People often dedicate the first few weeks or months of a new year to bettering themselves or achieving some long-held goal. New Year’s resolutions are a popular form of self-improvement, and they can motivate you to make significant lifestyle changes. Do you want to stop drinking in 2022? All it takes is dedication, hard work, and a willingness to use all of your resources.
Sober living improves mental, physical, and emotional well-being. Are you ready to reach out and get help overcoming alcohol use disorder (AUD)? The first step is embracing the need for change and choosing to follow through on your New Year’s resolution.
Yearly Resolutions Kickstart Long-Lasting Change
Yearly resolutions can kickstart long-lasting changes. However, instead of simply wishing to be healthy, you need to have a strategy for achieving sobriety. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), “Any resolution to change needs to include small goals that are definable and accompanied by a solid plan on how you’ll get to that goal.”
Increase the effectiveness of your resolution by doing the following:
- Identify short-term and long-term motivations to help you achieve the goal. For example, a short-term plan could include improved physical health, while long-term, you could look to rebuild relationships damaged by alcohol misuse.
- Develop a plan and incorporate it into your everyday routine.
- Take preventative measures by thinking up strategies for avoiding possible issues. For example, if you frequently spend afternoons with your friends at a bar or other place that sells alcohol, suggest going out to a movie instead.
Take time to plan how to reach your resolution within a reasonable time frame. Every case is unique, and recovery from alcohol misuse does not happen overnight. You need to use your resources and find the healthiest path forward. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported that people “who set New Year’s resolutions are ten times more likely to change their behavior than those who don’t.” You can choose straightforward or successive goals to keep you motivated and moving forward in your recovery.
Identify Areas You Want to Improve
Before you can make a strategy for a successful resolution, you need to know what areas of your life will benefit most from change. Look at your life and identify things that could trigger cravings or intrusive thoughts about drinking. You may need to change who you hang out with or the locations you frequent. Common lifestyle changes people include in their resolutions to stop drinking include:
- “Breaking up” with toxic relationships and social groups that encourage maladaptive or risk-taking behaviors
- Getting medical support and treatment for the symptoms of AUD and related conditions
- Avoiding locations where you feel compelled or tempted to drink alcohol
- Implementing relapse prevention strategies to plan for possible issues
Recognize potential problem areas and use relapse prevention and other strategies to minimize risks. Many people who resolve to live without alcohol need to look long and hard at their social groups, favorite hangouts, and pastimes. The only way to move forward is by hard work and reaching out for help. An official diagnosis of AUD can make getting the proper treatment for any symptoms and side effects easier.
Signs and Symptoms of Alcohol Misuse
You may feel ambivalent about getting help even though you want to feel better and stop misusing alcohol. Maybe you are unsure if your drinking requires treatment. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the safest way to avoid illness or injury related to alcohol is by abstaining or drinking “in moderation by limiting intake to two drinks or less in a day for men or one drink or less in a day for women.”
Some of the signs and symptoms of alcohol misuse include:
- An inability to stop drinking despite repeated attempts
- Preoccupation with thinking, acquiring, or recovering from drinking alcoholic substances
- Prioritizing alcohol over your professional and personal responsibilities
- Health complications due to drinking alcohol
- Mood changes like unusual outbursts of violence or anger
- Secretive behavior surrounding drinking alcohol
- Stashing alcoholic substances around the home
- An inability to limit alcohol consumption
Often the most dangerous symptoms remain hidden until chronic alcohol poisoning leads to significant health issues. The majority of individuals diagnosed with AUD seek out medical assistance for a related health issue such as the following:
- Liver disease
- Fatty liver disease
- Heart disease
- Cognitive issues
- Brain damage
- High blood pressure
- Weakened immune system
- Mental health disorders
After identifying alcohol misuse, you need to take the first steps toward long-term change. A New Year’s resolution is meaningless unless you follow through with the appropriate actions.
Take the First Steps
Overcoming AUD takes time, planning, and dedication for healthy change. A New Year’s resolution can set you on the path toward continuous sobriety and a more fulfilling future. However, quitting “cold turkey” is potentially dangerous, and you should consider doing the following:
- Speak with a medical professional and get an official diagnosis
- Get information about local private and community-based recovery resources
- Talk with a recovery specialist about your treatment options
- Confide in trusted loved ones about your plans to stop drinking and create a reliable support system
Inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation programs use peer support, therapy, and other treatments to give you the tools you need to stop drinking alcohol successfully. Most programs last a few weeks to several months, with 30 days being the average length of stay at residential facilities.
