Alcohol recovery is tough, tenuous and possible. It is hard work to stop drinking when that has been what you have used to numb, comfort, entertain and medicate. The first step is to admit you need to recover and to figure out what action you can take to begin that journey.
Misconceptions
You may believe that you do not have a problem with alcohol because you are not what you consider a typical "drunk:" homeless, in rags, holding a paper bag in which you attempt to hide your shame, the cheap wine bottle. The truth is that the majority of people who abuse alcohol and/or are addicted to alcohol do not live that way. If you have tried to stop and you can't, you probably have a problem. If you have been told by family members that you drink too much, you probably have a problem. If you have skipped work due to hangovers, you might need to explore recovery. If you have to drink in order to not feel sick, you may need help. The basic rule of thumb is that if alcohol is causing problems in relationships, work, legally, or physically; you may have a problem that you need to address.
Types
There are a couple of kinds of recovery. The first is one that is often called "dry drunk." This may be what you have if you stop drinking and do not deal with the underlying issues that caused you to begin to abuse alcohol. This kind of non drinking life is one where you do not use alcohol, but you are not necessarily enjoying the abstinent life. Alcohol abuse and addiction are so big that when they are removed, something needs to be put in their place. If nothing is consciously used to replace alcohol, then usually what happens is that the ex-drinker becomes an angry, bitter, unhappy, yet alcohol-free person.
The other type of recovery is one that is true recovery and called that. It is one where the alcoholic stops drinking but has support, encouragement, sober friends, and tools with which to remain sober. They are aware of what their life was and what it could be. This is the kind of recovery that you can have.
Prevention/Solution
After identifying that there is a problem, someone seeking to stop drinking should call an expert for help. This expert does not need to be a paid professional. It just needs to be someone who understands addiction and can point the individual in the right direction and assist them as they move that way. It may be that the expert is a friend or family member, or a name out of the phone book when looking under Alcoholics Anonymous. Starting the process is the hardest, so involving people who care and will hold you accountable is a key to follow through. Asking for help is not easy, but it is necessary.
Considerations
You should carefully consider your options when dealing with quitting alcohol. If you are physically addicted and would be sick without drinking, you need to seek medical intervention to detox. You can die from alcohol withdrawal if you have reached that point in your alcoholism. You may not know what that point is, so it is important to check with a medical professional before beginning to stop.
You should decide what treatment avenue would work best for you. You may do well with community support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous, SMART Recovery, or Celebrate Recovery. Yet, you may try these and find that you need more intensive help. There are outpatient and inpatient programs that may work well for you. You can look in local phone books or online for treatment providers in your area. They are confidential and often will screen you over the phone and give you feedback on the best program for you. You can also call the nationwide addictions assistance helpline at 1-800-559-9503.
Warning
Alcohol recovery is a misnomer. In order to be in recovery, you have to admit that you are never really recovered. It is not like healing from a cold, where you have it, then it's done. It is a daily choice and process. It is not easy, and it is quite possible that there will be relapses along the way. The biggest mistake you could make in your dealing with alcohol is to believe that you have won and no longer have this issue to with which to struggle.
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