Do I Really Want To Stop Drinking?

Often, when someone comes into treatment it’s because something bad has happened associated with drinking. This also applies to people coming into treatment who are using some other kind of drug like cocaine, meth or opiates, but here we’ll use alcohol for the sake of simplicity. Maybe the person got a DUI, or their spouse asked them to leave, or they unintentionally put their children in danger while under the influence of alcohol. Most people entering treatment just know that something’s wrong, or someone close to them thinks something’s wrong. The person in distress has likely not considered stopping drinking altogether and what all that entails. 

If someone hasn’t decided to really try to stop drinking, they’ll usually go back to drinking once they feel better, or they’re out of the dog house, or they have paid their fines and are clear of legal trouble. Fear can drive a person to seek help, but fear subsides over time, and if there isn’t a deeper motivation, the person will likely start drinking again, telling themselves this time they’ll do it differently, be more careful, more smart about their drinking.

If the person is an alcoholic, once they start drinking again, the progression continues and the consequences grow worse. A person has to sincerely ask themselves if they want to stop drinking, or if they’re just taking a break. If the person’s sincere, and they know they have a problem, and that it’ll continue to get worse if they continue to drink, then there’s hope.

During the current pandemic, many people have been forced to look at things differently. For someone with an addiction problem, it’s particularly important right now to have a clear head and good judgement. I know it’s hard for someone with an alcohol problem to perceive how life can change significantly for the better if they stop drinking — that’s why it helps so much to trust those who know how much better it can be. 

Science is continually learning more and more about the power of the brain and it’s ability to heal and recover and transform. In the middle of addiction it seems like nothing can change, that a powerful negative force has taken control and it’ll never get better. People can change. People with an addiction problem can change — they can gain clarity and good judgement. It takes work, but it can be done. One of the best things someone in treatment can receive is a picture of the future — if they can imagine even a little what life can be like without the alcohol or other drugs, they can gain the motivation to push forward. This vision of a better future, starting with the present, is a great gift — when one receives it, they should never take it for granted.

Do you want to stop drinking? No one has to commit to stop forever, just give it a try one day at a time for a long enough period of time to understand how sobriety allows you opportunities that addiction closes off. In a world where it becomes more and more important to maintain a clear head and good judgement, I strongly recommend giving sobriety a chance.