Evidence-Based Treatment Options
Evidence-based treatments give you the tools to stay sober and feel confident in your recovery. Standard rehabilitation methods involve:
- Peer support
- Group and individual therapy
- Prescription medication
- Life skills development
- Relapse prevention education
- Medications to cope with symptoms
Alternative treatment and therapy options are also available in structured rehabilitation and community-based programs. A holistic approach will give you the best foundation for a healthier future. Many facilities now use holistic care to treat AUD.
Aftercare Services and Continuing Care
After completing inpatient or outpatient treatment, you can take advantage of aftercare services to set up continuing care like individual therapy, support groups, and advocacy programs that allow you to stay accountable and confident in your recovery. Some of the most common community-based resources include:
- 12-Step programs
- Individual psychotherapy
- Financial and housing assistance
- Sober living communities
Alcohol misuse affects multiple aspects of your life, and which treatment is right for you will depend on what motivates you to change. Maybe your work productivity has suffered, and you are worried about the effect it could have on your career, or perhaps your personal relationships have begun to fail. No matter your motivations, a well-fitted program exists to help you overcome the challenges and achieve your recovery goals. According to MedlinePlus, most people benefit from a combination of medically supervised treatment and individual psychotherapy.
Your Environment Affects Recovery
Your environment will affect your ability to maintain sobriety. Programs offered at Real Recovery Sober Living and other sober living communities provide a safe space where you can stabilize your symptoms and learn to cope during the transition from inpatient or outpatient care. If you have difficulty with self-accountability or live with others who misuse alcohol, you may benefit from changing your environment.
Sober living programs like those offered at Real Recovery Sober Living provide a safe, comfortable, and supportive environment where you can get the help you need to stay sober during the first stages of recovery.
Here, you are also provided with the opportunity to adjust your everyday responsibilities and routines to decrease stress and increase accountability.
Use Your Support System
A strong support system can increase the effectiveness of treatment and decrease the risk of relapse. A support system can include:
- Friends
- Family members
- Significant others
- Mentors
- Sponsors
- Therapists or counselors
- Doctors
- Peers
Choose individuals you feel comfortable relying on to help you through challenging moments. You should feel safe and secure talking to them about the realities of addiction and recovery. A solid support system can keep you motivated.
Your New Year’s resolution to stop drinking will also allow them to support and encourage you. A support system makes it easier to get treatment because you will not be going through the process alone.
The Importance of Self-Care
New Year’s resolutions only work long-term if you take care of your mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Daily self-care takes many forms and increases self-confidence, self-awareness, and self-esteem. Some common types of self-care include:
- Spending time alone in meditation
- Enjoying a relaxing activity like a bubble bath or movie
- Spending quality time with the people you love
- Playing or cuddling with your pet
- Practicing mindfulness-based techniques
You can successfully recover from AUD by accepting help from loved ones, completing evidence-based alcohol treatment, and practicing daily self-care. You have access to all the tools you need to overcome AUD. Keep looking forward and focus on achieving short-term goals.
Make a Resolution to Stop Drinking in 2022
A New Year’s resolution is not an instant cure, but it can be the start of a new, healthier journey. Alcohol misuse is dangerous and potentially life-threatening. You are the only one capable of choosing to take back control of your life. Each day you have the opportunity to decide how you react to stressors, cravings, or triggers.
Today can be the start of your 2022 resolution to abstain from alcohol. By doing the hard work and making a plan with long-term goals, you can create a better life for yourself and your family. Without the symptoms and side effects of alcohol misuse, you can more easily achieve personal and professional goals.
The majority of people who stop drinking alcohol after long periods of misuse require rehabilitation therapy during detox and withdrawal. You can find out more about which options would be best for your situation by speaking with a medical professional or recovery expert.
Completing a rehabilitation program remains one of the most reliable ways to succeed at ongoing recovery. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), “[N]o matter how severe the problem may seem, evidence-based treatment with behavioral therapies, mutual-support groups, and/or medications can help people with AUD achieve and maintain recovery.”
Once you have chosen to stop drinking, all you need to do is follow through with your resolution.
Making a New Year’s resolution to stop drinking can start you on a rewarding lifelong journey. You do not have to suffer any longer from the effects of alcohol misuse. The decision to take care of yourself requires healing and hard work, but the rewards are worth it. You have various options, including community-based and private rehabilitation programs that allow you to quickly and safely transition through detox, withdrawal, and into continuing care. Not everyone feels comfortable or able to maintain sobriety at home. Take advantage of a sober living community in your area where you can get the support you need to stabilize your symptoms and learn to cope with everyday stressors. The dedicated staff at Real Recovery Sober Living have created a safe and structured space where you can experience the benefits of the 12-Steps and other treatment. To find out more about our location and services, call us today at (727) 290-9156.
