“There is early evidence that even taking a one month break from fairly low levels of consumption reduces some burden on the liver,” White says. If you are having a very difficult time with urges, or do not make progress with the strategies in this activity after a few weeks, then consult a healthcare professional for support. In addition, some new, non-addictive medications can reduce the desire to drink or lessen the rewarding effect of drinking so it is easier to stop. If you don’t have people currently in your life who can help you quit drinking, you’re still not in this alone. There are people willing and waiting to support you, guide you and love you through the ups and downs of ending unhealthy drinking patterns. If you’ve found yourself noticing, “It seems that I drink because I’m bored and lonely,” the answer lies in our brain’s reward system.
She enjoys playing board games and having home karaoke nights with her friends. Karlie says the best advice ever received is to not fall in love with potential. Fall in love with what is, then work to grow from there. Originally from Chino Hills, California, Chanel began her education at Gonzaga University, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Philosophy. She continued her education at the University of Denver and earned a master’s in clinical mental health counseling.
Recovery Coaching
He’s a senior scientific adviser at the NIH institute that studies alcohol, and he says the results have been kind of surprising. “The alcohol was certainly a numbing agent,” listener Mark Vowers told us. Vowers says how to stop drinking out of boredom not drinking makes him feel more present — more grounded.
The Grass Roots Community Evolving The Sinclair Method
You may also consider joining an online support group to help you feel less alone. It might also be worth checking out a 12-step program in your area, like Alcoholics Anonymous or SMART Recovery, to see if it feels like something that might be useful for you. Letting others know about your choice to stop drinking may help motivate you to stick with your decision. Put a sticky note in places where you know you’ll need that extra reminder.
- Serotonin is a neurotransmitter responsible for feelings of happiness, well-being, and pleasure.
- A lot of other people told me that, look – a one-month break helped them to kind of set a new habit and drink a little less.
- Since then, she has worked across various settings including outpatient, inpatient, and community corrections programs.
- Soon it can seem weird NOT to have a glass in your hand, even if the rest of you is thinking about something else (or not thinking about very much at all).
Health
There, she earned dual bachelor’s degrees before pursuing a master’s degree in psychology. During her academic years, she dedicated herself to assisting refugees fleeing war and violence in their home countries. Jill is a Colorado native who received a master’s in clinical psychology with an emphasis on women’s studies from the University of Houston. Jill has worked in several inpatient and outpatient centers, treating clients in all levels of care in both individual and group settings. While alcohol abuse is common, it doesn’t mean you have to face it alone. Downplaying the seriousness of alcohol misuse and addiction can have impactful ramifications.
Support Your Recovery
She supports individuals who long for a better relationship with alcohol, helping them learn to drink less without living less. When the first option doesn’t work, people tend to move on to the second option, which reduces the importance of one or more beliefs or attitudes. This unresolvable dilemma is why quitting drinking can be so hard. The person gets caught between their conflicting beliefs and is unable to restore internal consistency no matter what they do. In vain attempts to restore internal peace, they go back and forth between the only two options they know – stop, drink, stop, repeat.
She tailors interventions to individual needs, drawing from modalities like mindfulness, DBT, CBT, and EMDR. Justin was born and raised in Fort Collins, Colorado, where he began his clinical education at Colorado State University. He received his bachelor’s in health and exercise science with a concentration in sports medicine and eventually earned a master’s of psychology in addiction counseling.
It’s therefore no surprise that during the pandemic, the rate of alcohol consumption increased among people that reported COVID-19 related stress. The pandemic has been here and, at the time of this writing, is continuing to keep our world in a state of flux. This puts those who have formed an attachment to alcohol in a very vulnerable position.
After all, many people developed their beliefs about alcohol from a very young age. Many people watch their family consume alcohol and have a joyous time, and others spend college years having the time of their life with friends at parties getting drunk. The belief “alcohol makes me happy” could feel like an unchallengeable fact. Luckily, a belief is a belief, and as it’s true for any belief, there is always room for challenge and expansion. One listener described his realization to me that he’d been using alcohol as, quote, “a numbing agent.” And he told me not drinking made him kind of show up for his life, feel more present. A lot of other people told me that, look – a one-month break helped them to kind of set a new habit and drink a little less.
Take control of the aspects of your life that you have some influence over and watch the world change around you. If you have someone you trust, let them know if you are feeling down or lonely – so they know you won’t mind if they check in with you more often. See if there are organisations around you where you could help out, that would love to use your skills and talents. Whether it’s your partner, friends or colleagues, ask those who know you for ideas of things you can experiment with to fill your time differently. Don’t assume people are too busy to see you, all they need is to know that you would like to meet up.
Jill is an avid photographer and particularly enjoys Colorado sunsets. If she won the lottery tomorrow, Jill would create a pet sanctuary where the community would unite. In her time here, Karlie trained as a clinical supervisor and an Acudetox therapist.