Hi Guys
I know I have been posting a lot lately about habits and rationalizing and the important role this tends to play in drinking etc. I think this is really important. Something that topa cant address. Its something that anyone who has had an "unhealthy relationship" with alcohol has to address. So, I have been working on putting together a sort of drink diary for when a "craving/urge/rationalization" for a drink comes on. The idea is that when this happens, I will take this little diary and write down the answers to the questions. Maybe it will make me think twice before taking that drink. Of course, as my wonderful MWO family (I just created this today), I wanted to share this with you. What do you guys think? As I have said fifty trillion times before, the topa is great for reducing the physical cravings but i thought anything that can help that mental/habit pain in the you-know-what could be helpful. Of course if people want to add to it etc. that woudl also be great. The best thing about these boards is we have a wealth of experience and intelligence to benefit from!
Love you all
Jen:l
DIARY
For when a craving/urge or ?rationalize? for a drink hits:
1) Describe how you are feeling right now.
2) Be honest with yourself, can this truly be described as a craving or as a habit?
3) What are you looking for in a drink?
4) Is drinking relieving you from doing something you would have otherwise had to do?
5) What are some alternative things you can do to achieve what it is you are seeking?
6) List the reasons NOT to drink: List the predictable outcomes of drinking.
General notes for exposing patterns/habits and how to fight back.
1) Where is the craving/urge most likely to occur?
2) When? (time of day, what day)
3) Who else is there?
4) What are you doing at this time?
5) Are certain thoughts or feelings associated with the occurrence of the craving/urge?
6) Is the occurrence of the craving/urge predictable? Can you tell when (under what circumstances) it will strike (or get worse), when it will leave you alone (ease off)?
7) Is it controllable? What can you do to influence it?
:thumbs:
Note: Problems feel ?universal?, as if they were ?always there?. Find exceptions: they are the clue to ways of fighting back.
Keeping a diary is in itself a behavior change agent. Sometimes, it is the only action necessary to eliminate a bad habit. It is a source of information allowing you to plan an attack on the distressing problem. And it makes you into an observer, so that you can distance yourself from unwanted emotions
I know I have been posting a lot lately about habits and rationalizing and the important role this tends to play in drinking etc. I think this is really important. Something that topa cant address. Its something that anyone who has had an "unhealthy relationship" with alcohol has to address. So, I have been working on putting together a sort of drink diary for when a "craving/urge/rationalization" for a drink comes on. The idea is that when this happens, I will take this little diary and write down the answers to the questions. Maybe it will make me think twice before taking that drink. Of course, as my wonderful MWO family (I just created this today), I wanted to share this with you. What do you guys think? As I have said fifty trillion times before, the topa is great for reducing the physical cravings but i thought anything that can help that mental/habit pain in the you-know-what could be helpful. Of course if people want to add to it etc. that woudl also be great. The best thing about these boards is we have a wealth of experience and intelligence to benefit from!
Love you all
Jen:l
DIARY
For when a craving/urge or ?rationalize? for a drink hits:
1) Describe how you are feeling right now.
2) Be honest with yourself, can this truly be described as a craving or as a habit?
3) What are you looking for in a drink?
4) Is drinking relieving you from doing something you would have otherwise had to do?
5) What are some alternative things you can do to achieve what it is you are seeking?
6) List the reasons NOT to drink: List the predictable outcomes of drinking.
General notes for exposing patterns/habits and how to fight back.
1) Where is the craving/urge most likely to occur?
2) When? (time of day, what day)
3) Who else is there?
4) What are you doing at this time?
5) Are certain thoughts or feelings associated with the occurrence of the craving/urge?
6) Is the occurrence of the craving/urge predictable? Can you tell when (under what circumstances) it will strike (or get worse), when it will leave you alone (ease off)?
7) Is it controllable? What can you do to influence it?
:thumbs:
Note: Problems feel ?universal?, as if they were ?always there?. Find exceptions: they are the clue to ways of fighting back.
Keeping a diary is in itself a behavior change agent. Sometimes, it is the only action necessary to eliminate a bad habit. It is a source of information allowing you to plan an attack on the distressing problem. And it makes you into an observer, so that you can distance yourself from unwanted emotions
Great guys!
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