If you’re a heavy drinker and wondering whether you need alcohol addiction counselling to quit drinking altogether or whether it’s better to cut down gradually and perhaps not even stop drinking entirely, here are a few issues to consider.
A number of people who abuse alcohol are able to cut down on their alcohol consumption and successfully return to what would be considered normal drinking. This is drinking of alcohol that poses no significant risk to themselves or others around them. People that can cut down their drinking have control and are not considered to be addicted to alcohol. Support groups are also available for those people who are trying to cut down their alcohol consumption. Cutting down on drinking can be a successful method of changing an alcohol abuse pattern for some people.
Cutting Down Doesn’t Always Work
If you have attempted to cut down on drinking and have found that you suffer severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms or are unable to quit drinking on your own, then it is advisable to seek professional help from a drink rehab clinic and quit drinking altogether. Some people do not manage to cut down or quit drinking on their own. This is not necessarily a reflection of weak will, poor judgment or bad character but could be a sign that the drinking has progressed to such an extent that the disease of alcoholism is now present.
A major reason for trying to quit drinking is if complete loss of control occurs when drinking. Often it’s assumed that the alcoholic needs to make the decision that they’re ‘out of control’, have hit ‘rock-bottom’ and need rehab. When seeking alcoholism advice its important to understand that the alcoholic’s current condition makes them unable to see themselves or their drinking clearly.
It’s precisely because they’re alcoholic, suffering from a brain disease that makes them delusional that we cannot expect them to make sound decisions about their well being.
The alcoholic’s priority is to drink more alcohol, so waiting for them to have a ‘moment of clarity’ that may never come is or prolonging the agony. The fact is that most alcoholics are cajoled, squeezed, pressured and forced into rehab by family, friends and employers and it’s exactly these forms of external pressure that have proven to be useful in getting and keeping the alcoholic in an addiction treatment centre.
Ambivalence is natural for an alcoholic and working with this is an addictions treatment consultants specialty. Alcoholism is a treatable brain disorder. Contact us today for help in arranging an immediate admission to a suitable detox. If you are able to regularly have a drink or two and call it a day, then you may be able to contemplate cutting down rather than quitting. However if those couple of drinks cause a craving for more drinks, it would be foolish to cut down and much wiser to try quit drinking.
Quitting is a Serious Option
The following are several good reasons to quit drinking alcohol:
- Diagnosis or symptoms of alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence.
- Medical conditions including chronic pain, cirrhosis of the liver, heart conditions, hepatitis C and mental disorders.
- Taking certain medications that have negatively side effects with alcohol.
- Pregnancy.
- History of alcoholism in the family.
- Age related factors.
- Any injuries related to alcoholism.
- Sleep disorders due to alcohol.
- Sexual dysfunction due to alcohol.
You Need to Decide Whether to Cut Down or to Quit
Whatever you decide to do in the end, whether it is to cut down or to quit drinking, help and support is available. It is best to seek help whichever route you choose, as it will be a process. The best news is that you don’t have to attempt it alone.