It is possible to abruptly stop drinking, of course, especially with the firm decision to give up the daily intake of alcohol. Yes, it won't be easy, but the "pluses" of a healthy lifestyle will be evaluated much faster. Narcologists liken the gradual reduction in the amount of alcoholic beverages to tail docking in some parts. At some point, a person who drinks regularly can simply break free. In order not to start all over again, it is advisable to suffer a temporary deterioration in well-being.
Sudden refusal of alcohol - interesting reactions of the body
Alcoholism is both physical and psychological addiction to ethyl alcohol. Therefore, when it abruptly ceases to enter the body, an immediate reaction ensues from almost all vital systems. Unsurprisingly, they now have to 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 quitting alcohol in the early days:
- weight loss due to appetite suppression;
- insomnia followed by sleepiness;
- dull migraine-like headache;
- psychoemotional instability - irritability, causeless anxiety, apathy;
- mild migratory joint pain, finger tremor.
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, glass of wine or 50-100 grams of vodka.
What are the reasons for such a violent reaction of the body to a clear refusal to drink? The fact is that ethanol is incorporated into biochemical reactions, becoming their equal participant. When you try to remove it from there, a temporary breakdown occurs in the body. Now he will have to establish nerve regulation, deal with the production of the optimal amount of digestive enzymes and restore the damaged liver and urinary organs. Get through these tasks in about 1-1. 5 months.
Typical signs of alcohol withdrawal
How to give up alcohol forever: Full mobilization of willpower is required only with systematic home drunkenness. In such cases, a person drinks a lot, often, constantly experiences all the "delights" of a hangover. Later, during the next binge, he has problems with his psyche, heart and liver, he firmly decides to "stop". What awaits the alcoholic:
- 1 day. Withdrawal symptoms manifest immediately with nausea and vomiting, headaches, severe tremors and, of course, an intolerable hangover. In reality, the first day of sobriety becomes an alcoholic's showdown. If he can manage without alcohol, his chances of overcoming the addiction are sky-high;
- 2-7 days. During this period, the alcoholic feels bad: the body requires the usual amount of alcohol, punishing the "owner" with headaches, visual and auditory hallucinations, tremors in the arms and legs. Digestion and peristalsis are upset and the prospects for a healthy lifestyle do not seem so bright for the alcoholic. Don't give up at this stage; medications and sleep will help you go all the way;
- 8th day. To get a little easier, the improvements are noticeable to the naked eye. The severity of the withdrawal syndrome decreases, the body adapts well to the changed conditions of existence. Now he is busy restoring organs and tissues, learning to work completely without ethanol. Headache, nausea and irritability decrease, because ethyl alcohol and its toxic metabolites no longer circulate in the blood;
- 30-40 days. That's all: now a person himself can give advice on how to give up alcohol. Lightness appears in the body, physical and mental performance improve, apparently lost professional skills return. All vital systems work perfectly, the body works like a clock. But you shouldn't relax - even a sip of beer during this time can cause a breakdown.
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 suppressed all the alarming symptoms with another serving of alcohol. But out of the state of euphoria, it will not be possible not to notice it. It is time for a full medical examination. After the diagnosis, the doctor will work out a competent treatment regimen and prescribe medications.
The sad consequences of a long alcoholic experience are fatty degeneration of the liver, hepatitis, nephrosis, atrophic gastritis or with high acidity. All pathologies are severe, but completely treatable, so the prognosis is favorable. So a clear refusal of alcohol sometimes avoids disability and even death. After all, as the alcoholic tries to "quit" by lowering the dose, dangerous diseases develop, progress and recur in his body.
We will help you in any way possible - advice for those who decide to "bond" 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 has no time to prepare for the impending alcohol withdrawal after a binge. Unlike relatives, family members who are able to quickly find all the information they need. A person needs to be helped to stop drinking, support, replace a shoulder in a difficult life period for him.
A breakdown is more than real in the first couple of weeks, so it makes sense to seek medical attention. The transition to a sober lifestyle will be easier with drug 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 evident:
- cardiac activity and breathing are normalized;
- sleep and appetite will be restored;
- nausea and vomiting will cease after the next meal.
How to stop drinking abruptly - only by combining willpower, drug use and psychological support. The latter is very important, as the state of the central nervous system changes dramatically. As long as he adjusts to work without ethanol, the person who overcomes the addiction suffers from hallucinations. He talks with imaginary interlocutors, closes in on himself for several hours and even sings. It is not worth focusing on this - the psyche will recover after the evacuation 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 a person's active desire to refuse alcohol. Therefore, when making an important decision to quit drinking, an alcoholic must understand that now anything containing ethanol is strictly prohibited.
It is difficult to part with alcohol forever without preparation. After getting through the hardest first days of withdrawal symptoms, you need to look for additional resources to alleviate the physical and psychological condition:
- Eliminate fatty and fried foods, foods saturated with salt and spices from your usual diet.
- Walk in the fresh air for 1-2 hours at least once a day.
- They will go back to their old hobbies, to the one that gave interest to immersion in unbridled drunkenness.
The transition to a sober lifestyle occurs gradually. A person often falls into despair, sees the future only in black. And then he gets back on his feet, convinces him not to give up, takes part 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. A great way to recover quickly is gentle physical therapy.