Why it is DIFFICULT to Quit Drinking Alcohol
Before getting into the crux of the matter – articles that give tips on how to quit drinking alcohol, I would like first to take this opportunity to answer some simple yet puzzling questions that many people cannot seem to hit a definite and solid answer thus far (or they ignore this subject because they consider this irrelevant when in fact the answer/s are the most important factors): Why is it difficult to quit drinking alcohol even though one is already aware of the negative effects, personal and domestic problems and health issues associated with this addictive and enslaving substance?
Furthermore, why does an individual still continue to consume and abuse alcohol despite the fact that he recognizes there is an important need to stop drinking? Why is it so hard to keep away from alcohol albeit the determination, interest and willingness of the person to undergo the process? And why can some people successfully and effectively quit with minimal efforts, whereas others who put enormous amount of energy to stop their drinking habit still failed to achieve recovery?
Well, these questions really need individual and clear-cut answers. Because the answers are the essential key elements in quitting alcohol and serve as strong foundations in maintaining abstinence.
The Importance of Knowing the Reasons
It is important to identify the reasons why you find it difficult to stop drinking alcohol. Knowing the answer to the above-mentioned questions will give someone time to think clearly before getting started and decipher possible grounds hidden behind the roots of the drinking problem. If an individual recognizes the exact part where he should put his focus, he can concentrate on that part, dedicating all the efforts for that specific issue.
It is like testing the feel of the water, initially allowing the real issues to float up, and then dealing with them completely while setting aside the least important matters. It can also become the realization point in which a person gathers the valuable characteristics he needs so that the quitting process goes through a smooth and clear sailing.
If someone wishes to have an alcohol free life, one doesn't need to be wise as Solomon. Learning the reasons why it is hard to stop drinking is enough in starting and carrying out the mission since one will clearly see what to hit, where to hit and when to hit.
This article provides (some) reasons why a person finds it difficult to quit drinking alcohol. And this is the starting point of one’s quit drinking journey.
Why Are You Having Trouble Quitting Alcohol
Let us not sugar coat the answer, shall we?
1. You Believe a Make Believe
Drinking alcohol, or abusing it, in some instances, may have helped you numerous times in dealing with personal problems and daily pressures of life. It serves as an anesthetic that deals with emotional pain due to, perhaps, recent romantic break up or domestic problems; it even alters your brain to believe that there is no problem at all. It drowns your worrying. It gets rid of your fears, your insecurities, worries and distress - even your inhibitions. Alcohol makes your life optimistic, meaningful, satisfied and interesting.
Abandonment is definitely not in favor of your will as a result of these factors. Quitting alcohol is against some of your physical and psychological faculties because you believe a make believe scenario - that you are giving something up that is valuable, significant and helpful.
2. It is Difficult to Quit Drinking Alcohol Because Your Enemy is Your Self
Although some of your senses are telling you that quitting alcohol is a smart decision, there are still opposing forces inside you. This is normal because alcohol has managed to condition your consciousness as a useful and risk-free companion. Many people, like you, have that strong belief - that drinking alcohol somehow benefits them. Why quit when alcohol can be utilized for social gatherings, celebrations, family bonding and enjoyable experience? Why do we need to give alcohol up if it can be used for recreational activities?
Although you are seeking for ways to quit drinking alcohol, you may probably have doubts on yourself if you could really leave and give up “the love of your life” permanently. You are most likely confused whether you can say no to every drinking invitation. You are concerned about your ability to handle problems and issues without help from the booze. Your senses are not in line with each other, safe to say that you are against yourself. And that makes quitting drinking even harder to imagine.
3. You Find It Hard to Quit Drinking Because of Roots
The roots that are strongly planted inside you can dictate the level of difficulty. These roots inflict serious damages in your life. It causes you to feel depressed and lonely. Depression and loneliness are enough to push you towards alcohol and make you believe that drinking can alleviate or cleanse the pain, when in fact, alcohol abet this sadness to grow. It worsens the depression that is already there because alcohol, as a kind of depressant, works for that matter perfectly.
There are also roots that reappear from the past. Unpleasant incidents that happened long ago can still cause destruction and can consume your mind. These roots usually preoccupy you automatically and alcohol being your painkiller will definitely grab the opportunity to prove once again that you can use it to “forget” these episodes from haunting you.
These roots create false impressions and your brain uses these as legitimate reasons to justify your drinking habit even if you know deep inside that more problems can arise in an instant once the drinking habit becomes a dependency.
4. You Deny Having Drinking Problems – That’s Why
You don’t admit the real fact. And you continue to pretend there is no problem although your family and friends inform you otherwise. You keep on telling yourself that you can stop drinking if the situation demands you to do so. If you allow this attitude, you cannot accomplish anything. You will be trapped to the hamster’s wheel with minimal chance of survival.
Denying your drinking problem is the first sign of alcohol addiction and is common in the early stage of dependency. You are using this phenomenon as a defense mechanism to escape from reality. This information usually goes to the extent of hiding the actual drinking from your loved ones. In addition, you decline any discussions about this and reject outside help.
This state of denial creates confusion on your part. It eventually modifies the thinking behavior of the brain in distinguishing right from wrong. Denying is lying to yourself and the people around you. The preliminary point of the quitting journey is the realization that drinking alcohol is doing more harm than good. Besides, how can you break away from your drinking problem if you are constantly denying there is an actual problem that exists after all?
