challenging our own stigmas regarding alcohol use

[Determinator]

we've lamented on the board often about how unfortunate it is that society has this dreadful stigma regarding people with alcohol problems but quite frankly there isn't much we can do about that on a personal level. What we can do is look at and challenge our own stigma.

I began forming my stigma in my pre teens. I thought alcohol use was not only cool but a symbol of maturity and manhood. over the years I lead myself to believe that drinking was NEEDED to be classy and sophisticated, to appear well to do, needed to help me sleep, help me celebrate, allow me to relax in public, fight anxiety et etc. in time I came to not only belief this stigma with my whole heart but to actually defend it vigorously. Nothing was going to challenge my dear belief system! any restaurant that didn't serve alcohol was 'not a real restaurant' etc etc.

so after many years and incredible contemplation I look at this stigma based on twisted logic and watch it fall apart into the tiny pieces of garbage that it's actually made of. it has failed the test of scrutiny and truth. An elaborate lie that became a belief system is now gone. I feel a sense of emptiness and a bit of agoraphobia. Fortunately there are many positive things I can use that mental real estate for.

Did I quit alcohol or did my belief system simply fall apart?

food for thought.

[MyOwnWoman]

challenging our own stigmas regarding alcohol use

AMEN Brother Det.
You nearly brought tears to my eyes. You are so right on. I think it's that belief system that has been instilled for so long that we forgot a time without it that is our greatest challenge to overcome.
I'm so glad for you that yours has fallen apart.
hugs....

[janka]

challenging our own stigmas regarding alcohol use

Yes Det, right on. The beliefs that alcohol is cool, calms us down, etc. are lies, sick and really potentially lethal fantasies, j

[Kirova]

challenging our own stigmas regarding alcohol use

Who thought that "falling apart" would be such a good thing? It's high time to change the dialogue, shift the paradigm...and recognize AL for what it really is -- an insidious tool of self-destruction. Thank goodness we've seen the light! :h

[Beaches]

challenging our own stigmas regarding alcohol use

"so after many years and incredible contemplation I look at this stigma based on twisted logic and watch it fall apart into the tiny pieces of garbage that it's actually made of. it has failed the test of scrutiny and truth. An elaborate lie that became a belief system is now gone. I feel a sense of emptiness and a bit of agoraphobia. Fortunately there are many positive things I can use that mental real estate for."

So true D so very true. That's one of the hardest things about getting healthy is breaking it all down to figure out how we got to where we are now. It starts out so innocently, so we think, in highschool or even before then spirals out of control. Now we are left to figurre out why and the true underlying reason why we turn to alcohol. It certainly has failed the test of scrutiny and truth for us all, hasn't it. I gott agree that there are so many other positive things to put in Al's place it's just getting to the mindframe we need to be at to do that and to be truly ready to take on what's underneath it all.