Mental Health
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a physical addiction to alcohol that, once established, requires complete cessation — not gradual reduction. Withdrawal can include tremors, hallucinations, and delirium tremens. The most effective programs combine physical cleansing, nutritional restoration, rest, and — according to the encyclopedia — sincere spiritual commitment. The same principles apply to quitting alcohol and tobacco.
Also known as: Alcohol Addiction, Alcohol Dependence, Alcohol Abuse
📝 At a glance
Likely root causes: Physical addiction to alcohol.; Dietary habits that reinforce craving: coffee, spices, meat, condiments.; Research (Dr..
First thing to try: Stop immediately — completely and all at once.
See a doctor if: Stopping suddenly after heavy, long-term drinking can be dangerous — withdrawal seizures are real, so detox should be medically supervised
🔎 Start with the cause
Lasting relief rarely comes from covering a symptom. First find what is feeding the problem, change what you can, and then help the body do what it was designed to do — heal.
Likely root causes
- Physical addiction to alcohol.
- Dietary habits that reinforce craving: coffee, spices, meat, condiments.
- Research (Dr.
- Theron G.
- Randolph) shows alcoholics become hypersensitive to the foods their beverages were derived from.
- Poor nutrition, social environment, and emotional distress are contributing factors.
Change what you can
- Stop immediately — completely and all at once.
- Use the following four-day cleansing program: Brew a relaxant herbal teaA warm drink made by steeping herbs in hot water. How to make a tea → (equal parts skullcap, catnip, blue vervain) — drink 8 oz. every 2 hours.
- Rest and sleep as much as possible during the first 4 days.
- Day 1–2: rest and teaA warm drink made by steeping herbs in hot water. How to make a tea → only.
- Day 2: add 8 oz. tomato juice with 1/2 tsp. cayenne at evening (replaces the 'bite' of alcohol).
- Day 3: add evening meal of sliced tomato or continue tomato juice with cayenne.
- Day 4: add morning meal of fresh or soaked dried fruit; at noon a medium salad.
- Day 5: return to normal nourishing diet.
- Take hot and cold showers each evening during the program.
- After recovery, pursue regular outdoor exercise, adequate sleep, and avoid all triggers.
🩺 When to see a doctor
- Stopping suddenly after heavy, long-term drinking can be dangerous — withdrawal seizures are real, so detox should be medically supervised
- Confusion, tremors, hallucinations, or seizures after stopping: emergency care now
- If despair or self-harm thoughts come, call or text 988 — you are not alone
🌿 The seven pathways to health
Seven pathways for your alcoholism — tap the circle to check one off (saved on your device), or ask Remy for help.
“Disease is an effort of nature to free the system from conditions that result from a violation of the laws of health... In case of sickness 1cause should be ascertained, 2go to work intelligently to remove the disease. 3Unhealthful conditions should be changed, 4wrong habits corrected. 5Then nature is to be assisted in her effort 6to expel impurities and 7to re-establish right conditions in the system.”
🌿 Overview
Alcoholism is a physical addiction to alcohol that, once established, requires complete cessation — not gradual reduction. Withdrawal can include tremors, hallucinations, and delirium tremens. The most effective programs combine physical cleansing, nutritional restoration, rest, and — according to the encyclopedia — sincere spiritual commitment. The same principles apply to quitting alcohol and tobacco.
Alcohol dependence is a chronic condition in which the body and mind come to rely on alcohol, and over time it harms the liver, brain, heart, and nervous system while draining the body of essential nutrients. It is best understood not as a moral failing but as a health condition that responds to support, structure, and treatment — and recovery is genuinely possible.
One crucial safety point deserves emphasis: in someone who is heavily dependent, suddenly stopping can trigger dangerous withdrawal (including seizures and delirium tremens), so detox should be done with medical supervision rather than alone. Compassion matters as much as resolve. The lasting natural support comes alongside professional care and counseling — rest, rehydration, and a nourishing diet to repair deficiencies, plus the encouragement of supportive community and accountability. This is a sensitive struggle, and reaching out for help — medical and personal — is a courageous and hopeful first step, not a sign of weakness, and many people go on to lasting recovery.
Common signs
- During withdrawal: tremors, hallucinations, delirium tremens, agitation, sleep disturbance.
- Ongoing effects of alcohol abuse include liver damage, neurological deterioration, B-vitamin deficiency, sensitization to foods the alcoholic beverage was derived from (corn, malt, wheat, rye, grape, potato).
