There are formulas

Some people plan to quit drinking alcohol by joining an organization like Alcoholics Anonymous or AA. Some like to do their own thing. The AA system is a 12 step program and that works fine for some people but others find it a challenge..

If you choose to do things your own way and feel you don’t know where to start, there are programs or steps you can follow. One of the most common is the CORE routine..

It stands for:

• Commit
• Objectify
• Respond
• Enjoy

Because this program is used widely and with success and because it is relatively small - some programs have 12 steps or stages - it might work for you. The point is that investigating how it works will take hardly any time and if you try it and it works then you are a winner..

The Commit part is making the decision, a commitment. For whatever reason or reasons you decide that you are going to quit alcohol. At this stage you need a plan for your project. The magic words or mantra are, “I will never have a drink again”. So you can see that the first step is a no-holds barred approach to quitting. This is not something you will flirt with. You are not thinking about stopping drinking most of the time. This is the real thing, the whole darn shooting match. If you are going to use CORE you must be sincere and determined and you must swear off all alcohol for good..

Now some of you may be frightened by the dramatic nature of this program. You might think it is a bit heavy handed. But if alcohol is upsetting your lifestyle, if you have a craving and want that to stop, then tough times require tough decisions. If you are serious about quitting alcohol and want to do things on your own, CORE might well be the way forward for you..

The Objectify part is when you understand the two parts of your brain - the normal part and the booze part. Having this understanding is vital. Without it you are wondering why your brain keeps telling you it would be good to have a drink. If you know that the voice speaking comes from one part of your brain and you can overcome that part, then you are halfway on the road to quitting success..

The Respond section deals with your response to suggestions about having a drink. Those suggestions could come at any time and in any situation. How you respond will determine if you can make quitting successful. The booze brain part of your brain tells you to have a drink. You need a simple response. “I don’t drink” or “I have quit forever”..

The key is to make the response and to move on to something else. If you dwell on your response, if you try to engage in a conversation with your booze brain, you may have already lost your battle. Don’t discuss the issue. Respond quickly and become active with something worthwhile..

The Enjoy part is just that. It means you should enjoy and take delight in your success. This is an important step. When you are enjoying how you have quit, your mind is on positive things. You are not thinking about having another drink..

Remember that CORE has worked for millions and if you choose to use it and stick to its guidance, you cannot go back to drinking. You will have switched off your booze brain and switched on your desire to enjoy life without alcohol..

CORE is not the only step program you could use. It is shorter than some and fool-proof if you stick to its principles. Rational Recovery is another similar program and it’s a matter of finding which works best for you..

We are all different. One scheme which works perfectly for one quitter will be difficult for someone else. Take the time to research these programs. The online community, especially other drinkers who are trying to quit or who have quit, will have lots of comments. Of course you should not necessarily take one person’s word as being the truth but there are helpful articles and interesting comments from people who have firsthand experience with trying to quit drinking alcohol.



For more information on how to stop drinking alcohol please go to the next article.