Narcologist Kazantsev explained which addictions may replace alcohol after giving up drinking

Giving up alcohol does not guarantee a healthy lifestyle

Quitting alcohol does not always mean an automatic switch to a healthy lifestyle: other ways of quickly coping with anxiety, boredom or unpleasant feelings may take the place of alcohol. This was stated by Alexey Kazantsev, a psychiatrist-narcologist at the AlkoSpas clinic, in an interview with Life.ru. According to his explanation, if a person has used alcohol for years to relax, lift their mood, reward themselves or fall asleep faster, they develop a habit of getting relief in exactly that way — and after giving up alcohol they start looking for a substitute with a similar effect.

The substitute is not always obvious

Sometimes the substitute is evident: a person switches to prescription drugs without a prescription or other psychoactive substances. But, as the narcologist noted, the new passion often looks socially acceptable — it can be uncontrolled shopping, gambling, hours-long video gaming, overeating, working without rest or excessive exercise. The new passion itself does not yet indicate an addiction: problems begin when a person loses control over the behavior, continues doing something to their own detriment, and sacrifices sleep, relationships with loved ones and everyday responsibilities.

How to recognize the problem

“You should be alert if, after giving up alcohol, the new activity becomes the only source of pleasure, the person cannot cut it down, hides expenses or time, gets irritated when trying to stop, and uses the behavior primarily to suppress unpleasant emotions,” Kazantsev warned. Another alarming sign is the habit of justifying one's behavior: a person convinces themselves that they have earned a treat, allows themselves extras “just for one day,” or promises to quit at any moment, but the consequences repeat and the habit cannot be overcome on one's own.

What to do instead of bans

Kazantsev emphasized that after giving up alcohol there is no need to forbid a person all pleasures — it is more important to learn to cope with stress without constantly seeking a quick reward. He recommends psychotherapy, restoring normal sleep, working through anxiety, gradually returning to former interests, regular physical exercise without overexertion, and support from loved ones. If necessary, the doctor checks whether the patient has depression, an anxiety disorder, ADHD or other conditions that previously contributed to alcohol use. To relatives, he advised discussing specific changes instead of making accusations: grounds for concern include debts, missed work, sleepless nights, deceiving loved ones, constant conflicts and the inability to stop. “Sobriety is not a competition in giving up everything pleasant. Its purpose is for a person to be able to choose again how to relax and cope with emotions, rather than moving from one compulsive scenario to another,” the doctor concluded.

Context: why even small doses are dangerous

This is not the first warning from narcologists about the risks associated with alcohol: Life.ru previously reported that even small doses of alcohol, when consumed regularly, increase the risk of developing serious diseases — ethanol is a carcinogenic substance and, with prolonged exposure, can damage the liver and increase the likelihood of certain types of cancer. The new publication adds to this topic: it is not only about the harm of alcohol itself, but also about the fact that giving it up is only part of recovery, which must take into account a person's overall quality of life.