Ah, another one to list. It wasn't in the book...
....here's #11:
Rationalizing
I did everything I could to protect my drinking:
--Drinking makes me feel better
--Drinking is the only thing that makes me feel better
--I’m not an alcoholic…I just enjoy drinking so I’ve never had a reason to stop
--It’s my body, it’s my life. What I do to myself is no one’s business
--I’m alone/gay/social outcast/etc. so I have the right to get drunk
--Drinking is entertaining and it’s legal…so it’s okay to get smashed
--Everyone else does it…so can I
Drinking does make me feel better in some ways, but the feeling is short lived and at the cost of failing physical health.
There are other things I can do to feel better. That’s what therapy, prescription meds for depression and healthy hobbies are for.
I am addicted to alcohol. I did enjoy drinking. Heart palpitations and finally realizing that I wasted 6 years of my life to drinking is a pretty dang good reason to stop.
It is my body and I did what I could to destroy it for a buzz. I didn’t love myself when I was drinking. Taking care of myself means being sober. The people who care about me have a right to be concerned about my well-being.
Being those things doesn’t give me the right to destroy my life. Continuing to drink doesn’t help fix my concerns. Being sober helps me to love and take care of myself so that I don’t remain a social outcast.
Drinking was fun and it is legal…but it is a drug…a drug that has thoroughly crapped up my life.
Not true. Not everyone drinks. Just because some do it doesn’t mean that it’s okay for me to do it. I am not like those other people. When I drink everything goes to sh!t.