A Guide to Low-Level Interventions for Alcoholism
261 people regularly die because of their alcohol use. It can be challenging to rise above alcohol addiction, but it’s possible if you take the proper steps.
If you’re not ready to seek treatment, there are some low-level interventions for alcoholism that can start while you’re at home. The first step is admitting you have a problem and actively finding ways to change.
If you’re unsure of how to stop drinking, we’re here to help. Below you’re going to find tons of information about alcohol intervention and get some advice on the next step after you start implementing different techniques to help you stop drinking.
Use Mindfulness to Your Advantage
14% of people have practiced various meditation techniques at least once in their life. The practice of mindfulness is especially beneficial for people trying to stop drinking because it helps them become more in tune with their bodies and thoughts.
The reason it’s a low-level intervention is that you don’t have to spend a ton of cash to do it, and you don’t need to seek out someone to help you. Several online resources can teach you the art of meditation and ways to incorporate it within your daily routine.
As you practice mindfulness, you’ll begin to realize you can change the way you think. While you won’t always remain positive in every situation with meditation, you can ensure that your thoughts don’t turn into actions leading you to drink.
Practicing mindfulness makes you aware of how you feel and how those feelings and emotions can be triggers.
Challenge Yourself
Some people find themselves thriving in situations where they’re competing against others. When it comes to this form of alcohol intervention, you’re not competing against other people; you’re competing against yourself.
Set a designated time that you will spend 100% alcohol-free. The overall idea of this challenge is to get you to stop drinking and turn over a new leaf in your life.
Although your goal is not to drink, it doesn’t mean everyone will be successful and make it to the time they’ve set for themselves. If you find that you continue to drink and aren’t able to abstain, it’s time to take a deeper look into your alcohol problem.
Why do I drink? What triggers me to drink? These are questions you must ask yourself.
Being honest about your alcohol addiction is the first step in getting the help you need to remain sober. A massive part of treatment is honesty and coming to terms with things that might be unpleasant with the goal of achieving a sober life.
Educate Yourself About Alcoholism
Just because you’ve succumbed to alcohol addiction doesn’t mean you know all there is to know about addiction itself. This intervention can be done on your own because you can find reputable information in various places.
Whether you’re watching a documentary or reading a book, there’s information out there you’ve not heard of but needed to know. For example, people that are in recovery from alcoholism attend alcoholics anonymous meetings.
While the meeting is spent sharing stories with others that have been in the same position you’ve been in, you can also get helpful information from these meetings. This will improve your awareness of the disease and learn other forms of interventions you can implement in your personal journey to recovery.
Have an Accountability Partner
An accountability partner is precisely what it sounds like. It’s when you and someone you trust hold each other accountable, in this case, for not drinking.
This person is someone that will help remind you why you’ve decided to stop drinking and the benefits you stand to reap by quitting. If you find yourself struggling on any given day, you can reach out to them and refocus on the goal you want to achieve.
When you’re choosing your accountability partners, you must find someone on the same page as you. If they aren’t in support of your need to remain alcohol-free, you should find someone else.
Your accountability partner should be a reflection of the life you want to live, meaning they need to abstain from alcohol as well.
Build Your Support System
One thing you’ll learn when you get to treatment is how important having a support system is. This is a massive focus in therapy because your support system is the people that will be there for you when you’re feeling vulnerable in your recovery journey.
Unlike the accountability partner mentioned above, your support system isn’t there to hold you accountable. What they will do is be there for you when you need them by acting as a shoulder to lean on.
Your support system will help you learn new habits and routines that have nothing to do with consuming alcohol. For example, instead of taking you to a nightclub, they might take you to a dance class.
Not only are you doing something you’ve never thought to do, but you’re also learning how to have fun without becoming intoxicated.
Reduce Triggers and Urges
You can’t drink if you’re not able to get your hands on alcohol easily, right? If this is something you can do, the first step is getting rid of all alcohol you currently have in your home.
If you’re not strong enough to get rid of the alcohol yourself, you can always invite someone over to help you dump it. After you’ve gotten rid of everything you have, the next step is making it harder for you to get alcohol.
If you find yourself tempted to wander down the alcohol aisle of a grocery store, choose the delivery or curbside pickup option. This decreases the urge to peruse that aisle because you’re not entering the store.
Another thing you’ll need to do is come up with a plan to avoid any place that serves alcohol.
Write Your Reasons Down
It’s easy to forget why you’ve decided to stop drinking, and that’s why this intervention for alcohol is on this list. Take time to write down why you want to give up alcohol and put it in a place where you can remind yourself daily.
If you find yourself lacking the motivation to continue, revisit your list. In the first few days, the urge might be the strongest, and that’s when doing things like setting a notification or sending yourself a daily email might prove beneficial.
Taper Your Drinking
There are times when you’re going to assume that you should quit drinking, which is called doing it cold turkey. Depending on the severity of your alcohol addiction, this isn’t always a bad idea, but for some, doing this can be deadly.
If your addiction is severe and you understand you could be jeopardizing your life by cutting out alcohol altogether, you need to taper the amount you drink. Commit to only drinking a specified amount each week.
This will help you control you’re drinking until you’re able to seek the help you need from an alcohol treatment center.
Keep an Alcohol Journal
Do you know how much you drink on any given day? If not, this intervention is one you should try. Each day you have a drink document how much your drank and what you decided to drink.
It’s also helpful to document how you were feeling before you decided to drink. As well as the emotions you felt after drinking.
This will give you a written representation of your daily interactions with alcohol. If you didn’t think you have a problem with alcohol reviewing your alcohol journal will put things into perspective and help you change your mindset to make changes in your life.
Have a Plan
Without a plan, it’s easier to change course and do something else. Your plan should detail your goal, which is to stop drinking, and different ways you can accomplish this goal.
What coping strategies have you learned to help you remain alcohol-free? Who can you call when you begin to feel the urge to drink? How much do you drink every day?
Without the answers to these questions, creating a plan that will work for you and where you are currently in your sobriety journey will be challenging.
Low-Level Interventions for Alcoholism
There are several low-level interventions for alcoholism, including having an accountability partner and establishing a plan to stop drinking. While these interventions are temporary, eventually, you will need to take the next step and enter treatment.
Looking for a treatment facility equipped with the resources you need to stay sober? Contact Safe & Sound Treatment. Not only can we help you, but we also have resources for family members and close friends.
Sources
- Hanson, M. (2021, September 28). Alcohol Abuse Statistics [2021]: National State Data. Retrieved from https://drugabusestatistics.org/alcohol-abuse-statistics/
- Harvard Health Publishing. (2020, March 25). 11 ways to curb your drinking. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/11-ways-to-curb-your-drinking
- Mammoser, G. (2017, July 27). Alcohol Withdrawal: Cold Turkey Dangers. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health-news/cold-turkey-alcohol-withdrawal-can-cause-serious-health-issues
- Sack, D., M.D. (2018, January 19). 6 At-Home Options When Your Drinking Is Becoming Too Much. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/where-science-meets-the-steps/201801/6-home-options-when-your-drinking-is-becoming-too-much
- University of Washington. (2018, April). Mindfulness Meditation and Adolescent Well-Being.
