Alcoholism is a psychological disorder which can be properly be overcome by the love and support of near and dear ones. So before entering into the Malibu addiction treatment center get a mind setup from your family and friends, their intervention will give you more strength in the forthcoming rehabilitation course. At Cliffside Malibu you get the best of treatment and care, Malibu alcohol rehab center is exactly what you have wanted, as it has the team of professionals who knows that your problem is unique and it should be treated with proper care and understanding. Then at Cliffside Malibu rehab center you get your privacy secured and your condition respected. The setting of the Cliffside Malibu rehab center is also a special feature of the place, away from the hustle and bustle of city life, it has the perfect synchronization of peace and tranquility. The Malibu alcohol rehab center is a premiere institute of alcohol rehabilitation and is efficient in curing patients suffering from alcohol addiction. The process of alcohol treatment Malibu includes spa, meditation, massages and yoga therapy. And the emotional and spiritual process is the add ones which concentrates on the psychological development of the patient. In Malibu addiction cure center you are offere the best of facilities with nutritious gourmet meals, linen and laundry services, internet accessibility and a beautifully designed room with all modern gadgets and furniture’s.

The Malibu alcohol rehab programme is unique in every way as it provides the patient with a therapist who is with him/her all day and night. The process of alcohol rehab in Malibu makes the patient suffering from alcohol addiction to go through different situations of counseling and advices which makes them more strong and determined, and helps them to move out of this disorder in less time. Alcohol rehabilitation programme in Malibu also includes after care programme, which forbids the treated patients from sliding back again into the addiction. Alcohol rehab center of Malibu helps the patients to cope up with the disorder in a technical and scientific way, but without proper dedication from the patient it is not possible to cure someone. So to get out of alcohol addiction you will have to be committed, diligent and sincere.

Why you should stop drinking

Stopping drinking will really improve your life and the lives of all the people you care about. There is less chance of developing health issues and to injure yourself or other people. Your relationships with those lose to you, friends and workmates will improve and your children will be less likely to copy your behaviour. Here are some reasons to look at not drinking.

* Prevent irreparable harm to your body including your liver and brain
* Drinking will hurt your unborn baby if you are pregnant and cause conditions like Fetal alcohol syndrome
* To save your family relationships.
* Become more successful at home, work or school
* Avoid possible alcohol related legal problems, for example, drink driving
* Avoid uninvited pregnancy
* Maybe, you can think of some more.

I think the best way to stop drinking is on your own, it will be hard at times but you will come out as a harder and more empowered individual. You do not need a “higher power” all you need is “you” and the cecision not to drink. I bet you don’t realize how able and strong you truly are, I didn’t? at the time, but I certainly do now!

Adopt these steps to stop drinking alcohol.

Distinguish the reasons why you want to stop drinking and set a date for giving up. Talk to your family and friends about your intent to stop and ask them to be thoughtful in the early days and to not drink about you. Strive to not drink for thirty days, I read someplace that it takes thirty days to crush a habit. The most difficult thing we have to face in our lives is “change” and it is hard to alter learned behaviour, but it can be achieved. Good new behaviour will also become a habit and it does not take too long until you are at ease around alcohol and not troubled by it.

Accept that alcoholism is a learned behavior and a “CHOICE” you made

The alcoholism disease model is imperfect, a disease implies something we have little if any command over and that simply is not the case. Every time you reach for a drink, you are making the decision to do so and you are responsible for your actions.

You could take steps towards stopping drinking now, but I bet that’s a little alarming isn’t it? The trouble is a part of you, really does not want to stop. I wouldn’t be amazed if you felt a sense of terror at the very thought. You really have to want to quit to be able to do so, otherwise you are wasting your time. Are you ready to stop drinking?

Here are a few of the things which helped me to stop drinking:

Get aware!

Study your drinking habits and identify what triggers your drinking and what you can do to avoid such situations. Maybe you need to assess the companions who you keep or the places you haunt.

Make a list

Write a list of all of the reasons why you want to stop drinking, list all the issues and negative results of your drinking. The arguments, the conflicts, the lost jobs etc.

