Day 6 and thankful
I'm on day 6, just got back from visiting family. Funny how the alcoholic brain works, 5 days with the family and I didn't want to drink at all, despite alcohol being in the house. One of my triggers is loneliness, so being around family actually helps.
I learn from every time I stop and then slip again, and every time it happens I add another recovery tool to the toolbox. Here are a few things I've learned and what works for me:
- Take HALT seriously, especially the food part. I've whacked my body with alcohol and the sugars in it, so physically my body will need to re adjust. There will be plenty of time to eat healthy, but for week 1 I just need calories, lots of them and often. I've found keep lots of food handy and eating every two hours really helps, otherwise I get hungry and crave the calories and sugar from booze. Doesn't matter if it's cheeseburgers and fries, just EAT.
- Coffee is an enemy for me because it throws off my blood sugar. I switched to tea or no caffeine and it really helped.
- Needing to rehydrate so much I got sick of plain water; Gatorade is my friend.
- whenever I feel cranky, frustrated, angry, I employ the 4-7-8 technique. Four second breath in, hold for 7, out in 8 counts through the mouth.
- walk. I'm out of shape and part of me wants to "punish" myself for years of neglecting my body with a fierce workout. Like healthy eating, there will be plenty of time for that. Instead, for now just walk, the sun and moving does wonders.
- And last, for me, I realize that whenever I want to drink its me being totally self centered, so in those times of wanting I stop and think of others suffering- alcoholics and others- and how I can help them, even if it's just sending thoughts and prayers their way.