5. You Think that You Have no Way Out
You had several attempts in quitting alcohol, all went unsuccessful. Depression sets in, hopelessness follows. Your mind is starting to think that you have no way out. You decided to ignore your condition, forcing yourself to disregard all the problems associated with the negative habit.
From being positive, you became pessimistic. You give up trying and feel pity of yourself because you consider your life miserable and the only positive left is alcohol. You feel that you should have that bottle in your hands and denying it adds tension to the existing misery you’re going through. How would you quit if the agony of the quitting process is the main reason why you don’t want to quit?
6. You Consider your Life Boring and Meaningless without Alcohol
Alcohol has been a long time partner, probably, a fulfilling buddy that has been on the side countless times of the ups and downs in one’s life. It is a steadfast companion even when no one is around, and leaving it out of the cold is perhaps one of the most unfavorable decisions in life.
How can someone leave a “loved one” that has become part of his whole being? Why should a person suddenly forget something so precious that it has convinced him it is a necessary component for social gathering, celebrations and relaxation? How will someone quit drinking if he believes alcohol has the power to help him handle everyday stress? How do you abandon this “tool and weapon” if you already accepted alcohol as your only chance of survival? Will you still be alive and functional if they take away the most important thing that causes your breathing?
7. Influence from Others, Peer Pressure and the Inability to Say No
You are having difficulty in quitting alcohol because you let others decide for you. Your friends and family dictates the principle that triggers you to engage to activities that involve drinking. You don’t like the idea but because you don’t know how to resist the temptation, you will likely accept any invitation being thrown to you. You are also afraid that people around you won’t like you. Or you want to fit in with the group so you just give in and go with the flow.
People in your environment influence the result of your actions when it comes to quitting drinking, even if you don’t realize it. They are only passengers in your car but you obey their advice on where you should bring the wheel.
Is There an Easy Way to Quit Drinking Alcohol?
There is no easy way to escape this dilemma, no shortcuts in quitting alcohol. There is no magical wand that can instantly resolve the problems, no pills or capsule that can immediately wipe out all the existing problems brought about by alcohol abuse. You need to go through the process. You have to allow the quitting process to take its course, even if it takes a while.
I noticed a lot of websites preaching that quitting alcohol is just as easy as A-B-C. This is only based on their wild imaginations and the result of an illusion. In reality, quitting alcohol is almost synonymous to breaking up with your long time girlfriend or boyfriend. It is one of those easier-said-than-done tasks that requires enormous amount of time, patience, critical thinking and ability to stay focused. It is difficult, in every essence of the word, requiring lots of efforts and skills to accomplish and move forward. This is a serious matter that needs serious attention. People who are struggling to get out of alcohol should tackle first the reasons why they seem to be under pressure when they try to quit so that the process starts on where it should start.
Maintaining Abstinence Can Also Be Tricky
Maintaining abstinence is equally a complex route, also requiring radical qualities in order to get along. Many individuals, who have managed to get rid of their addictions, whether it is performed in a rehab facility or carried out through their own initiative, later discover that it is extremely difficult to continue their journey to the recovery phase. Preventing themselves from falling into relapse is practically harder than the actual rehabilitation or quitting procedure.
Considering that addiction is accumulated through long period of exposure to substance or alcohol abuse, the strong urge to use and abuse again is expected. In spite of the knowledge and skills learned during the quitting and rehabilitation process, the ability of the habit to control a person’s inner self is possible. And while the physical part is trying its best not to fall back into the negative habit, the psychological and emotional element seems uncooperative. This is because the habit can still likely regenerate and manipulate one’s thoughts and behavior from time to time.
“Falling into relapse doesn't necessarily mean that a person cannot walk back into the right side of the road.”
Quitting Alcohol is Difficult
You know your destination now, you know what you want to accomplish – you recognize you have to quit drinking alcohol. You are about to embark on this journey, you are excited with the changes you are about to perform. But is it really possible to quit drinking alcohol? Is quitting is as simple as A-B-C? Can you achieve and maintain sobriety the way other people do?
Quitting alcohol is a strenuous and tough task, similar to finding one’s self walking on thin ice on barefoot. A tiny bit of error can signify disaster; one wrong move is capable of putting a person down the freezing water beneath the frosted floor, numbing all the parts of the body, hypothermia setting in - affecting voluntary and involuntary muscles, which will result to paralysis that will sooner or later cause death by drowning.
While quitting alcohol maybe the best choice when it comes to lifestyle changes, health, social aspect and personal development, it can also become a nightmare since relapse is a candidate in the process. Falling back into the old habit, just like falling down from thin ice, will create an ensemble of upsetting circumstances that might be unbearable at second time around. This is why a person who has decided to stop his booze adventure and is now seeking for ways to quit drinking alcohol should be well-informed about the quitting procedure. He must be well aware of all the impacts and implications involved in the course in order to completely get through the recovery stage with two feet. Overlooking one or two vital ingredient will surely lead to utter failure. Failing to notice a common element can mean you have to start all over again. Think quitting and recovery as a onetime possibility. And this chance can slip through your fingers.
Yes, quitting alcohol is DIFFICULT - it is far more difficult than figuring out the one-million-dollar-question of Who Wants to be a Millionaire. But, it is POSSIBLE. You can quit drinking alcohol. And you SHOULD start NOW, before it’s too late.
Written by: Aliyah Arsiton for QUIT ALCOHOL NOW Blog