Are you wondering if you actually need to stop drinking alcohol? Are you Googling, “Am I an alcoholic?”, “Do I drink too much?”, or “Am I addicted to alcohol?”
It’s a question we hear a lot. And the truth is, the thought of removing alcohol from your life entirely is absolutely intimidating.
What will life be like? Will I ever have fun again? Will people still like me? What will I do at night? How will I get through hard times? Will I never be able to really relax again? I don’t know how to deal with sadness, anxiety, depression, or stress without alcohol!
All of those thoughts are completely understandable. It’s hard to commit to something when it’s almost impossible to even imagine what it’ll be like.
If you’re asking Google if you need to quit, there’s a good chance you already know the answer, and you’re just hoping Google says something different.
But I’m gonna share some thoughts here, based on my own experiences, and help you know for certain if it’s time for you to quit drinking.
Let’s dig in.
4 Signs you need to quit drinking.
Only you know for sure if this is something you need to do. No blog article or Google search can answer that question for you. But to help you feel certain, here are some tell-tale signs that it’s time to ditch the booze and take your life back.
If you’re ready to quit, and you’re looking for some anonymous support, check out our Facebook group – Recovery Your Way.
It’s Time To Quit Sign #1: You keep trying (and failing) to limit your alcohol intake
I remember telling myself, “I’ll only have two drinks tonight,” or “I’m only going to drink on the weekends.” Or how about, “I’m only going to drink on special occasions,” but then every evening turned into a special occasion.
I knew I was drinking too much. That wasn’t even a question. And I didn’t want to be drinking so much – so I thought I’d make rules to keep myself in check.
But it never worked.
Here’s what I’ve learned about making rules and trying to moderate alcohol intake – it’s easier in the long run to just stop drinking.
It gets exhausting trying to make rules, change them so they don’t feel so hard to keep, failing, making new rules, etc. etc. When I was doing that, it felt like all I was doing was thinking about when I could drink again, what was acceptable and what wasn’t.
Not drinking at all feels like freedom from the mental gymnastics.
It’s Time To Quit Sign #2: You lie about how much you drink
When was the last time your doctor asked you how much you drink, and you were actually honest?
When I saw the chart that said 7 drinks per week for women is “normal”, I cringed. 7 drinks per week? That’s how many drinks I had in one average night. And then I tried to look as honest as I could when I told the doctor, “Oh, maybe 6 or 7 drinks per week.”
I had hiding places all around my home where I’d stash bottles, so I could have sips without my husband knowing. He’d only see me have a couple of glasses of wine with dinner. The other 5 or 6 drinks were always had in secret.
I didn’t want to be honest with him, and I didn’t want to be honest with myself.
How often do you lie about how much you drink?
It’s Time To Quit Sign #3: It’s causing problems in your life
And it doesn’t have to be big problems.
Calling out of work more often than you should because you feel awful in the morning? Snapping at your kids or your spouse because you’ve had a bit too much to drink? Gaining more weight than you’d like, from all the empty calories?
Problems start out small. But they’ll get bigger. And it’s not a matter of “if” – it’s a matter of “when.”
The good thing is – you don’t have to wait for the little problems to become big problems to decide it’s time to stop.
It’s Time to Quit Sign #4: You notice withdrawal symptoms or negative health effects
Can I just tell you – one of my favorite things about not drinking anymore is that I don’t have to constantly worry about what I’m doing to my body.
The nausea. The headaches. The shaking hands in the morning. Not remembering things I’d said or done the night before. Stomach pains and heartburn that I knew weren’t caused by something I ate.
Just dealing with the physical misery was bad enough, but the worry that came with it made it that much worse. I scared myself badly, more than a few times.
Your body will tell you when it’s time to make a change. You just have to be willing to listen.
So you know you need to quit… what’s stopping you?
If you’ve read this list, and you’re relating to a lot of it more than you wanted to; if you’re finally being honest with yourself and you’re listening to your body and everything is saying, “Yeah… you really do need to quit drinking,” what is standing in your way?
Here are some of the most common concerns we hear from clients:
- I don’t want to be bored and lonely, and right now my life and my friends all revolve around drinking.
- I’ve got a lot of stress and anxiety in my life, and I need alcohol to help me deal with it.
- I can’t imagine the idea of never drinking alcohol again.
Does any of that sound familiar?
When you haven’t lived a sober lifestyle before, it can be hard to imagine what it’ll be like, and it can be hard to believe it’s really a lot more enjoyable.
Challenge those fears.
The best version of sobriety is one that doesn’t feel like a fight. It doesn’t feel sad and lonely and hopeless. It doesn’t feel like you’re giving up your best friend.
Imagine living a life where alcohol doesn’t even cross your mind anymore. You have friendships that are based on meaningful connection. You have so much fun sober that you’re happy you don’t have to drink anymore. You’re less stressed out, and you handle hard emotions in a much healthier way.
That’s the version of sobriety that feels good… and it’s entirely within your reach.
Changing those beliefs, challenging those fears, is the foundation of a joyful, fulfilling life without alcohol.
That’s a wrap!
I hope you’ve read some things that have helped to answer your questions about whether or not your drinking is problematic.
If you’ve read through these signs and feel like you’re ready to take some steps toward quitting alcohol, but you’re feeling intimidated and are unsure where to start – just know you’re not alone. We’ve got resources all over this website that will help you know what to do next – have a look around!
Be sure to sign up for our weekly newsletter, and you’ll get access to our free Zoom meeting where you can meet other people who have made the same decision. Nothing beats connecting with others when it comes to doing hard things.
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- What causes relapses? Here’s what I learned when I drank after 14 months sober. - April 29, 2024