Seek Medical help

Make a date to see your Doctor to evaluate the severity of your dependence and to find out what medication is accessible to help you through withdrawal. Be entirely honest with your Doctor about the quantity that you drink and take the list you made earlier so you don’t forget anything. I was dismayed to learn that I was drinking over ten times the recommended alcohol consumption limit for an adult male.

I was a chronic alcoholic but was able to quit at home without hospital care, I did however need medication to help me through withdrawal. I was prescribed a one week course of diazepam and it made withdrawal easy.

The Doctor may also advise pills to ltake like Antabuse which makes you feel ill if you drink. I think drugs of this type will only keep you teetotal whilst you are on them, I do not think they are a long term answer.

The key to defeating your alcoholism or any other dependency is to recognise it for what it is. Your alcoholism is a “learned condition”, a habit which you have strengthened over a long time. Perhaps like me you became physically dependent, but medication will get you through the withdrawal process and then all you really have to do is work at “unlearning” the habit. It really Is not that hard and if I can successfully stop drinking on my own, then I genuinely believe that anybody can.

Download my ebook identifying all the tips and methods I used to stop drinking for good. Click here to learn more

A recent breakthrough at the University of North Carolina has revealed that there is “a burst in new brain cell development during abstinence from chronic alcohol consumption” The UNC find was based on a study using an animal model of alcohol dependency.

It is a reality that when used to excess alcohol harms the brain’s structure and function. Alcoholics have troubles with memory, rationality and the power to make plans and according to Professor Crew of Pharmacology and Psychiatry at UNC’s School of medicine, “A variety of psychological tests show alcoholics have a difficulty in ability to understand negative consequences.”

These findings are favorable and and may have substantial implications for addressing alcoholism during recovery. “When animals learn, they make more neurons. When animals exercise, they make more neurons and learn faster, as well,” Crews said.

Here are a list of items which will assist abstinence and aid you to beat your alcohol addiction. Try out several of the tips from the list and use what works best for you. If you have a chronic addiction and are physically dependent on alcohol it would be a good idea to consult a medical professional first.

1. Find different techniques for relaxation:

Numerous people use alcohol as a means to relax and to allay stress. When you are deliberating abstaining from alcohol you will require to find new ways to do this. Try using a wholesome alternative to stop stress for example, take a workout, take the dog for a walk, learn to meditate or listen to relaxation CDs.

2. React to your Alcoholic personality

Your alcoholism is just like another personality within you, it will show itself as an inner voice which will say, “One drink will not hurt” , “come on you know you want to” or “You deserve a drink, you’ve worked hard today and you’ve earned it” and will spout a myriad of other reasons. If you hear this voice reply with, “No thank you, I have made a choice to stop drinking” or “Shut up, I’m not listening to you, if I choose not to drink, I will not!”

3. Defy your cravings

The cravings you feel will not last for long. Once you get a craving observe it but don’t react to it noticing how long it takes to pass.

4. Get over Insomnia:

One problem I experienced was insomnia, because of stress and my brain working overtime. I discovered a good cure for this was physical exercise and taking vitamin supplements and herbal Valerian root (a natural relaxant) tablets.

5. Get Medication to help you to abstain:

There are people who want a quick cure and for these precription drugs might be helpful. Your Doctor can prescribe drugs like Antabuse, Campral, topamax and naltrexone. A friend of mine is using Antabuse and hasn’t relapsed in 3 years. Antabuse makes you physically sick if you drink alcohol and might be an option for some people. I personally do not like prescribed medication and prefer to stick with vitamin tablets and natural remedies ..

6. Find Alternative Activities:

Do entertaining things as an alternative to drinking, start a hobby. Go to evening classes, spend quality time with your children, do anything which makes you happy.

7. See a Doctor or therapist

Anxiety, stress and depressive disorders can be major factors in making you drink. Make an appointment to see a doctor or therapist, they can prescribe you with medicine which will relieve these conditions. Be careful though, because some antidepressant drugs have some unwanted and nasty side effects. Also some antidepressants if mixed with alcohol will increase your inebriation and you may display some very uncharacteristic behavior. If 12 Step programs are suggested, consider finding someone else as there are much better methods of addressing alcoholism. Natural drugs which I believe helped me are St John’s Wort, Ginko Biloba and vitamin supplements.

