In the recovery world, there is often talk about “hitting rock bottom.” Hitting rock bottom is a different experience for different people. Still, it generally refers to the point where alcohol use has caused your life to become so chaotic and unmanageable that you admit there’s a problem. Many people with substance use disorders require a dramatic event or series of events to reach their breaking point, but it’s not necessary to let your life spin out of control before deciding it’s time to quit drinking.
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Anytime you feel ready to get sober is the right time. There’s no need to wait for a crisis. If you’re worried about your alcohol consumption, there’s no shame in asking a professional about whether you may be dependent on alcohol or developing an addiction. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a disease that can progress slowly or quickly, but it always progresses. The effects of alcohol addiction worsen with time, causing more severe physical, emotional, mental, financial, and relationship problems.
Signs You Are Ready to Quit Drinking and Get Sober
Addiction is a disease that thrives on denial and avoidance. Long-term alcohol abuse can have a lasting effect on the brain and lead to mental health concerns like anxiety and depression. As dependence grows, alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be severe and even life-threatening. All of these factors can make it difficult for people with AUD to fully embrace the challenge of building a life in recovery.
Understanding the following signs of addiction will help you recognize whether alcohol use is causing problems in your life:
- Temporary blackouts
- Short-term memory loss (can’t remember what happened while you were drinking)
- Drinking alone or drinking secretly
- Making excuses to drink, such as having a hard day or wanting to celebrate
- Feeling hungover or shaky when you stop drinking
- Feeling irritable and having mood swings
- Not attending events where alcohol isn’t present
- Isolating from friends and family members
- Choosing to drink even when it interferes with your responsibilities
- Putting yourself or others in danger, such as drinking and driving or drinking when you are caring for children
- Finding new friends or acquaintances who also drink a lot
- Planning your drinking for the day and making sure there is alcohol in the house
Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you go too long without a drink is a sign your body has become physically dependent on alcohol. Mild withdrawal symptoms include strong cravings, flu-like symptoms, shaking, and anxiety. Severe withdrawal symptoms like confusion, rapid heartbeat, and delirium tremens (DTs) can endanger a person’s health.
If you are experiencing withdrawal symptoms within a few hours of your last drink, or if you are showing warning signs of addiction, it’s time to get help. An alcohol addiction treatment center has the trained clinicians, medical expertise, and resources to help you live a healthy, alcohol-free life.
Get Serious – Get Sober at Clear Life Recovery Alcohol Rehab in Costa Mesa
When recognizing the signs of addiction aren’t enough to motivate a person to quit drinking, it may take some kind of crisis to prompt a change. Unfortunately, for people struggling with alcohol use disorder, crises are easy to come by.
It is time to quit drinking when you realize your alcohol use is causing one or more of the following problems.
1. You Are Lying
Addiction causes people to lie to themselves, the people they love, their employers and employees, and even to strangers. If you are lying to hide your alcohol use, ask yourself why. Are you ashamed of your alcohol use or worried about how much you consume? Even an “innocent” lie like telling a coworker you stayed at home and did yard work over the weekend when you actually spent the weekend consuming alcohol indicates you know others would be concerned about your behavior.
2. Your Healthy Relationships Are Suffering
At some point, people with AUD realize they mostly spend time with others who drink. If your spouse, children, and old friends start avoiding you, take an honest assessment of your behavior. If you are frequently inebriated, hungover, or anxiously awaiting the next drink, the healthy people in your life might start to distance themselves.
3. You Are Not Meeting Your Responsibilities
You’re missing work or school because you’re hungover or still feeling inebriated the morning after drinking. You’re the main childcare provider in your family, but you’re too sick from drinking to give your kids the attention and care they deserve. If either of these scenarios describes your life, it is time to quit drinking and reclaim your life. Don’t wait until you lose your job or one of your children gets injured.
4. Drinking Isn’t Fun Anymore
There comes a time when addiction tells you to keep drinking even when it’s hurting you and those you love. Drinking alcohol can be an unhealthy way to cope with difficult feelings or circumstances, including those caused by alcohol addiction. You may begin to drink alone or in large amounts to avoid psychological or physical pain. Alcohol addiction can become a damaging cycle in which drinking is what causes harm and offers the illusion of relief.
When It’s Time to Quit Drinking and Get Sober, Call Clear Life Recovery
Don’t wait until alcohol or substance use disorders have robbed you of your health, family, or financial security. Contact us today to get help for alcohol addiction at Clear Life Recovery alcohol rehab in Costa Mesa, Orange County. Talk to your doctor or your mental health care provider about the benefits of alcohol addiction treatment center programming, including medically supervised detox that can keep you safe and comfortable during withdrawal.
