At some point, you may realize that you have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol. And no matter how hard you try, you realize that you’re unable to kick your addiction to the curb.

Some people consume so much alcohol that they’re unable to go about their normal life. Conversely, there are millions upon millions who are high functioning alcoholics. These people have jobs, families, and social lives.

Regardless of which category you fit into, drinking too much alcohol is never a good thing. It can affect your ability to work, enjoy your family, and build toward a better future.

Now, it’s time for the good news. When you follow the right tips to stop drinking, you will immediately feel better about your current situation and everything the future will bring.

Here are five tips that could work in your favor:

Tips To Stop Drinking

1. Find A Support Group

Everyone needs help every now and again. Unfortunately, some people think they can overcome their struggles with alcohol on their own. There’s no reason for you to go down this path.

Support groups come in many forms. Maybe you find a local group of people who are in the same shoes as you. Or perhaps you lean on close family and friends during this trying time in your life.

Remember this: you don’t need a large support group. You just need people who are willing to help you reach your goal of removing alcohol from your life.

There are people out there who want to help. Don’t be afraid to swallow your pride and reach out to them.

2. Get Professional Help

This goes along with point #1 above. It’s best to get professional help if you’re unable to make progress on your own.

This comes in many forms, including both in-patient and outpatient rehab facilities. Either way, when you have a group of professionals on your side, you’ll be more confident in your ability to reach all your short and long-term goals.

3. Change Your Environment

This is often the biggest challenge for people who have a bad relationship with alcohol.

Take for example someone who hangs around with the wrong crowd. Does that sound familiar?

Rather than leave these people in your life, it’s time to move on. It’s never easy, but it’s the right thing to do.

You’ll never overcome your battle with alcohol if you have people in your ear telling you the wrong thing.

You need to replace your current environment and “friends.” Doing so is one of the best steps you can take.

4. Find A New Favorite Drink

As you know, there is more to drink than alcoholic beverages. Learning more about your options, with an eye toward finding a new favorite drink, can be both fun and rewarding.

Some people keep it simple, such as by replacing alcohol with beverages such as water and sports drinks.

Others extend well beyond this, focusing on more ‘exciting’ drinks, such as homemade lemonade and ice tea.

Once you find a new favorite drink, it’s much easier to turn to this instead of alcohol.

It may take some time to find a new favorite, but it’s well worth it in the long run.

5. Focus On Your Wellness

As you cut alcohol out of your life, you’ll realize that you feel empty. That’s to be expected.

The good thing is that you can eat up a lot of time by focusing on your wellness. This means something different to everyone, but here are some things you can do to help your cause:

• Develop a workout routine, such as jogging and lifting free weights
• Learn more about supplements that can help you improve your health
• Focus on eating a well-balanced diet
• Make it a priority to get more sleep, with a target goal of seven to nine hours per night

Final Thoughts

Now that you know what it takes to stop drinking, there’s only one thing left to do: take the first step in the right direction.

As you begin to make progress, you’ll realize that you have what it takes to completely eliminate alcohol from your life. Don’t let anyone or anything stop you from reaching your goals.