New Year Resolve: How To Quit Drinking

‘To quit drinking’ must be on top of the New Year Resolution list for most alcoholics.  New Year always brings positive sentiments in an individual and everyone looks forward to improve their lives during the coming New Year.

So this New Year if your resolve is to stop drinking, you need to get equipped to make this drastic lifestyle change.  First of all one needs to have a very practical plan of action instead of attempting to quit in one day where you may fail most often than not.  So here is a plan of action to make your New Year Resolution a big success.

The first and foremost is the thought that you are attempting something very signicant that helps you, your family, society and the country.  What a great feeling in the New Year that you are going to contribute to a big social cause that helps so many people around you.

The next best thing is to find a support group that can constantly support and motivate you in your efforts.  Many such support groups start new plan for alcoholics in the New Year.  They advice you with the right knowledge that can help you quit gradually.  There are a number of programs ranging from treatment based programs to advice and motivation for heavy drinkers or binge drinkers.

The New Years resolution to quit drinking must be written out in a paper or card.  You need to constantly remind yourself that that this is the most important thing in your life.  For every days improvement reward yourself with a chocolate or a gift that can help you take your attention away from drinking.

Quit Gradually.  If you cut right away you may have withdrawal symptoms which may weaken your resolve.  You may also get tempted after a couple days and go on a binge drink.  The best thing is to cut your drinking by 50% right away and gradually progress to complete abstention within the month.  But for this you must have a day by day plan on paper which must be achieved without deviation.  This will give you major psychological boost and help you achieve your new years resolve.

To achieve your New Year resolution to quit drinking one major support is the power of prayer or affirmations.  You can memorize a prayer or repeat an affirmation.  The spiritual power of prayer can give you good mental solace and support in difficult time. 

Making the resolution in New Year 2009 to quit drinking is not only possible, it's do-able. Obstacles can be exciting and thrilling, or they can be turn-offs and excuses for failure. It's up to the individual.

You Can Read My Book "How To Make 2009 Your Your Most Powerful Year Ever" to help you in your journey to recovery.

The person most likely to succeed is the one who asks: Why not go for it? Why not saddle up and sit back for what could be a fascinating ride?

Srinivasan Gopal

Mild Drinking May Turn Disastrous

If you must have your odd drink to relax  for the evening it is best to do it at home and when you have no other business for the evening where you need to drive to get some place.  It may sound a bit alrmist but it is best not even to step out of your house for a walk or small errands.  The reasons are well documented.

It is now well established that even small quantities of alcohol impairs your judgment where some amount of precision or co-ordination of the mind and body is required.   Even at low doses of alcohol, ability to judge is fairly decreased. 

Low doses could make you aggressive and prone to domestic violence including child abuse.  You turn more talkative, have disregard for social niceties and lose proper etiquettes required for interaction with others.

Depending upon your physical health you also experience some dizziness.

While any type of drinking is not advocated, drink mildly if you must in safe surroundings such as your home where you can get to bed after dinner and be out of harms way.  

Shocking Facts About Alcohol Consumption

Alcoholism is fatal disease. If it is not diagnosed and treated well in time it could result in disastrous consequences for the health if not resulting in untimely and unnatural death. Why I say unnatural is most of the death of alcoholics occur due to avoidable accidents.

The sad part is most of us do not recognize alcoholism as a disease. Alcohol affects our physiology in predictable ways that lead to addiction.

Here are some shocking facts about drinking and consequences of alcoholism

Worldwide alcohol causes 1.8 million deaths, which is 3.2 % of total deaths. US alone accounts for more than 100,000 deaths every year.

Alcoholism is the primary cause of 58.2 million Disability Adjusted Life Years.

Nearly 14 Americans meet with the diagnostic criteria for alcohol use disorders.

Most of the youth who drink get their drink from friends and relatives.

50 % of the alcoholics have a blood relative who is or was an alcoholic or a problem drinker.

About 18% of Americans experience alchol dependence and go through alcohol abuse at some period during their lifetime.

45 % of road fatalities are due to alcohol related crashes.

World wide 20-30% of esophageal cancer, liver cancer, cirrhosis of the liver, homicide, epilepsy, and motor vehicle accidents occur due to alcohol abuse or heavy alcohol consumption.

Global consumption of the alcohol is on the increase especially in developing countries.

So next time around when you reach for that extra drink please keeps these facts in mind.

*Source: WHO & National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism