The best defense against alcoholism is a good offense
Hears The Voice
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Unshackled
Posts: 7,901
The best defense against alcoholism is a good offense
Like many people here my first post was full of shame, disgust, guilt and contrition. I was coming off yet another bender that I had promised myself and others was never going to happen again.
Like a a thousand times before I was filled with resolve to stop abusing myself with alcohol. I also knew, from decades of experience, that this resolve would wear off in hours, days or weeks. That craving would return. That voice in my head would be telling me just one more time would make everything OK.
UNLESS...
I did something different this time.
And I did. I studied, I read, I posted, I LEARNED. The people here at SR are ABSOLUTELY AWESOME. What a resource!
So, my message is this: Don't sit back and wait for the craving to return and then figure out how you're going to deal with it. If you're alcoholic, alcohol dependent, addicted to alcohol - whatever you want to call it - that craving will return as sure as the sun rises. Take all that guilt, shame, embarassment, disappointment, etc. and turn it into something positive.
Those emotions are completely natural, but instead of wasting your energy beating yourself up, find the different thing that is going to save you from this addiction. Stop attacking yourself, your addiction will do that for you. Attack your addiction. It can be defeated.
Like a a thousand times before I was filled with resolve to stop abusing myself with alcohol. I also knew, from decades of experience, that this resolve would wear off in hours, days or weeks. That craving would return. That voice in my head would be telling me just one more time would make everything OK.
UNLESS...
I did something different this time.
And I did. I studied, I read, I posted, I LEARNED. The people here at SR are ABSOLUTELY AWESOME. What a resource!
So, my message is this: Don't sit back and wait for the craving to return and then figure out how you're going to deal with it. If you're alcoholic, alcohol dependent, addicted to alcohol - whatever you want to call it - that craving will return as sure as the sun rises. Take all that guilt, shame, embarassment, disappointment, etc. and turn it into something positive.
Those emotions are completely natural, but instead of wasting your energy beating yourself up, find the different thing that is going to save you from this addiction. Stop attacking yourself, your addiction will do that for you. Attack your addiction. It can be defeated.
Adventures In SpaceTime
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Posts: 5,827
Originally Posted by Nonsensical 
Those emotions are completely natural, but instead of wasting your energy beating yourself up, find the different thing that is going to save you from this addiction. Stop attacking yourself, your addiction will do that for you. Attack your addiction. It can be defeated.
Awesomely well said, Paul.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Vancouver BC
Posts: 144
I have been giving your method serious consideration. The one thing I find interesting is all the energy we put into drinking, but for some reason don't seem to be able to use it to stop drinking. But the energy is there, is has to be!
I stumbled across some site (which I really wished I'd bookmarked) that took phrases like "I need a drink" and turned them into "I don't need to drink" etc.
It's that reversal of terms that just keeps adding to the tools in the sobriety tool box.
Your words are wise, logical and just make sense. Thanks for the post!!
I stumbled across some site (which I really wished I'd bookmarked) that took phrases like "I need a drink" and turned them into "I don't need to drink" etc.
It's that reversal of terms that just keeps adding to the tools in the sobriety tool box.
Your words are wise, logical and just make sense. Thanks for the post!!
Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Melbourne, Victoria Australia
Posts: 1,202
Exactly what I needed to hear this morning, Non. thank you so much. I just posted elsewhere on Newcomers that today is my (gazillionth?) Day one, again, after a completely stupid week-long binge.
The really dangerous thoughts for me niggle at me, just before I pick up, along the lines of 'I'm so SICK N TIRED of this whole Recovery caper, because it's [fill in your own blanks here for why it's a drainer]'. Then, once drinking again, those thoughts grow, they become like an entire argument, neatly rounded and iron clad.
Huh!!! Talk about the twisted labyrinths of the addicted mind!
So, yeah, I must practise more of your positive thinking, about recovery itself.
The really dangerous thoughts for me niggle at me, just before I pick up, along the lines of 'I'm so SICK N TIRED of this whole Recovery caper, because it's [fill in your own blanks here for why it's a drainer]'. Then, once drinking again, those thoughts grow, they become like an entire argument, neatly rounded and iron clad.
Huh!!! Talk about the twisted labyrinths of the addicted mind!
So, yeah, I must practise more of your positive thinking, about recovery itself.
A simple guy making his way
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Maine
Posts: 7,867
Bumping this to the top so more people read it today. It's a solid message of hope and determination.
For those that don't know nonsensical.... He is a good egg! (Easter pun intended)
Happy sober Saturday!
For those that don't know nonsensical.... He is a good egg! (Easter pun intended)
Happy sober Saturday!
Marchia in Aeternum
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Georgia
Posts: 11,094
Originally Posted by Weasel1966
Bumping this to the top so more people read it today. It's a solid message of hope and determination.
For those that don't know nonsensical.... He is a good egg! (Easter pun intended)
For those that don't know nonsensical.... He is a good egg! (Easter pun intended)
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