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alcoholics anonymous

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Drinking alcohol with your friends is like a rite of passage. Unfortunately, this rite of passage can become toxic, lead to many health problems depending on how often someone drinks and the quantity of alcohol consumed, and it can create many other problems in your life. Not everyone is addicted to alcohol, but there are many people who are and the sooner they quit drinking, the better. If you’re considering hanging up your drinking shoes, here are seven helpful tips for quitting alcohol.

Consider rehab and AA.

Depending on how much a person drinks, quitting cold turkey can be dangerous and even life-threatening as alcohol withdrawals can be lethal. Many people consider rehab as it gives them a setting and support system for quitting, not to mention people in rehab are monitored around the clock and can detox safely.

Many alcoholics, whether they opt for rehab or not, go to Alcoholics Anonymous because it’s a support system in which people can relate to one another and the members encourage each other to stay sober. AA allows people to talk through their problems and get to the root of why they abused alcohol in the past.

Another option is therapy. If considering this option, we encourage people to visit withtherapy.com as WithTherapy “is a matchmaker that uses science to pair you with a personalized shortlist of therapists.” Therapy can give you a space to talk about your thoughts, feelings, and problems, but unlike AA, it takes place in a personal setting, with just you and your therapist.

Write down why you want to quit and what drinking is costing you.

Similar to creating goals, writing down why you want to quit and what drinking is costing you can help you realize the harms of drinking and all the benefits of staying sober. Like a goals list, you should constantly monitor your why so it stays fresh in your brain. While creating this list, you’ll get a better and more realistic idea of why drinking is detrimental to your life. This list isn’t meant to shame you—it’s meant to make you see more clearly.

Tell your loved ones about your decision.

Telling your friends and family members about your decision can help you create a support system as well as take the peer pressure of drinking off you. They’ll also see how important this decision is for you and that you’re trying to better your life.

Build a strong support team.

On that note, building a strong support team is essential when trying to quit alcohol because there are going to be times when all you want to do is drink. You’ll try to reason with yourself that you’re only going to have one beer or glass of wine, but, unfortunately, willpower is tougher to achieve when you have an addiction.

A support team will cheer you on and help you reach sobriety. Whether it be AA or your loved ones or both, creating a strong support team can help you quit alcohol.

Photo Credit: Noah Silliman from Unsplash

Steer clear of bars and places you used to drink.

You might be able to go to bars someday and not drink, but when your sobriety journey is fresh, it’s best to stay away from all temptations. This can include bars or restaurants. Don’t keep alcohol in your home when you’re trying to quit. Many alcoholics will only go to places where alcohol is present—you should take the opposite approach, within reason, and steer clear of places that serve alcohol or prioritize it.

Replace drinking with new activities.

Replacing drinking with new activities, such as hiking, going to the movies, reading, or sports, allows you to get your mind off drinking while enjoying something you like. The key, of course, is finding a new activity or hobby that you enjoy. Some people even replace drinking with eating or indulging in desserts, which is perfectly fine as long as you don’t create a new problem.

Don’t give up or beat yourself up if you slip.

Sobriety isn’t a clear and straight path. Some people go off the trail while others are strong enough to eventually have one beer at a time. Everyone’s journey is different, although if you’re an alcoholic and have problems, it’s probably best to stay away from alcohol. If you do slip, don’t beat yourself up. Acknowledge you slipped, get help from your support team, and continue on with your sobriety. Life and people aren’t meant to be perfect.

If you decide to seek therapy or other forms of professional health, we encourage you to choose Cheap health insurance options that support these medical benefits. You can compare health insurance with iSelect and ensure you’re covered and receive quality care.

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Drinking alcohol is fun for most people. However, it’s important to consider the amount of alcohol you drink and how it affects your life, as well as, those around you. It’s easy to start as a social drinker and eventually become an alcoholic. And most alcoholics have financial challenges too. That’s why some people do not seek treatment for alcoholism even when the negative effects of alcohol on their lives and loved ones are clear.

Some alcoholics are homeless and unemployed. They live in abject poverty. These are just some of the conditions that hinder some people from seeking treatment for alcoholism. Nevertheless, some individuals are genuinely interested in fighting their alcohol addiction. As such, they may try the dangerous at-home detox or cold-turkey due to their financial challenges. 

