Quitting Alcohol and Depression

In quitting alcohol, depression can make you struggle more. And suffer more…

depression and alcohol addiction

Depression is the vitamin for any kind of addiction. It boosts energy and strengthens alcoholism. In most cases, it is the root of the drinking problem. Many people have been hooked, and are now suffering, because they ignore this situation. Without proper handling, depression will create a never ending cycle in the part of the alcoholic and one can’t win in the process even if he has the determination to quit drinking alcohol.

I realized that it is one of the major reasons why I, in the first place, was totally bitten by the jagged teeth of alcoholism. There are lots of depressing events and mistakes in my past that generate rants and sentiments. And those negative episodes in the past play a very big role in my drinking problems now. I handled such negative events by means of befriending of what I had believed previously can solve those problems. I have learned it the hard way.

Depression makes an individual who is quitting alcohol more vulnerable and prone to alcohol cravings, that very strong desire to drink again. It also serves as a trigger for relapse, paranoia and withdrawal symptoms. Depression makes a person feels sad, alone and hopeless. This condition will make his shell fragile and powerless. And if a person is weak, defenseless and unguarded, he will find himself back in the palm of alcohol addiction again.

If you are quitting alcohol, your mind and body are both experiencing reactions from the quitting process. A great deal manifests when you quit cold turkey. Your mind and body “think” you are taking away something that is important – an essential component that they need in order to stay alive. Your system senses that there is an insufficient supply of what is necessary for them to function well, which is, in this case - alcohol.

This is what alcohol withdrawal symptoms is all about. The sudden halt will cause your mind and body to show reactions - short term symptoms which include those feelings of sadness and despair. And when your mind and body feel that loneliness, they will sooner or later seek for “that essential component” in order to be happy, thus, triggering your entire system to crave for alcohol. If you allow this step in, you will see a bottle of hard drink in front of you. And in your back, the abstract figure of alcohol addiction laughing.

Depression is not something that you plan. But it is right around the corner. It is present the minute you decide to stop drinking alcohol. Sitting and waiting. It will stand up if you allow it to happen. Depression will take possession of your inner self, getting through the physical, emotional and psychological part of you until it surrounds your whole system, affecting your mind and body. Sometimes, you will have these feeling of irritability, loneliness and depression, all at the same time for no reason at all. These are all interconnected with withdrawal symptoms and getting rid of a habit. If an individual trying to quit drinking alcohol feels depressed, the shadow of the addiction will gradually sets in and will go through without warnings.

Depression happens when you allow those negative thoughts to rekindle. Because the addiction is already into the system, it is easier for it to light up itself again. There is already a sketch of pattern into the drawing board. Depression only needs to follow the pattern in order to illustrate the real picture.

Avoid getting those negative thoughts to set in when you are in the process of quitting alcohol. Choose to be happy, most of the time if not all the time. There are lots of positive things to be thankful about. Think of your family. Make them your inspiration, your ultimate encouragements. They will serve as a constant reminder that you need to stick with your plans on quitting and will pull you away from the ledge. They are actually your effective motivations. Think of them as a structure that will give way and collapse if you drink again.

I am not saying that you stop thinking. I am saying though that you need to change the way you think. If you are thinking of what you do not have in the past, then, now is the time to think the other way around. You need to filter those thoughts.

I know I need to be aware all the time. The cravings, the symptoms, the relapse are just around the corner. If I am weak and if I allow alcohol addiction to penetrate again, it will rekindle its flame and it will be very difficult for me to start again and put down the fire.

It is necessary for me to be vigilant. Quitting alcohol is a never ending task. Just like a mouse running in a circular roller coaster. If you stop moving, you may end up rolling over.

Quitting alcohol is a serious issue. We should be aware of that and we should always remember the fact that we cannot pull an instant solution out of a hat. We need to act. We need to continuously do something.

Pull out all the stops to quit drinking alcohol. Recovery is also just around the corner. Say hello now.