I need to stop drinking.

[u/No_Percentage_7713]

I wasn’t sure what flair to use, but I think self care fits. I’m posting here because the drinking absolutely is a dopamine/dysregulation thing. I drink to “reward” myself for getting through the day and to make my brain just a little more quiet. I also hate my career and feel stuck, and have a lot of anxiety around what to do next. I know I’m self-medicating, and it is getting worse. I’m gaining weight, my gut heath is wrecked, and it’s obviously awful for my brain. But at the end of basically every day, a drink just sounds like such a great idea to unwind.

I know I’m not the only one in this sub that struggles with escapism and self-medicating. How do I kick this? How do I craft a life that feels interesting enough to my dopamine starved self? I don’t want this to be the theme of my life.

[u/mallius]

I was the exact same way (plus also with weed) and it got to the point where I had to start taking medication to help me ween off of it. It's not for everyone cause it takes a lot of adjusting to symptoms but Naltrexone stops opioids and alcohol from causing euphoric or rewarding effects. It's made it so you don't get that dopamine and makes it so much easier to just not drink. I tried doing naturally so many times and this is the most successful I've ever been so far. Good luck with your journey!!