Admittance and Acceptance

This comes before all else! No one can force you to quit and you cannot do it for anyone but yourself. It is your problem, and you brought it upon yourself. This makes you the only person with the power to pull yourself out of this ditch. Admitting you have a problem and accepting that you are going to be the one to effect change in your life is the first step.

Education

Once you have accepted your drinking problem, it's imperative to educate yourself. Read as much literature as you can about withdrawal, the impact of quitting and techniques that can help you abstain. The idea is to be prepared for any hurdle that might be thrown your way. Talk to doctors, family members and knowledgeable people. Once they see how committed you are to your recovery they will be more than happy to help you. Alcoholics Anonymous is also a great resource that will provide you support.

Honesty

This is a key element in the recovery process. You must be honest with your loved ones, your doctors and most importantly yourself no matter how difficult it is. You need to take responsibility for your and others’ shortcomings.

Clean Out Your Closets

We mean this both literally and figuratively. Make sure your house is 100% alcohol free. Also, make sure you have someone to talk to even about the dark thoughts and cravings that you will inevitably have. Once you involve the people closest to you in your effort, they'll do everything they can to either help you themselves or get the right sort of expert assistance.

Perfectly Prudent

Don’t rush anything. Even when you’ve first cut the alcohol out of your system, take every precaution because severe alcohol withdrawal can even cause death! Distract yourself with a little exercise, as it can make you feel a little better, but do not push yourself. It’s best to do this with the help of a physician, who will make sure that everything's a-ok healthwise.

Safe Environment

Try to ensure that your immediate surroundings are booze-free. It will definitely make it easier for you to avoid temptation if don't hang out with other drinkers. This may involve changing your social circle or finding new places to hangout.

Keep the Faith

We’re not preaching any religion to you. In fact, we think it’s more important to believe in yourself rather than any higher power. If God helps, by all means use him, but just remember he works through you. Be strong and have faith in yourself. After this, you should be on the way to a full recovery.

Be Wary

We are not implying that you constantly look over your shoulder, but the fact is that a majority of alcoholics succumb to the bottle even after years of sobriety. So just keep having faith in yourself, but know that you will never be above the temptation and be prepared for a lifelong battle.

All of this may sound tiring and stressful, but after a lifetime of sobriety you’ll be more than happy with your decision. Good luck