Knowing how to stop alcohol addiction isn’t always easy, and many people don’t know where to start. Not only is the person struggling, but the whole family suffers as well. Addiction is a powerful disease that can completely change a person and tear families apart. For many, it doesn’t make sense how a person can go from loving, kind and generous to selfish, deceitful and mentally unstable.
To gain freedom from an active alcohol addiction, individuals need to take certain steps. The first step is acknowledging that you’ve lost control of your drinking. Without understanding that you’re incapable of solving this problem on your own, you won’t experience recovery. Once you do come to this conclusion, you’ll need the willingness to make changes in your life.
How to Stop Alcohol Addiction: Surrendering
When many people hear the word “surrender”, they associate it with loss or defeat. Unfortunately, individuals struggling with alcoholism chase the idea that they can somehow drink like other people for months or years. When individuals keep chasing this delusional thought, they make their problems worse.
People aren’t entirely at fault if they can’t realize they’ve lost control. For example, those with alcoholism have problems within the prefrontal cortex. That portion of the brain has many responsibilities, including self-awareness. Therefore, affected individuals aren’t always capable of seeing how bad their drinking has become.
The H.O.W. of How to Stop Alcohol Addiction
Acknowledging the problem is the first step toward recovery. However, it’s a huge first step that many people can’t—or won’t—take. The work doesn’t stop after admitting there’s a problem, though. Recovery requires a new way of living, which involves the acronym H.O.W.:
- Honesty: Being honest with oneself and others
- Open-mindedness: Being open to suggestions and new ways of thinking
- Willingness: Committing to putting suggestions to practical use
Those who succeed in alcoholism recovery apply the above principles. Moreover, once individuals realize that their way of doing things isn’t working, they can begin to recover. Although this may incite deflated pride and ego, it’s also liberating.
Getting Help Today
Located in Portland, Oregon, Crestview Recovery is available to help you or your loved one overcome alcohol addiction. Our beautiful 30-bed facility offers a wide range of treatments to help people recover. From dual diagnosis therapy to trauma therapy, we’ll give you the addiction treatment and compassionate care you deserve.
Sadly, however, we know that alcohol addiction is not the only addiction in the United States today. There are a variety of addictions that plague people around the United States today, and each of them needs treatment. Fortunately, Crestview Recovery treats many of these addictions, such as:
To learn more, or if you’re ready to begin a new life, call Crestview Recovery today at 866.262.0531.
Since 2016, Dr. Merle Williamson, a graduate of Oregon Health Sciences University, has been the Medical Director at Crestview Recovery, bringing a rich background in addiction medicine from his time at Hazelden Treatment Center. He oversees outpatient drug and alcohol treatments, providing medical care, setting policies, detox protocols, and quality assurance measures. Before specializing in addiction medicine, he spent 25 years in anesthesiology, serving as Chair of Hospital Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Chief of Anesthesia at Kaiser Permanente. This experience gives him a unique perspective on treating prescription drug addiction.
