How to Stop Drinking: What Actually Helps
The first thing to understand: stopping alcohol isn’t always safe to do alone
If you drink heavily every day — especially if you’ve tried to stop before and felt shaky, anxious, or unwell — please speak to a doctor or call a helpline before stopping suddenly. Alcohol withdrawal can be medically serious.
NSW Health Line: 1800 422 599 (24/7, free)
ADIS (Alcohol & Drug Information Service): 1800 250 015
These calls are confidential. You don’t have to give your name.
What actually helps in the first 72 hours
- Tell one person. Not to confess — just so someone knows. It breaks the isolation that makes the first days so hard.
- Remove the easiest access. Pour it out, give it away, or ask someone else to hold it. Friction matters more than willpower.
- Expect discomfort, not disaster. Irritability, poor sleep, and low mood are normal in days 1–4. They pass. Knowing this in advance makes it survivable.
- Replace the ritual, not just the substance. If you drink at 6pm, have a plan for 6pm — a walk, a call, a sparkling water with lime. The time of day is often the real trigger.
- Don’t try to commit to forever. Commit to today. Tomorrow you commit to tomorrow.
When ‘just stopping’ isn’t enough
Some people stop drinking on their own. Many don’t — not because of weakness, but because drinking has become a coping mechanism for something real: stress, grief, loneliness, anxiety, an inability to switch off.
If you’ve tried to cut back before and it hasn’t stuck, that’s not a character flaw. It’s information.
This is where structured support helps — not a hospital, not necessarily a residential facility, but someone who walks alongside you through the process of building a life that doesn’t need alcohol to function.
That’s what we do at Redwood Recovery. We’re a private, non-clinical coaching service for people who want real support without the clinical setting — in Sydney, Melbourne, and the Gold Coast.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to go to rehab to stop drinking?
Not necessarily. Residential rehab is one option. Many people do better with intensive outpatient support — coaching, accountability, and structured help while staying in their own life. What matters is the level of support matching the level of the problem.
What’s the difference between cutting back and stopping?
For some people, moderation is a realistic goal. For others, it isn’t — not because of a rule, but because their relationship with alcohol doesn’t allow for ‘a little.’ Only you can assess that honestly, ideally with support.
Is wanting to stop on my own a sign I don’t need help?
No. It’s a sign you’re self-aware. The question isn’t whether you want to do it alone — it’s whether doing it alone has worked so far.
How do I know if I have a drinking problem?
The clinical checklists are useful but cold. A simpler question: is alcohol costing you something you care about — sleep, relationships, work, health, self-respect? If yes, that’s enough reason to take it seriously.
Redwood Recovery is a private recovery coaching service. We are not a clinical or medical provider. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 000.
About Redwood Recovery
Redwood Recovery is a private, non-clinical addiction recovery coaching service founded by Ashley Hayward, who works from lived experience of addiction and recovery. Coaching is practical, confidential support built around your life — it is not medical treatment, therapy or a diagnosis, and it does not replace clinical care where that is needed.
If you or someone you love is in immediate danger, call 000. For free, confidential 24/7 support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline on 1800 250 015.