According to WHO, the average age of alcohol consumption is now as low as 17 years. Alcohol in many instances has been used as a sedative to help people forget things they would rather not remember. Many others have gotten into alcohol as a result of curiosity or simply peer pressure.
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Whatever the reasons, research has also shown that these reasons are not worth the medical damage that alcohol consumption causes to the body. From memory loss to motor function impairment, none of these is worth a shot. Unfortunately, many know this reality but struggle with the decision to be sober. Here are a few tips on how to overcome alcohol addiction.
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Find A Reason
It is true that the medical consequences of alcohol addiction are terrible, however, these reasons can scarcely keep a person away from a bottle unless they have decided that this is enough reason to stay away from the bottle.
This is because a study has shown that alcohol consumption causes impairment of brain functions therefore making logical decisions is next to impossible. What this means is that there must be a reason i.e. family or loved one that is stronger than logic.
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Find A Mentor
It is important to find someone that overcame the addiction. This person would serve as a beacon to the fact that staying sober is possible. If it is within your power, you can establish contact with them and allow them to guide the journey to becoming sober.
This mentor must not serve as an accountability partner. They just have to be a beacon to something better.
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Find A Community
Most developed countries have accountability communities or groups where transformed addicts come to share their stories. They form some sort of family around the addict to help them overcome the challenges.
Giving up the bottle can be hard especially when the brain has retrained itself to depend on it. This community’s job is usually to share the hurdles they faced and how they overcame them. It would help the addict to see that staying sober is possible.
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Find A Job
Find something other than yourself that would keep you busy. A job or a hobby you love would distract you from the bottle. Most addiction stems from having nothing to do other than jobs that people hate. Finding a hobby you love can keep you distracted until your brain neurons begin to repair themselves and you can have a normal day without thinking about the bottle.
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Find A Church
According to research by Brian Grimm, 73% of addiction based treatments have a spiritual element. There would surely be back and forth here but the fact is that having a community of people who love you unreservedly with no judgement to your present condition truly speeds up recovery.
Despite all this, the truth remains that one cannot effectively overcome an alcohol addiction without the decision to do so and a group of people to support that decision. The good news is that the effects of alcohol on the brain begin to reverse after a period of two weeks. From the Editors desk, cheers to getting dry!
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