When we make the positive decision to take back control of our life and get our drinking under control it can feel over-whelming and somewhat daunting. These feelings are perfectly normal because we’ve learned to use alcohol as a coping strategy for other things in our lives we would rather avoid. These triggers take many forms and we need to prepare ourselves for positive change. Social situations are challenge and we need to prepare ourselves mentally for those because we need to be actively involved socially as it is an important part of our lives, however, we need to learn to manage them on our own terms and not let the situation dictate how we behave (drinking). 

So how do we prepare for this? One strategy that has worked very well for me is preparing for the situation mentally ahead of time. When I sense that the situation will be a trigger, and we all know how that feels because we get that feeling of anxiety in the pit of our stomach, I mentally rehearse how the situation will play out on my terms, rather than how it played out previously. I practice what I’m going to say and, when I do that, I imagine myself saying those things in a very relaxed and controlled way. It helps to imagine a pleasant smile as you do. As I do this over and over I plan my response. “Would you like a drink?”. “No, thank you…I’m taking a break right now”. Or “Thank you but I’m really watching what I eat and drink so it’s not on my menu :). Thank you though. I appreciate the offer”. Or “I’m taking a break right now”. You owe no one an explanation for your choice. By doing this you plan your control of the situation and you also take the shock out of the moment when the choice eventually comes up. Not being prepared opens a door for the logical part of your brain to shut down and flip back into “habit mode”. The first time can feel somewhat stressful, however, it gets exponentially easier the more times you do it. You’ll look back at it afterwards and wonder why you were even concerned about it. And I’ll share something with you……you’re not missing anything if you don’t drink. In fact, you’ll be surprised how much more you’ll enjoy your evening or the social event. The world is not going to run out of alcohol. I have it on good authority that they may even be brewing more as we speak! So take a step back and give yourself some space and the freedom to make your own decision. Each time you do you’ll regain a part of yourself and take back the control that’s be missing in your life. A little anxiety will not hurt you! Embrace it, relax into it, and crush those urges into submission because you deserve so much more. I hope this makes sense. It’s worked very well for me since I quit in July ’13 and it can work well for you too. 

All the best,

Dave