Dave57, a week is an awesome start. You realize that you will be faced with drinking opportunities, and that’s good too. A good next step to that realization is to have a plan. It doesn’t matter if it’s something you say or something you do, but knowing you have plan can increase the likelihood that you will make it through the situation.
hors controle, you’re Post-It note idea is a good one. Constant reminders are a good way to make it through the tough times. Sorry you had a hard time today, but you made it through. Those little victories add up.
Sparky61, welcome!
I’ve been thinking about habits, not just drinking, but all types of habits. How we fall into them, and how we get out of them. This time of year is a time that people choose to break a habit or create a new habit. I have no idea how long it takes to officially develop a habit, but I’m familiar with how long it takes to break them. I used to coach basketball and players would often come into my program with basketball habits that were not the best.
I’m not a professional, so I don’t know all the specifics of the difference in habit and addiction. What I do know is my struggle to get past the habit of drinking. I’m not trying to minimize the effect of alcohol on the mind and body, but I would like to use the analogy of a players bad shooting form--a habit--to excessive drinking.
I would get a player with bad shooting form and it was up to me to not only instruct the players as to how to properly shoot, but to give the player tools to develop that shot. In the beginning they would say that it didn’t feel right, and I would see them reverting back to their old form. I would show them video when their form was good and when it was bad. Most often their form was good when there was no pressure, but when they were in a pressured situation, they went back to what was comfortable. Oddly enough, even when the player knew the new form was better and more successful, they would often be seen going back to the old form.
It took a long time for them to change, but they did, as long as they were diligent and sincere about what they wanted to accomplish. Wanting something doesn’t necessarily mean you will put in the work needed for it to be accomplished. Also, periodically going back to their old form didn’t always mean they couldn’t shoot properly the next time. BUT, if they were allowed to repeatedly use that old shot, then yes, they would have gone back to their old ways.
If you’re new to life without alcohol, treat yourself with things you like to get you through the hard times. When that alcohol voice gets loud, think about why you want that drink. Sometimes there was no reason I really wanted a drink. I just wanted one right then and I felt as though my world would collapse if I didn’t have one. Eventually I got tired of the alcohol voice screaming at me and began to realize that when I wanted a drink the most, was the time that I always had one. So I changed some of my habits.