Luckily, it’s possible to get substance abuse rehabilitation provided for free if you or a loved one is genuinely interested in beating alcoholism. You just need to know the available free or affordable options that you or a loved one can consider.

Finding Free or Affordable Rehab

Alcohol use disorder or alcoholism refers to drinking that causes physical or mental health problems. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, excessive consumption of alcohol causes about 88,000 deaths in the United States every year. Seeking affordable or free rehab can, therefore, save a life.

Most residential treatment facilities are expensive. They require patients to have good insurance and credit. However, some facilities offer free help to addicts that can’t pay for their services. Here are some of the options to consider when you want to fight alcoholism on a budget.

Professional Rehab Facilities

Despite being for-profit and private, some facilities offer free help for alcoholics. These treatment centers provide alternative means of payment, sliding-scale fees, or payment assistance. So, if you or a loved one wants to fight alcoholism on a budget, don’t hesitate to ask. Just call or visit the nearby facility to find out if it provides payment assistance plans. Some of these facilities have assistance plans for individuals that do not have insurance or employment. 

Faith-Based Rehab

Faith-based programs that target drug addicts and alcoholics have existed longer than 12-step programs and professional rehabs. Religious organizations and groups have reached out to communities to assist people struggling with drug abuse and alcoholism for ages.

And, this is yet to change. Today, there are many faith-based programs than there were in the last decades. For instance, it’s possible to get a free drug treatment program offered by a Christian organization in almost any community. Thus, you can undergo treatment for alcoholism with such a program even when you have a tight budget.

State Supported Rehabs

Some states, counties, and cities offer inpatient and outpatient treatment facilities for drug addicts and alcoholics. These are completely tax-funded and they do not charge a fee for their services. Their programs may include long-term residential treatment and short-term detoxification. They can also provide individual counseling and therapy at local clinics.

It’s, however, crucial to note that state-sponsored programs have long waiting lists. That’s because most people that use them are in the system already. These have interacted with agencies like the criminal justice system and the county health department.

Additionally, taxpayers’ money supports these programs. Therefore, they can experience significant cutbacks in funding during hard economic times. Consequently, their services can be restrained.

Online Recovery Support

If you Google ‘free rehab near me’ the search engine will list many options including those providing online support. These are platforms that offer support aimed at helping people quit drinking. Some are chat rooms, instant messenger groups, bulletin boards, and email groups. If you can use these platforms to communicate, you can also use them to get recovery support.

Any addiction recovery program has an online presence. In most cases, you will find chat meetings that started many years ago. That means you can learn about the challenges that different people have faced while fighting addiction. You can also get the support you need to fight alcoholism on a budget by checking in with your forum friends.

Mutual Support Groups

Alcoholics Anonymous is an example of mutual support groups that have helped many people fight alcohol addiction. This mutual support group has existed for over 75 years. Millions of people have learned to beat addiction and lead sober lives. The group has remained self-supporting via its members’ voluntary donations.

If you wish to regain sobriety but have a tight budget, attending meetings of a mutual support group can help you. You can also get a sponsor that will help you through the 12 steps. Most addiction recovery programs yield better results when mutual support is included. Even if you don’t have a spiritual inclination, there are secular support groups to consider. The majority of these groups do not have dues or fees.

Reasons to Get Professional Help with Alcoholism even on a Budget

Regardless of your financial status, it’s important to get professional help with alcoholism.

Here are some of the reasons why rehab is important:

  • Specialists at the rehab facility will guide and help you through the detox process. They will make the otherwise unsafe and painful process comfortable. Attempting to detox from alcohol or drugs at home can be dangerous without medical supervision. That’s because some withdrawal symptoms are life-threatening.
  • Rehab specialists provide the assistance alcoholics need to avoid relapse. They can even prescribe medication that facilitates the withdrawal process.
  • The counseling sessions offered in the rehab facilities help the patients understand their causes of alcohol abuse and addiction. This is an important step in the recovery process.
  • Rehab centers offer specialized treatment that heals the damage caused by alcohol to the brain structure and chemistry.
  • The aftercare support provided by rehab centers promotes a substance-free life and long-term sobriety.

A tight budget should not be a reason for not seeking treatment for alcoholism. Many options exist for those in need of affordable treatment or free alcohol treatment centers. Simply search for a facility that offers the kind of treatment you need and one that’s within your budget.

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