⭐ Community-ranked natural supports
Vote ▲ on everything that helped you, and ▼ on anything you tried that didn't — the ranking updates live. Tap 💬 to share what worked, so others can find it faster.
Alcohol is highly dehydrating; reestablishing proper hydration is one of the first and most important steps in physical recovery from alcoholism.1000
Regular outdoor walking improves dopamine and serotonin balance naturally, counteracting the neurochemical depletion that alcohol causes and reducing cravings.930
Alcoholism frequently depletes vitamin D; restoring it through regular safe sun exposure supports bone health, immune function, and the mood stabilization needed in recovery.870
Chronic alcohol use severely disrupts the gut microbiome; restoring it with fermented foods reduces gut permeability (leaky gut), systemic inflammation, and the cravings linked to gut-brain signaling.830
Passionflower reduces the anxiety, restlessness, and insomnia that characterize alcohol withdrawal and early sobriety, helping to ease the transition without requiring benzodiazepines.820
Curcumin protects the liver from oxidative damage, reduces hepatic inflammation, and may help reverse some of the fatty liver changes caused by chronic alcohol consumption.820
Valerian root helps manage the sleep disruption and nervous system hyperexcitability of alcohol withdrawal, providing a natural sedative alternative during early recovery.780
Ashwagandha reduces the cortisol dysregulation and chronic stress that alcohol temporarily masks; it helps rebuild the adrenal and nervous system resilience disrupted by chronic drinking.780
Milk thistle (silymarin) is the best-studied herbal liver protectant; it helps repair alcoholic liver damage, reduce liver enzyme levels, and protect against further cirrhosis in people recovering from alcoholism.770
Bringing daily concerns to God in prayer as part of a whole-person approach to wellness.740
How the numbers work: this is a weighted voting system — every published book or article recommending a remedy counts as an endorsement vote, and your ▲/▼ counts too. Not medical advice. *Ties are broken by our editor score (sources, safety, simplicity, cost, lifestyle fit, eight-laws alignment).
🍽️ Eating to help
Food is one of the gentlest medicines — small, steady changes help most.
During cleansing: fruit juice (no sugar), fresh fruit, light salads. After cleansing: whole foods — fruits, vegetables, whole grains. No coffee, spices, condiments (they whet the appetite for alcohol). Drink 6–8 glasses of water daily. B vitamins are critical to restore nerve health. Avoid foods the person is sensitized to (vary by the type of alcohol they drank).
⚖️ Good to know
- Do not attempt withdrawal from severe alcohol dependence alone — may require medical supervision for delirium tremens.
- Quiet surroundings are essential during withdrawal.
- Avoid caffeine, spices, and condiments permanently — they reignite craving.
- Avoid previous drinking companions and situations.
- No tobacco — it weakens willpower.
💙 If it ever feels like too much
Heavy feelings are not a failure of faith — and you don't have to carry them alone. If you or someone you love is thinking about self-harm or suicide, please reach out right now:
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US): call or text 988 — free, confidential, 24/7.
- Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741741.
- Outside the US: findahelpline.com ↗ lists free helplines by country.
- If someone is in immediate danger, call 911 (or your local emergency number).
Natural supports can walk alongside professional care — never in place of it when life is at risk.
⚕️ What a doctor may offerConventional treatments for this condition — for your information.Show ▾
RemedyRank's heart is natural healing — and honest information. Here is what conventional medical care commonly involves for this condition, listed to inform, never to promote. Decisions about treatment belong with you and your own physician.
Alcohol use disorder requires medically supervised detoxification to prevent life-threatening withdrawal, followed by medications and behavioral treatment to maintain sobriety; medical detox must never be skipped for severe dependence.
Commonly offered
- Medical detoxification with benzodiazepines (diazepam, lorazepam) to prevent seizures and delirium tremens–
- Naltrexone (oral or monthly injection) to reduce cravings and relapse–
- Acamprosate to reduce post-acute withdrawal symptoms–
- Disulfiram (Antabuse) as a deterrent agent–
- Thiamine (B1) supplementation to prevent Wernicke's encephalopathy–
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and motivational interviewing–
- Alcoholics Anonymous, SMART Recovery, and other peer support programs–
- Residential treatment for severe dependence–
👍/👎 shares whether a treatment helped you — community experience, not medical advice. For full professional details, see the sources under “Learn more” below.
📚 Learn more
Sources for further reading. These open in a new tab.
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