Overview

While some people can stop drinking alcohol on their own, others need medical help to manage the physical process of withdrawal. Talk to your doctor about whether you need to withdraw from alcohol under medical care. Your doctor can give you medicine that will help you safely withdraw from alcohol. Other medicines might be prescribed later to help you stay in recovery. A doctor's help to withdraw from alcohol is safer when you drink heavily or have used alcohol for a long time.

If you want to stop drinking alcohol, having a plan can help you get started. Here's how.

• Set a date to stop drinking.
• Know your reasons.

  Make a list of your reasons for wanting to stop. You're more likely to succeed if you know exactly why you want to change. Keep this list so that you can renew your commitment from time to time.

• Have a plan to deal with barriers.

  Many things can get in the way of meeting your goal to stop drinking. If your current life revolves around alcohol use, you might need to think about making some changes. In your plan, include ways to deal with barriers. For example:

  • Spend time with people who support your choice to stop using alcohol.
  • Try to avoid places or events that make you want to drink. Stay away from bars where you used to drink. Plan ways to avoid drinking when you are tempted.
  • Make a list of people you trust to support you. Know how to reach them when you need to talk.
  • Make a list of places you can go where you are not tempted to drink. This might include a friend's place, a coffee shop, a mutual support group, or a community program.
  • Stay active. Doing things that you like to do fills time in healthy ways. Think about how you would like to spend your free time. For example, you could volunteer, take a class that interests you, or play sports.
  • Avoid temptation by getting rid of all alcohol in your home.
• Post and share your plan.

  Post your plan in a place where you can see it often, such as on your refrigerator door or bathroom mirror. You might want to put it in more than one place. You also might want to put it on a card and keep it in your purse or wallet.

  Share your plan with others. Talk with your family members and trusted friends about your plan. Let them know how they can help you to succeed.

• Evaluate your progress.

  Figure out how you will know if your plan is working. How often will you look at your plan to decide what to keep doing and what to change? You can do this every day or every week to catch early signs that something is not right. You can also look at your plan every month to give you time to create new habits.

  Review your reasons for stopping alcohol use. Are they still the same or do you need to add more? Write down the benefits you see. Are there changes in how your body feels? Or with your moods? Are there changes in your relationships with family and friends, or at school or work? How much money you have?
  
  If you drank after successfully stopping (relapse), it doesn't mean that you've failed. Start again, and use your experience to help you learn how to stick with your plan this time.

• Stick with your plan.

  Try your plan for 1, 7, or 30 days. Then keep going for another 1, 7, or 30 days. Keep repeating.

  It's not easy to change a habit. But the more you practice new behaviours, the more likely it is that they will become habits. If you try this plan but aren't successful, talk with your doctor or addiction counsellor about other ways to stop drinking alcohol.

• Go to a mutual support group like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or SMART Recovery.

  Some people attend mutual support groups to help them stick to their plan to stop drinking. If you aren't sure if a mutual support group is for you but would like to try, go to a group at least 3 times before you decide. Try another group if the first one doesn't fit your needs.

• Reward yourself.

  Plan to treat yourself every time you reach one of your goals. It could be watching your favourite movie or just having some quiet time to yourself.

• Think about whether a community-based or live-in treatment program is right for you.

  Once you have stopped drinking, you may find you need more help while working through your plan. Consider whether a live-in program where you stay overnight for 19 to 42 days is right for you. There are also community programs where you come during the day and go to your own home at night.