Lately I have been paying particular attention to the symptoms of alcoholism and how to tell the difference between a heavy drinker versus an alcoholic; I have also tried to get people to recognize in my alcoholism books the damage alcohol creates with our interpersonal relationships and health.

Addictions are dangerous and an addiction to alcohol can literally take over your life to the extent that it is becomes, in your mind, the only thing that will help you survive your day. Submitting to this mindset is sure to lead to disaster as you become convinced that life is not worth living if you don’t have the continued relationship with the bottle.

It is hoped that once this point is reached our inner alarm bells start clanging alarmingly and is most likely our final chance to give up alcohol for good and it is at this point in your life where the advice I am about to give will come in most handy.

Once you reach the decision to quit I want you to picture in your mind the ones you love and recognize that in changing your life you will be affecting theirs as well, which is the best gift you can give to them and to yourself. Choose a quit date that is within reason and, as the date gets closer, I want you to reduce your alcohol intake so that when the date arrives you will be ready to give it up.

For the first alcohol free week I want you to stay home; I recognize that we all need to work but try and have your doctor issue a certificate stating that you were recovering from an illness during your time off. The first few days are very tough and getting out of bed will be incredibly difficult, stay in bed until you are ready to face the world without alcohol.

Don’t hesitate to rely on those people who want to see you succeed as well as support groups. Beware of feeling over confident during your first few days; all too often people feel that a celebratory drink would be okay which leads them right back to the bottle.

The key elements as explained in my alcoholics book that every day will bring a new challenge and you will be faced with all the same anxieties you had before but this time you will have to face them without alcohol. Don’t forget that the only ones who matter are you and your family and your success is vital to every ones happiness.

If you need any more information on how to quit drinking, then visit the Stop Drinking Advice website for a free stop drinking book.

Alcoholics Anonymous