AL conditioned response

[greeneyes]

I got to pondering conditioned response yesterday. I am very interested in other's thoughts on this. If you don't know me, I'm recently 7 months AF (just to put the situation in perspective).

Monday morning started with an unplanned root canal. (my week HAS to go uphill now, right? :H) I had been having serious tooth pain, but had not thought of AL. No thoughts. Not in frustration that my dentist was out of town last week, that another dentist didn't relieve the pain, not as a relief from the pain, nothing. (This is all afterthought). My dentist is in another town. This weekend I know I can't possibly wait until Wed AM and I call first thing yesterday. Hop in the car and drive nearly 2 hours to his office. He looks and sends me over to endodontist who also in that town. All is fine, relief is on the way. I am driving from one office to the other with my throbbing face and spot a liquor store. I instantly become Pavlov's dog. Salivating. I automatically scan the road, all three mirrors, blind spots. I can taste it. I can FEEL it. I am startled by all this and think "Are you CRAZY!? What are you DOING!?" And even while I'm thinking that, I am consciously marking the location. It's amazing what can flash through your mind in a short period of time. Liquor stores in that town, cups of ice at fast food drive throughs, pouring in parking lots. Dental discomfort = booze. I shake it off and go on to the endodontist. As I pay my bill, I see the print out from the last root canal ordeal. Six years ago. SIX! And I felt that way.

This wasn't what I would describe as one of my triggers. Has this happened to others?

[aidanspappa]

AL conditioned response

Who is running the show?

Great Thread, thanks for starting it.

I am 17 days AF and wobble between no thoughts of AL, to occaisional thoughts. The occaisional thoughts appear after 'triggers' most of the time. Being still in the honeymoon stage I can't relate to something so great as 7 monts AF...yet. However, there are plenty of "use to's" and "normally at this time I'm drinking" thoughts that pop up out of nowhere. None of them, at this time, are focused around pain.

20 years ago I was given percocet for pain after dental work and drank at the same time. Of course my liver was in better shape then opposed to now, but I can relate to 'wanting/planning' an escape.

Your post is inspiring; I will keep it in mind when/should thoughts turn to AL in the future.

Thanks again for starting this thread

[charlee]

AL conditioned response

Greenie
I had been AF for over a year, and decided it was time to make all those appointments I had either cancelled or not made at all. The dentist was on top of my list, and although I knew there were issues I never dreamed on my second visit I was scheduled for gum surgery. The procedure was long and I kept thinking, relief yes, but after this novacaine wears off, what then???, the guy practically caused whiplash with all that tugging and pulling...As he was finishing up he mentioned I was going to get a script for pain med, and that I would probably need (no shit, Sherlock). My mind started to wander the instant he said "need"....Hmmmmm could I forego the meds, just stop and get a bottle?.....same thing, I would be in lala land and if need be could call into work.....Yeppers, that was the plan. I would just substitute.....I paid my bill, walked out with the script, sat in my car for a while to ponder... which will it be.my mind was going a mile a minute with thoughts, and yes salvitating just thinking about the drink.....I went to the pharmacy, filled the script, and drove directly home. My mind was justifying yet again...BTW, never took the pills either!!!!!