By Niveditha Kalyanaraman
September 7th, 2023
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To quit alcohol, you must first understand your relationship with it: if you drink for fun or as a coping mechanism to something. Alcohol is all fun and games until it becomes an addictive habit. It causes liver dysfunction, severe dehydration and the addiction alone can be very costly on your wallets and your bodies. Whether you're looking to reduce or quit your alcohol intake, here are 8 tips that'll help you with it.
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Find out how much you drink and why. It could be a daily sip or a weekly chug. Or even more. Find out your drinking triggers like stress, anxiety, relationship problems, work problems or insomnia.
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Ask yourself why you want to quit, once you've narrowed down the triggers and the frequency of your drinking. Look at your drinking habits and find a way to cut back that works for you without hindering you.
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Let your peer circle and family know you're quitting. Slim chances are, you began drinking because they wanted you to. It's easy to attend an event with alcohol when you have someone by you, supporting your quitting process. Practicing your refusal to an offered drink can help you feel more comfortable and confident when you find yourself in a situation that involves alcohol.
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Remove all alcoholic beverages from your sight, including apps and delivery services that help in obtaining a drink.
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Switch your go-to alcoholic beverage for a soft drink or a mocktail or even a fruit juice.
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When you're habitual to drinking alcohol at a particular time of the day, ensure you keep yourself busy then. You can work, sleep or talk to someone.
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Instead of drinking to curb your anxiety and stress, try other techniques like meditation, journaling or watch your comfort movie.
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If you face severe withdrawal symptoms, try seeking professional support.
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