Alcoholism Support Group

Alcoholism is the continued consumption of alcoholic beverages, even when it is negatively affecting your health, work, relationships and life. If you think alcohol is causing you to lose control, it's time to seek help. Our group is a safe place to vent, check in, get back up if you fall, and reach sobriety.

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Urge to drink

Taradactyl
Taradactyl
Why it has taken me 4 mos to realize this I have no idea, but...

EMOTION="urge to drink"

I cannot even distinguish between the two. When I feel emotion, I want to drink. It is beyond "self medication" - It is a trigger.

Until getting sober recently, I think I almost never really felt any emotion, good or bad, without following it up with a drink.

Recognizing this has been helping me the past few days. I am afraid to drink. I am not afraid of emotion.

Now I can say... "That is emotion. That is not an urge to drink. Emotion is okay."

...And so I let myself feel. It won't kill me to feel. It will kill me to drink.

This doesn't take away the urge to drink, but it does take some of the power from it.
deleted_user
deleted_user
Right on. You said, "I have detached from emotions my whole life, or stuffed them." That's it, that's the whole deal. It is a deeply imbedded learned response. A destructive coping mechaniam in place of constructive coping mechanisms which we either weren't taught or didn't allow to develop because we used other things to squash down uncomfortable emotions, one of those things being booze..

But our Plastic Brains CAN re-learn coping mechanisms - that's what we do in AA and it's what we're all doing in this thread. Yippee!
deleted_user
deleted_user
That is a great feeling Olive. During this whole ordeal with my mother, I can honestly say that I have not wanted to "escape". When I have had a passing thought, I've played it through in my head and know that drinking is not an option.

How awful it would be for my sisters who are scared too and worried about my mom, to be worried about ME because I picked up a drink? I wouldn't do that to them. I wouldn't do that to myself....my drinking would make the entire situation worse.

Once you recognize that fact, that you must feel emotions and not bury them, it makes a difference, it really does. Yay you! :)
bootoo
bootoo
HC - you sound great! this certainly applies in your situation. Hope your Mom is doing well.
Taradactyl
Taradactyl
You are awesome, Shelly. Good example you are. Inspiring. Stay strong. You can do this. Lots of prayers coming your way today. xo
deleted_user
deleted_user
Aw girl, I love ya! Couldn't be happier for you that you're sober for this long, and how things like those CrAzY AsS urges are getting weaker for you! Sofa king cool! :D

Love ya MORE! you BFF you!
Taradactyl
Taradactyl
Thanks Bumd. I'll check it out. Always interested in new ideas. Haven't heard of DBT before.

Peace.
drafter
drafter
Love it, Anna!