Recovering from an alcohol addiction isn’t a simple thing to do. You don’t just suddenly stop wanting to drink; it’s a lifelong struggle that will have its challenging moments.
Unfortunately, there will be times where you may feel the urge to start drinking again. Luckily, you can recognize and overcome those feelings whenever they creep up.
Emotionally Heavy Times
Life can bring you down; you can be doing well, and then something happens that can negatively affect you or your outlook.
Finding out about the death of a loved one or being laid off from your job can make your world seem to crumble. No matter what, the emotional burden can be intense for many people causing them to slip back into old habits.
What matters in the end is what you do in reaction to these trying times. It’s important to remember that everyone is different and what might affect you might not affect someone else.
With that being said, understand that feeling intense emotions during emotionally heavy times is completely normal.
One common way to take care of yourself is to make sure that all your needs are met; eat well, drink water, and make sure you’re getting enough sleep so you need to stay healthy and strong.
Make sure you don’t miss any therapy appointments or skip out on any medication you need to take. It’s also important you are aware of what you’re feeling. Writing down how you feel in a journal is one way to address a situation.
Another thing you should do is reach out to someone who understands your situation. There are communities out there that understand what you’re going through.
Groups like Alcoholics Anonymous have meetings throughout the country, where people who need a place to talk can come together in a nonjudgmental environment.
Talking to others who know what you’re going through can help ease the stress you’re feeling and make you feel comforted and not alone.
Times of Celebration
It’s easy to see why emotionally heavy times would make someone feel as though they’re going to relapse, but one thing that people tend to forget about are those times of immense pleasure and joy.
Celebrating a new job offer or finishing your four-year degree is all well and good but wanting to keep the good feelings going can oftentimes be a trigger to relapse.
Relapsing during a celebration happens because people will feel as though they’re in control, and they’ll think they can handle one drink…
Continue reading the article and learn more about staying sober on Daisy Linden’s blog.