[chantavanna]

I seriously want to stop drinking, but I have not been able to so far. It has been almost 2 years of having at least one drink a day. What have other people done?

[splitimage]

I would first have a discussion with your Dr. Depending on how much you've been drinking and for how long, you could be alcohol dependent, in which case alcohol withdrawal can be very serious. You're Dr. might give you drugs to help you safely detox at home, or suggest that you go to a detox for 5 -10 days.

After that it's largely up to you. Some people are able to stop with the support of groups like AA. Some people benefit from formal treatment (rehab) either residential, or outpatient. Again your Dr. should be able to discuss your options with you.

Congratulations that you are thinking about stopping drinking. That is a big first step. But life without alcohol is much better than drinking all the time.

--splitimage

[Willcat]

One of the first things I did very early on in my addiction treatment was understand the nature of addiction and what kinds of treatments there was.

I chose rehab with a detox facility.

This link will have a lot of answers for you. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment.

I wish you much success in choosing to live life free from active addiction. living drug/alcohol free was the best move I ever made.

[DePressMe]

chantavanna, I agree with the others life without booze is much better than drinking. It feels good to live a life without addiction. You have already taken the first step by reaching out to members here on PC. I don't attend AA but I know it can be an excellent source for support. You might want to check it out. Personally I had to go to rehab to get a few days of sobriety under my belt and to detox from the alcohol. After that I did several weeks in an out patient program. Whether you decide to go to AAA or just get sober on your own you'll need determination to make it through the first part of your sobriety. I have faith that you can make it--you can get sober if you really want to. I hope you find that this community can be a great resource to getting sober. Take care.

[Inedible]

When I made the decision to stop drinking, it was on my walk home from my first night in jail. I decided that I was a person who does not drink. If I had thought of myself as an alcoholic or as a person who drinks but is struggling not to, I never would have had a chance. Within a week or two I even found myself going back into places where I used to drink, for food. Pineapple juice with grenadine and a splash or soda is really good. Then there was a place that added syrups for flavoring margaritas to Sprite - and with no alcohol, you can even get them to go. Part of what I liked about drinking was coming up with such creative combinations of ingredients. It has been 2 1/2 years now. Before, I tried to quit drinking and only made it six weeks. Every day was a struggle not to drink, because I saw myself as someone who might have a drinking problem and I thought that by abstaining I would find out if I was.

[madisgram]

chant, welcome to pc. staying away from people, places and things that you associate with drinking is a good start. not sure if you are a problem drinker or alcoholic but my suggestion may help you. i find that those who even question themselves usually have to consider abstaining from alcohol.
here's good info for you:

Alcohol Dependence...Dependence upon alcohol or a specific substance (such as cocaine, nicotine, marijuana, etc.) is characterized by a maladaptive pattern of alcohol or substance use, leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by 3 or more of the following, occurring at any time in the same 12-month period:
Tolerance, as defined by either of the following:
A need for markedly increased amounts of the alcohol or substance to achieve intoxication or desired effect.http://psychcentral.com/disorders/sx16.htm

In the contemplation stage, often with the help of a treatment professional, people make a risk-reward analysis. They consider the pros and cons of their behavior, and the pros and cons of change. They think about the previous attempts they have made to stop drinking, and what has caused failure in the past.http://psychcentral.com/lib/2006/stages-of-change/

And one about alcoholism
http://psychcentral.com/disorders/sx15.htm
hope these articles help you.