8. Use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy:

I discovered that a “Dummies” book about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helped a lot. CBT has been shown to be successful for recovering alcoholics. If you can get referred to a CBT counselor than I urge you to go for it. I couldn’t afford CBT at the time and so learned everything I needed from the “Dummies CBT book”, this worked very well for me.

I used to get in some terrible states, missed a lot of work, drove whilst under the influence, embarrassed myself in public, my sexual promiscuity introduced me to sexually transmitted diseases like Clymidia and genital warts. In the early days of drinking though you tend to be forgiven for being innebriated, you may lose some friends because of your behaviour, but generally people are very forgiving.

When I reached my “twenties” I had the misfortune of becoming incontinent if I consumed over five pints of beer in an evening. Alcohol had started to do some damage to my body, but I still continued. It wasn’t too much of a problem at the time as I just made sure I didn’t go over the five pint limit and found I could still continue drinking as long as I switched to “shorts” after hitting my self imposed limit without fear of losing control of my bladder. However, sometimes I’d still go too far and would wake the next day finding I’d wet myself. When you’re drinking too much your body starts giving you warnings, trying to give you a wake up call, but when alcoholism kicks in you tend to ignore the signs and continue regardless. I also attempted suicide several times whilst drinking and have scars on my arms where I attempted to slit my wrists. I did my best to disguise the scars on my arms, because I did feel ashamed of my behaviour, but I still continued to drink.

Relationships became a problem, I could never remain faithfull when I’d been drinking, I just didn’t care what I did and I started to notice that alcohol was no longer making me confident, I was becoming more insecure. I met some people along the way who were not impressed by my alcoholism, but I thought it was they who had the problem rather than myself. I mean, I never got violent, I’d say and do some dumb things, but I didn’t consider my behaviour to be “out of order”. My parents and my employers expressed some concerns over my drinking, but I still continued.

Along the way I became a father to three children and my alcoholism entered a controlled state for a while. it became more important to ensure that my children were adequately provided for, than to spend money on alcohol. I’d still drink but my drinking cut down to a two litre bottle of cider once a weekand a binge once a month. I discovered home brewed alcohol during that time and found that I could make alcohol for pennies some my alcohol intake increased once again. I also went to university as a mature student and took a bachelors degree, at University my alcohol intake increased again, due to cheap alcohol prices and new drinking buddies. I graduated with a 2:2 in computing and then got myself a job in the IT industry. In the late “ninetees” It was paying some really “silly” money, for a while I was taking home 600 a week. Affording alcohol was never a problem in those days.

My alcoholism was affecting my work though and once again my relationship, I was put on Paroxetine (antidepressant) which when mixed with alcohol, completely spaced me out, I really was not of this planet at that time and I lost my job, my relationship ended bitterly and my children were badly affected by the split. Living on my own, my alcoholism started to get really bad, I’d start the day with four cans of really strong cider and I’d drink throughout the day. Every day I drove whilst under the influence, risking not only my own life, but the lives of other peple too..

I started my own IT business and started to make a reasonable amount of money, I often wonder what my clients must have thought about me because I was always under the influence of alcohol. The business started to grow and the company eventually had four employees. Getting alcohol was never a problem I could buy as much as I wanted with company cheques, but I was very unhappy and after finding a new partner, quit the business and moved to Wales.

The language barrier made it hard to set up business in the area and without work, I had to revert to drinking a 2 litres of very strong alcohol a day. The relationship was co-dependent and I was pleased to have a partner who enabled my drinking. I continually drove whilst under the influence, the relationship was very rocky but solid, but insecurity really started to affect me. I started to believe my partner was cheating on me and was consumed by irrational thoughts. I decided once and for all in 2006 that I was going to quit drinking after an unsuccessful suicide attempt. I tried AA, but it didn’t work for me so I did a lot of research and found a way to quit on my own without support.Three years on I am happily married,I have never relapsed, I have several successful online ventures and I know that I will never drink again. People frequently drink around me and it doesn’t bother me, apart from when they’re really drunk, I know now that inebriated people are not good company. I can’t say that it’s been an easy ride since quitting alcohol as I’ve had to deal with my insecurities without my alcoholic crutch, but I’m happy these days and the future does look rosy.

