How can we quit alcohol dependence?

To realize an addiction as one is the greatest thing ever! Addiction makes us dependent and poses a hindrance in achieving our goals. Hence, addiction is best when quit, especially if that is of alcohol. Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan, an Enlightened being, tells us that ‘to realize that an addiction is bothering me in reaching my goal or making me completely dependent in itself is a remarkable thing.’ Now, let’s address your question about how we can quit the addiction to alcohol. Gnani, the Enlightened One, has explained a most practical 4-step solution that works at the subtlest level of our mind to help us come out of any addiction or vice. We’ll study this 4-step solution and follow it as suggested, to get the best results: Gnani suggests that you need not force yourself to quit alcohol right away. Rather, follow the following 4 steps from now: 2) DETERMINE- Make a strong opinion in your mind that ‘the habit of drinking is indeed wrong!’ This determination will go a long way in helping you quit your addiction and setting you on the right path. 2) ANALYZE- The next step is to analyze the reasons why it is wrong to drink. We’ll create a list of the ill effects of alcohol in every way. This will highlight the dangerous effects of drinking so that our mind has a clear understanding of ‘how drinking is nothing but harmful to me and my whole well-being’. This understanding will help counter our mind’s attraction towards drinking. 3) PRATIKRAMAN — Asking for forgiveness (from whichever God you follow) is called Pratikraman. This is a proven weapon that cuts the veils of addiction from the very root, as it gradually washes away all your opinions in favor of drinking. Yes, pratikraman helps us get rid of our wrong opinions that promote addiction and it calms the intellect. 4) NO PROTECTION- When someone points out our mistake or complains about how bad our addiction is, we should never protect it. Defensive answers like “What is wrong with it? I drink only this much” should be avoided. What is wrong with it — such defense allows our bad habit to engulf us and hence we cannot end up quitting alcohol then. So, we should never protect our mistakes, we should genuinely accept them when someone points them out to us. In this way, we will gradually come out of all our weaknesses. Param Pujya Dadashri says, “Real happiness never leaves once it comes, it never comes to an end. That is referred to as eternal bliss.” So, why run after these weaknesses? If at all we want to pursue happiness, why not pursue real happiness and attain eternal bliss, isn’t it?! Gnani says, that no matter how grave the fault may be, with your determination, your understanding, your doing Pratikraman and never protecting your fault will surely help you overcome it. And if you are lucky enough to meet the Enlightened One, it will be most beneficial for your entire life. So, let’s try to meet the Enlightened One and take his blessings as soon as we can, and until then, we follow the four steps and come out of our addiction to alcohol as much as we can. To read more about "Pratikraman", visit: https://www.dadabhagwan.org/path-to-happiness/spiritual-science/pratikraman-asking-for-forgiveness/