It is possible to stop drinking abruptly - certainly, especially with a firm decision to stop drinking alcohol daily. Yes, it will not be easy, but the "benefits" of a healthy lifestyle will be assessed much more quickly. Narcologists compare the gradual reduction in the amount of alcoholic beverages by cutting the tail in parts. At a certain stage, a person who drinks regularly can simply let go. In order not to start all over again, it is advisable to endure a temporary deterioration in well-being.
Abrupt refusal of alcohol - interesting reactions of the body
Alcoholism is the physical and psychological dependence on ethyl alcohol. Therefore, when it abruptly ceases to enter the body, an immediate reaction follows from almost all vital systems. Not surprisingly, they now need to operate in a modified mode. But do not pay attention to the temporary deterioration of health, as "friendship" with ethanol is expensive for the body. Here are the expected consequences of quitting drinking for the first few days:
- weight loss due to suppression of appetite;
- insomnia followed by drowsiness;
- monotonous migraine-type headaches;
- psycho-emotional instability - irritability, anxiety without cause, apathy;
- mild pain in migration in the joints, trembling of the fingers.
It sounds intimidating, but these withdrawal symptoms are more common in older alcoholics. If the person uses 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 by the body to a severe refusal to drink? The fact is that ethanol is incorporated into biochemical reactions, making it an equal participant. When you try to remove it from there, there is a temporary failure in the body. Now he will have to establish nerve regulation, handle the production of the optimal amount of digestive enzymes and restore the damaged liver and urinary organs. He handles these tasks in about 1-1, 5 months.
Typical signs of alcohol withdrawal
How to quit alcohol forever - full mobilization of willpower is necessary only with systematic domestic drunkenness. In such cases, the person drinks a lot, often, constantly experiencing all the "delights" of a hangover. Then, during the next binge, he has problems with his psyche, heart and liver, he firmly decides to "give up". What lies ahead for the alcoholic:
- 1 day. Withdrawal symptoms are immediately manifested by nausea and vomiting, headaches, severe tremors and, of course, an intolerable desire for a hangover. In fact, the first day of sobriety becomes the alcoholic's test of strength. If he can handle it without alcohol, his chances of defeating the addiction skyrocketed;
- 2-7 days. During this period, the alcoholic feels bad - the body requires 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 disrupted, and the prospects for a healthy lifestyle do not look so good for the alcoholic. Do not give up at this stage, medicines and sleep will help you to go all the way to the end;
- 8th dayTo make it a little easier, the improvements are noticeable to the naked eye. The severity of the withdrawal syndrome decreases, the body adapts well to the new conditions of existence. Now he is busy with the restoration of organs and tissues, learning to work entirely without ethanol. Headaches, nausea and irritability decrease, because ethyl alcohol and its toxic metabolites no longer circulate in the blood;
- 30-40 days. That's it - now the person himself can give advice on how to give up alcohol. Lightness arises in the body, improves physical and mental performance, return of apparently lost professional skills. All vital systems work perfectly, the body works like clockwork. But you shouldn't relax - even a sip of beer during that time can cause a breakdown.
And now a little fly in the ointment. If a person drank a lot and frequently, his internal organs were constantly exposed to ethanol. In an intoxicated state, the cells were destroyed without subsequent recovery. Chronic diseases developed, which the alcoholic did not even suspect. After all, he suppressed all of the alarming symptoms with another serving of alcohol. But outside the euphoric state, it will not be possible to fail to notice them. It's time for a thorough medical examination. After diagnosis, the doctor will outline a competent therapeutic regimen and prescribe medications.
The sad consequences of a long alcoholic experience are fatty liver degeneration, hepatitis, nephrosis, atrophic gastritis or with high acidity. All pathologies are serious, but completely curable, so the prognosis is favorable. Therefore, a severe refusal to alcohol sometimes prevents disability and even death. After all, while the alcoholic tries to "stop" by lowering the dose, dangerous diseases develop, progress and repeat themselves in his body.
We will help you in any way we can - advice for those who decide to "tie" quickly
The decision to stop drinking is usually made spontaneously when the person suddenly realizes that a stroke, heart attack or cirrhosis is about to happen. Therefore, he has no time to prepare for alcohol withdrawal after a binge. Unlike relatives, they are family members who can quickly find all the information they need. The person needs to be helped to stop drinking, supporting, replacing a shoulder in a difficult period of life for him.
A breakdown is more than real in the first two weeks, so it makes sense to seek professional medical attention. The transition to a sober lifestyle will be easier with pharmacological support. Parenteral administration of saline solutions, B vitamins, sedatives and anticonvulsants, respiratory analgesics, antiarrhythmic drugs, nootropics will help. The results of medical intervention are obvious:
- 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 - just combining willpower, medication use and psychological support. The latter is very important, since the state of the central nervous system changes dramatically. While she adjusts to work without ethanol, the person who wins the addiction experiences hallucinations. He argues with imaginary interlocutors, withdraws from himself for several hours and even sings. There is no point in focusing attention on this - the psyche will recover after the evacuation of harmful substances from the body.
Correct rehabilitation - learning to live again
How to give up alcohol completely is a pressing issue. Narcologists note that the likelihood of long-term remission increases significantly with a person's active desire to refuse to drink alcohol. Therefore, when making an important decision to stop drinking, an alcoholic must understand that everything that contains ethanol is now strictly prohibited.
It is difficult to give up alcohol forever without preparation. Having overcome the most difficult first days of withdrawal symptoms, you need to look for 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 outdoors for 1-2 hours at least once a day.
- They will return to their old hobbies, to what gave interest to immersion in unrestrained drunkenness.
The transition to a sober lifestyle occurs gradually. The person often falls into despondency, sees the future only in darkness. And then he composes himself, convinces himself not to give up, again participates in solving family problems. Narcologists recommend accelerating 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.