. Acknowledge the Problem

You cannot solve something unless you acknowledge that it exists and take responsibility for it. It is the same with alcohol addiction. Begin with acknowledgment. Alcohol addiction is not a mistake or a failure; it is a challenge. Acknowledge this challenge to embark on your journey of recovery.

2. Develop Healthy Coping Strategies

Very often, you may use alcohol as a way to cope. You may not realize it, but when you dig deeper, there will be underlying reasons for the same. While alcohol may be a coping strategy, it is far from a healthy one. Therefore, you will have to replace it with healthy coping strategies.

Healthy coping strategies that can enable you to function better are:

Establishing and maintaining personal boundaries
Problem-solving
Time management
Meditation
Mindfulness
Exercise, like brisk walking or swimming
Engaging in interests and passions
Focusing on a task, like cleaning your room or your house.
Engaging in self-care, which involves taking care of your mind and body in a way that feels good, like giving yourself a massage.

Sometimes, things can get overwhelming. In this case, it is okay to ask for help from your family, friends, and even a mental health practitioner. Having a supportive social network is good for your physical and psychological well-being.

3. Create a Structured and Sober Lifestyle

Creating a sober living environment is crucial to your recovery. It involves a structured and sober lifestyle that you will have to lead from the point you have embarked on your journey to recovery:

Remove triggers and other temptations from your vicinity. Anything linked with your past alcohol use, bin it. Ensure your living environment is clean and organized.
Establish a daily routine. This will provide structure and stability. Typically, your daily routine can incorporate healthy living practices like journaling, physical exercise, meditation, mindfulness, relaxing exercises, self-care, and so on. If it helps you to attend Alcoholics Anonymous or other similar recovery meetings, integrate it into your daily routine as well.
Cultivate a social support network. Having friends and family who enable your recovery is crucial for motivation, encouragement, focus, and distraction.
Set personal boundaries and expectations. This will involve setting clear and strict rules regarding what you will and will not tolerate. For instance, prohibiting alcohol, encouraging regular check-ins, and so on. Suppose you need to cut off toxic relationships that lead to alcohol use; so be it.

The benefits of sober living are many. It will become a strong foundation that paves the way for your lasting recovery and a sober tomorrow.

4. Stay Committed and Embrace Long-Term Recovery

Recovery is putting one foot in front of the other and taking one step at a time. At the same time, it involves long-term thinking as well. To achieve lasting recovery, it will take time, patience, and commitment. Long-term sobriety becomes a possibility when you are committed to it and embrace it.

Recovery is not a quick fix; it is a lifelong journey. It will need time, as it involves creating a lasting, meaningful change. Years of self-destructive habits that have led to alcohol addiction will take time to be shed and replaced by healthy ones. The road might be long and even bumpy. The motto is to never give up. Commit to your recovery and embrace it. A sober life may seem unnatural to you at this point, but when you embrace it, your life will seem the way it must be.

5. Seek Support and Professional Help

Recovery is not something you have to do alone. Seek support from your near and dear for motivation, encouragement, and love. At the same time, seek professional health. This can involve an intensive and personalized approach to care and recovery, involving:

Structured, intensive psychotherapy
Medication-assisted treatment (MAT)
Social support
Relapse prevention
Aftercare and ongoing care
12-step recovery programs.

While you are undergoing treatment, you might even want to consider sober living locations as well. These are homes that will provide you with structure and support as you transition from treatment to the real world. They will aid you in creating a sober living environment and provide you with the sense of belonging and community you need.

There is hope for a sober tomorrow

Struggling with alcohol addiction can be very challenging. It can seem like a dire, bleak road you are on. A road that never seems to end. However, this is not true. There is hope. There is the hope of recovery and a sober tomorrow.

Remember, recovery is not a one-stop destination. It is an ongoing journey. Recovery will need time and treatment. At the same time, it will involve incorporating changes in your life. The five steps we told you are simple. When you follow these steps in your life, they will facilitate and strengthen your recovery.

Author: Dr. Ryan Peterson is a board-certified physician specializing in pain management and addiction medicine. With personal experience in recovery, he is dedicated to helping patients overcome substance use and manage pain with compassionate, personalized care.