Thoughts to Bear in Mind When you Have Stopped Drinking
1. Do not hold onto the thought of not drinking; rather think of it as being free from the prison of drinking and the obsession around it
2. Never allow yourself to doubt you have made the right decision. If it is the right decision now it will always be. You cannot put the toothpaste back in the tube – the right choice has been made.
3. It is all right to think about not drinking so long as you think about it as being freedom rather than as a sacrifice
Want to Drink
4. On occasions you may think ‘I want a drink’. If you do, visualise the need as a monster within you that wants to be fed. It is the monster that wants alcohol, not you. If you feed it, it will thrive and grow stronger. It will threaten your happiness. If you do not feed it (with alcohol) it will wither and die and you will then have peace.
5. You may occasionally forget you have stopped. Don’t worry – it is a bit like driving a new car in which the indicators and windscreen wiper controls have changed sides. you might put on the windscreen wipers when you need to indicate to start with but so long as you do not drink, you will soon get used to the new circumstances.
Good Days and Bad of not drinking
6. Accept that good days and bad days happen to everyone – drinkers and non-drinkers. However, if you have a bad day, no drinking will make it better. In fact, it will always make things one hundred times worse.
7.You are now free and need never drink again. You need never have another hangover, feel physically ill, feel guilty, embarrassed, full of shame and worthless due to drinking. Now you have a choice whether or not to give in to any feeling of needing a drink. You have a choice whereas when you were actively drinking, you did not.
Don’t Regret it not Drinking
8. Do not regret not drinking and feel as if you have lost something. you have only conquered an enemy – something to celebrate. You are free!
9. Enjoy your life now you are free. See how much you can enjoy social and celebratory occasions without drinking. Laugh, live and enjoy the world around you now that your senses are no longer dulled.
10. Do not try and stop anyone else drinking. They have to come to their own conclusions.
Energy
11. You will now have more time, energy, love and money – four things you cannot have enough of. Enjoy them all and use them wisely!
12. Do not substitute another addiction!
13. Break false associations one by one – discover you can enjoy a meal, a party, a social gathering, a picnic, wedding etc without alcohol. In time you will not even associate these events with being drinking occasions.
Don’t Envy Others
14. Never envy those who are still drinking. Alcohol is a poison.
The Haynes Clinic offers residential treatment for dependency on alcohol, drugs and prescription medication. We can also help with other addictions such as gambling and with eating disorders.
If you have an alcohol or drug related problem, please call The Haynes Clinic on 01462 851414 for free and confidential advice and help.