It’s amazing once I couldn’t imagine a life without alcohol, now I couldn’t imagine a life with it!

I’f you’d like to quit drinking you can download my ebook describing the techniques I”ve used to successfully quit drinking for good. If you value your life, relationships and employment I recommend that you do so today. It will most probably be the best decision you ever make.

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Compile a list of all the reasonswhy you want to stop drinking, it may help to get sopmeone you know to help you with your list.

It is also a good idea to review your list on a regular basis as doing so will enforce your commitment to stop drinking.

Once you have your list of reasons list of reasons, the next stage is to set your date for stopping.

To successfully stop drinking you need a plan. Post the date you intend to stop drinking on your refrigerator or bathroom mirror, or anywhere where you will frequently see it. Place several copies of the date around the house to keep the date firmly set in your mind.

You are likely to be more successful if you can enlist the help and support of others and let them know how they can help you make a success of your plan.Set up timescales of thirty days to review your plan, this will help you and will enhance your chance of success.

if you can make your plan into a habit then it will be easier to enforce. Every thirty days look at your reasons for quitting drinking and add any additional benefits which you have discovered.

Don’t bge too concerned if you have a relapse, just make a note of why you slipped and see what you could do to overcome the problem if it appears again.

Make sure you do this review every thirty days and it will make you stronger and more able to abstain from alcohol and as the months go past it will become easier and easier. Breaking a long term habit like alcoholism will take time, but it is possible to beat it as long as you stay strong.

This method is very simple to follow and if you are dedicated it will work, but you must make sure that you contact your doctor beforehand as quitting drinking can be dangerous and thus assistance from your doctor is essential.

There are many obstacles that will stand in the way of you and your goal, but they can all be overcome. I knjopw this from personal experience and an addiction to alcohol that spanned nearly thirty years. Changes of habit and lifestyle are required and you need to accept this to be able to quit alcohol for good.

I quit drinking over two and a half years ago and have never had a relapse and if I can do it anyone can.

1 – make some goals. Why do you want to stop drinking? Write down your ideas and let this be a template for creating some goals. Whether it is to stay away from drinking events, try controlling your drinking and keep in mind the reasons why you want to stop drinking

2 – Pick a day the next week to start cutting back on your drinking. Choosing a day when you are likely to be at ease and not under pressure and a time when it is easy avoid alcohol.

3 -Unfortunately it is not easy to stop drinking, so accept that iyou are facing a tough challenge, don’t “beat yourself up” if you relapse, just keep trying! Remember your goals and the reasons you set these goals in the beginning . If you have too many drinks one night, don’t it get you down, just put things right the next day.

4 – Talk to others who can support you, check out online alcoholism support forums, there ar lots of people who are going through the same thing and will be more than willing to help you..

5 – Ask your family and friends to respect your decision to stop drinking and to support you by not drinking around you..

6 – have a break, set aside one day a week where you will not drink and spend the time doing something you can enjoy with your family.

7 – Work out what trigger’s your craving for alcohol and initially avoid the places, situations and people which you associate with drinking.

8 – Reward yourself. Use the money you save by not drinking to do something you enjoy!

List the reasons why you want to stop drinking

What makes you want to stop drinking? Do you want to improve your health and sleeping patterns? If you have issues with addiction, you may want to improve your close relationships You may have had enough of the partying lifestyle and the headaches, blackouts, hangovers and paybacks of your drinking, like missing work and losing your job.

List Goals
You can attempt to control your drinking and gradually reduce your intake until you can eventually stop, although from experience I would say that this is not an effective strategy..

Write your intentions on and pin them where you can see them regularly , for example on your computer screen or on a mirror.

Keep a “boozing journal”

Make a note of how much you drink and the circumstances when you do.and how much your consume. This iwill really help you to stop drinking. Total up the amount you drink each day using a column for the number of drinks, types and where you consumed them.Make sure that you’re really honest about this,because it will help you a lot to ascertain how serious your problem is.

