Alcohol Awareness Week 2019

So, we're halfway through Alcohol Awareness week. How are you doing? How are you managing? Is temptation becoming stronger? Is it a real challenge for you and are you finding it easy?

Awareness days or weeks are great for doing just that, making us aware of what we are doing or thinking. The problem comes after they finish. We tend to go back to our previous habits. We blame stress, anxiety, living for today, or sorts of excuses to justify why we went back to our old ways. 

The bottom line is we should be aware of everything we do at all times. Even if we are doing something too much or too little. Being aware of what we are doing means we are doing it through choice rather than habit. We are deciding to continue with the current pattern until we decide otherwise.

My mother passed away recently and I know I started drinking more alcohol afterwards. I like alcohol and usually have a few drinks at weekends and occasionally during the week. I know the risks and accept them. I like to think I am managing it and, most of the time I think I do. However, there are times when I've had a drink when I've given in and poured myself a second one, even though I knew it wouldn't be in my best interest. Then later I've been disappointed with myself because I'd done so. 

Before I registered it was Alcohol Awareness Week this week I had already decided to reduce my intake. I know I can do it as I've done it plenty of times before. I don't want to give it up as it's part of my life that I enjoy, and I shouldn't need to providing I take care of my drinking now. Making sure it doesn't get out of hand will go some way to help myself continue to enjoy alcohol in my later years. Unfortunately I have lost a number of friends over the years because they couldn't (or wouldn't) keep themselves in check. I don't want to wait until I'm told that I have to give up something due to my poor health. I'm responsible for what I do and I choose to look at the bigger picture.

Hypnotherapy has helped me in this. I don't actually have hypnotherapy but once I learned how the brain works and understood the reasons why I make bad choices It helped me. To be fair I was always reasonably sensible before I learned all this (anyone who knows me well will attest to this) but it certainly helped me further. Now I have a better understanding of the need to speak to myself in the correct manner, to avoid setting myself up for failure by using the correct words and thoughts.

If you'd like some help with changing your thoughts and habits to help yourself feel more in control please do get in touch.

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