If you’re looking for a genuine solution to alcoholism or drug addiction and really want to stop drinking and using, ultimately the only person that can make it happen is YOU. Sounds kind of obvious, I know. But you’ll be amazed how many addicts miss that one, single, potentially life-altering fact.

Because if you’re like most alcoholics and drug addicts, you’re so deep in DENIAL, playing the blame game, that you can’t see you’re the cause and ultimately it’s YOU that has to take responsibility for turning your life around.

That may sound harsh, but it’s true. Yes, life may have been hard and there may have been all sorts of justifiable reasons for you picking up a bottle or taking that hit, but ultimately you still CHOSE to do so.

Am I saying then that addiction is simply a choice and it’s simply a matter of will power in you overcoming your fight with alcohol or drugs?

Not at all … because I do believe that addiction is a disease, but you do have a CHOICE as to what you do about it. Life has dealt many of us a pack of cards that is far from ideal, but it’s how you respond to that, that will ultimately determine where you end up and the quality of life you lead.

But you can’t do anything about your life and make changes for the better – until you can look yourself in the mirror and say, ‘I have to take full responsibility for my alcoholism or drug addiction – and the resulting mess my life has become – because only I have the power to get myself out of this.’

There can be no ‘but’s’ and ‘if’s’. No conditions. ‘If it is to be, it’s up to me’ has to be your motto …
And then … only then are you ready, ready to change, ready to be helped and ready to turn your life around.

So STEP ONE in how to stop drinking and taking drugs, the most crucial step, is an ATTITUDE. An attitude that says, ‘I’m ready to stop making excuses and to take full responsibility for taking the ACTION I need to take to overcome my addiction.’

And then everything will fall into place and be easy is what you’re hoping I’m going to say next, right?

Wrong! Sorry to disappoint you, but then it gets really tough. That is when the struggle really begins because you’ll have to start facing all your demons and be prepared to get really uncomfortable, before things get better.

The easy option is always to pick up or have a drink if things get tough or uncomfortable. That’s why Step One and taking responsibility for everything you do becomes so important. Because yes, you may still fall occasionally, but you’ll know it’s only you that can change things, so you’ll keep picking yourself up again until you’ve turned your life around.

If you’re really serious about wanting to find out how to stop drinking and taking drugs, the information I’ve just shared with you is CRITICAL. Because it should form the foundation on which you build your recovery, without it everything else becomes almost impossible.

So what comes after Step One? What are the things you need to be doing and the actions you need to be taking to get clean and sober? I’ve put together a website that may be able to help you. Follow the link from my Bio. You’ll particularly want to focus on the treatment and recovery sections where I’ve put together loads of valuable information that help you in your quest to change your life and overcome alcoholism and drug addiction.

Carl-Peter is the Author of Addiction Uncovered – a Book he Wrote to Help Others Struggling with Alcoholism and Drug Addiction, which You can Download FREE at his website, http://www.alcoholism-and-drug-addiction-help.com – where you can also find Loads of Valuable Help and Advice on How to Treat and Recover from Alcoholism and Drug Addiction.

It took me 25 years to be able to beat my addiction and what help did I get? Nada…There are too few resources available for us alcoholics. Alcoholics Anonymous was the only resource I was given when I quit and it didn’t help me one iota. When I joined AA I was criticized because I believed in self empowerment and those nice people at AA told me:

You’re a Dry drunk

You’re going to die

It’s our way or the highway…

What a wonderful support network the AA provides. I quit AA after three sessions and gave up entirely on my own. That was in April 2006 and I haven’t had a drop since. If you are looking for a successful way to quit drinking join my forum and interact with other people who are managing to stay sober without AA or you can buy my book for less than the cost of a night out.

All proceeds from book sales go towards maintaining this site and helping people just like you to beat their addiction, here’s the link:

www.addictvoice.com/stop.html

Take care and do something about your addiction before it is too late.

Rob:)

I discovered that part of my problem was that I was always blaming someone or something else for my addiction. I would never take responsibility and accept that my alcoholism was my problem and only I could do something it.

I think that is why people fail when they try Alcoholics Anonymous, because they want something else to make it easy for them, they don’t realize that they have the inner strength to quit drinking on their own.

If you are an alcoholic, stop pointing the finger at other people and instead accept that you are the one responsible for your condition and only you can do something about it. Start believing in yourself and accept that quitting drinking is not only possible but you are going to do it.

It is likely that you will need medication from your doctor to get you through withdrawal and you should be able to get some counseling too . Once you’ve quit try SMART, you’ll be able to find help from people on their forum.

The most important thing is to realize that you have the inner strength to beat your addiction, If you can believe that then you will be able to quit drinking for good.

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.

I’ve never relapsed and today I am not bothered by alcohol in the slightest.

If you would like to be the same and reclaim your dignity and improve your life, then I strongly urge you to sign up for my tips.

It may very well be the best thing you have ever done.

You can also download an ebook describing exactly how I stopped drinking and successfully beat my alcoholism from HERE