7 useful tips

1. Be cautious at home because it is easy for your drinking to spiral out of control when you have alcohol in the house.

2. Drink slowly and sip rather than gulp your drinks.try alternating between alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks and never drink on an empty stomach.

3. Make a point of not drinking on certain days during the week.

4. Don’t feel afraid to say “NO” if someone offers you a drink.

5. Join a gym and do fun physical activities to take your mind off of alcohol

6. Find someone you can talk to about your drinking, try online groups and forums if you don’t have anyone you feel you can talk to about your problem

7. Be wary of the places and people who you associate with drinking as they will make it hard to resist drinking.

Remember never to give up trying to stop drinking, if you are consistent you will succeed.

I would start each day with a can of strong cider and I’d proceed to drink for the rest of the day. I would often drive my motorcar while under the influence of alcohol, putting not only myself but other people in danger. I’m embarrassed and nauseated to acknowledge it now, but I would often wake up in the morning after a hard nights drinking, not only with a hangover but in a pool of my own urine.

I serially cheated on my partners and put myself in peril of catching venereal diseases and giving them to my partner. I often had blackouts and woke up in strange places with no recall of how I got there. I would forever do things that I regretted while under the charm of alcohol and yet in spite of all this I continued to drink. I at last decided that enough was enough after an unsuccessful suicide attempt and I haven’t had a drop since.

Here is the precise method that I used to stop drinking alcohol and I am confident that if you follow these simple steps you will be able to give up drinking too.

Admit that you have a problem

Accepting that you have a problem with alcohol is the first step that you must take. The individual who is ready to quit drinking alcohol is someone who is not in denial. The alcoholic’s finds it difficult to admit that they have a problem and will reel off lame excuses for their habit . It took me over 25 years to be able to say that I was an alcoholic and to stop using excuses for my addiction.

Make a commitment to stop drinking alcohol

When you have admitted to yourself that you are an alcoholic, the following thing you need to do is to establish the cause of your addiction, ask yourself some questions. For example, why is the thought of a life without alcohol unbearable? What incites you to drink? why do you carry on drinking even though it’s destroying your relationships and your health? I’m certain you can think of several other questions, just get a pen and paper and write down everything that springs to mind.

Seek medical assistance

A chronic alcoholic will need to quit alcohol under medical supervision, and if you are chemically dependent on alcohol then you will need medical help, as to quit without it can be fatal. Fix an appointment to see a doctor and talk to them truthfully about your drinking habits and your intention to stop. They will be able to prescribe you with medicinal drugs to make the withdrawal process a comfortable experience.

Quit drinking

Once you have stopped drinking alcohol it will be essential in the early days to avoid the people and places you connect with alcohol. It may also be a good idea you to find a support group where you can discuss your feelings and ask for help should you need it. I would recommend that you look at SMART and Rational Recovery as these are two good resources accessible to you on the Internet. I personally would not recommend Alcoholics Anonymous as I didn’t find them helpful and I don’t believe that their recovery statistics are that great, but that is only my opinion.

Create a plan

Now you have stopped drinking alcohol, develop a strategy to keep yourself from returning to it. In the early days of not drinking you will come up with all manner of excuses to return to to the habit. You may believe that you will be able to control it and will start to see it as less of a problem and you will only remember only the good times that you had whilst drinking etc. For every argument you will need to have a solid counter argument. So think about all of the reasons why returning to drinking could be an option and write them down along with all of the reasons why you prefer to stay stopped.

Get support from your family and friends

Tell your family and friends how sincere you are about quitting drinking and ask them to be considerate of your decision. Ask them not to drink around you in the early days and avoid having alcohol in the house. The support of your family will make not drinking a lot easier.

Keep a journal

It’s a very good idea to keep a journal when you quit drinking and it can serve as a effective tool in your recovery. Writing down how you are feeling and all the problems that you are experiencing can be liberating and will keep you firmly committed to defeating your addiction

About the Author

Rob Maggs is a reformed alcoholic dedicated to self improvement and personal development. He is a developer of powerful meditation software.