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As you change your drinking, it’s normal and common to have urges or a craving for alcohol. The words “urge” and “craving” refer to a broad range of thoughts, physical sensations, or emotions that tempt you to drink, even though you have at least some desire not to. You may feel an uncomfortable pull in two directions or sense a loss of control. Millions of readers rely on HelpGuide.org for free, evidence-based resources to understand and navigate mental health challenges. Please donate today to help us save, support, and change lives.
Ask for support from a friend, family member, healthcare provider, or someone else who will support your choice to drink less. Decide how many days a week you plan to drink and how many drinks you plan to have. For instance, you might decide to only drink on a Friday night or Saturday night and have one drink.
Let’s get you even closer to finding new hope and life in sobriety. Becoming more aware of your alcohol triggers and reasons for drinking can help you plan ways to help manage the urge to drink. Family relationships influence drinking behavior, how to stop drinking and these relationships often change during an individual’s recovery. Using one or more of several types of psychological therapies, psychologists can help people address psychological issues involved in their problem drinking.
It’s always wise to check with your doctor — she should be able to help you decide whether it is best for you to cut back or to abstain. People who are dependent on alcohol, or have other medical or mental health problems, should stop drinking completely. https://ecosoberhouse.com/ Spouses and children of heavy drinkers may face family violence; children may suffer physical and sexual abuse and neglect and develop psychological problems. Women who drink during pregnancy run a serious risk of damaging their fetuses.
As you build tolerance, you become quite skilled at acting relatively “normal” even though you may have a very high blood alcohol concentration . Students will engage in poor judgment or risky dangerous behaviors because they feel they are fine. In order to moderate use, temporary abstinence is the best way to get there.