How to stop drinking alcohol.

Did you drink too much again last night?  Here are some free tips on how to stop drinking alcohol.

As a hypnotist in Dallas I support people that want to stop a habit whether it is smoking too much, eating too much, biting their nails, being angry, or drinking too much. The first step in doing so is having awareness over the specifics of the habit, the other is removing triggers and another is creating a new healthier habit. 

How to stop drinking alcohol.

To start this process, read and answer the following questions to gain more awareness.

• State your habit.
• List of the reasons you want to stop drinking alcohol.
• List the reasons you don’t want to stop drinking alcohol.
• Make a list of needs your habit might be fulfilling.
• List ways you have available to fill your needs if you don’t have the habit.
• What, if anything, are you afraid of when you think about becoming a person that doesn’t drink alcohol?
• Using the info above, describe how your life will be different without the habit. Write in the 1st person, using “I” and “MY”

Now you have an idea of your subconscious motivation to drink too much and some idea of ways you can fill that need with a healthier habit.

Next, watch yourself for about a week, create a picture of the truth about your drinking habit. Also begin to “drink with awareness” noticing how and why you drink (what your triggers are). Here are some guidelines on how to do that:

1)         Keep track of how much you drink. Find a way that works for you.

2)         Counting and measuring.  Know the standard drink sizes so you can count your drinks accurately.

3)         Pacing and spacing.  When you do drink, pace yourself. Sip slowly. Experiment with drinking nonalcoholic drinks between each alcoholic drink. Really notice the taste and the feeling as you shallow and the effects it has on you.

4)         Note what triggers your urge to drink? Perhaps certain people or places make you drink even when you don’t want to. Or certain activities or times of day. Make a mental note of your trigger and change your routine.

Create New Healthy Habits.

 Now that you are more aware of why you drink and what your triggers are, here are some ideas to begin to slow down or to quit drinking (please check with your doctor before altering your drinking patterns as there are some risks of DTs in quitting drinking cold turkey).