Many people have some form of relationship with alcohol. It can be as simple as enjoying a pint after work on a Friday evening. It can also be a more complex relationship, that sees enjoyment, battles, and one that can have a direct influence on other relationships, your workplace and more.
At this stage it’s probably a good time to start thinking about whether your relationship with alcohol is a healthy one. While drinking is largely accepted as a social activity, it can very quickly become an unsociable one, and at this point it may be the time to start thinking about doing something about your intake of alcohol.
Understanding your relationship with alcohol is a solid first step, which will help you understand just what level of help you require and whether that is manageable alone. Alcohol rehab is perhaps the best port of call for anyone remotely suffering from addiction, and is the most efficient way to get sober and enjoy a life without the substance. However, you may feel that is a more extreme step, and moderation will do you for now. So, how do you know?
It’s likely you’ve never really calculated your alcohol intake, so that’s perhaps the first thing you should do. There are plenty of resources online for making an alcohol diary, where you can log how much you drink on a daily basis. Within that you should also include the reason for drinking and the time in which you have done so.
From there you’ll be able to identify the key trigger points that lead you to alcohol, which can be useful in cutting down or going sober, when you perhaps may want to remove yourself from those situations.
Have an honest conversation on how alcohol is impacting you. Examine the effects on your health it is having and that may give you a much clearer reasoning as to why you may need help.
For example, is alcohol:
If the answer is yes to any of these, then ultimately you have a problem with alcohol that needs rectifying.
Friends and family will often be aware of how much you are drinking but can be too scared to reach out and ask you to do something about it. By being the person to get the conversation started, not only will you get honest opinions from them, but you’ll also develop a support network for when you do decide to do something about it.
This can be instrumental in any treatment or management being a success as they can offer support and love throughout.
If it seems like you do have a problem with alcohol, then it’s time to do something about that. That may begin by moderating what you drink, while you may also wish to go sober full stop. Addiction help is the best course of action and there are treatment centres all over the country that can help with this.
Take that first step today. It’s something that you certainly won’t regret…