Alcohol addiction appears to be a growing trend around the world. Yet what exactly is alcohol addiction and how can it be treated?
Is this kind of addiction, the same as with drugs and nicotine, where strong physical symptoms can be experienced or is this more of a psychological or psycho-somatic addiction? The truth is probably somewhere inbetween. You can get 'addicted' to the phycical sensations such as the relaxation, release of tension and so on which alcohol brings. Then there is the psychological element such as overcoming inhibition, camaraderie with friends etc. When it comes down to it though, you do everything you do for a reason, to fill a need, to deal with pain or even for pleasure.
If we start with the physical element first. As ever, the first piece of advice I can give is to check out with your medical practitioner. Do you have a serious physical issue with alcohol? Are there chemical imbalances (such as low serotonin levels etc) which alcohol is helping you deal with. Once you have had whatever tests, it is time for dealing with the psychological aspects.
Psychological. Simply ask yourself. Why do you drink? Before you ask yourself this, pause, take a couple of deep breaths and then ask yourself this question. Usually the answer will come to you there and then. Otherwise go through the last two weeks and write down when you drank, with whom and then ask yourself why.
Why does not have to be a bad reason. It could be you drank because you were with friends, to feel connected and so on. However the question then becomes could you do exactly what you did and still enjoy yourself without the alcohol? If you have any kind of negative feelings at this point, it is where an addiction (or dependence or reliance) on alcohol might start to come in.
Now, that you are at this point. You have to make a decision as to what you want to do about it. It could be a simple step of just drinking less or having a day or two without alcohol every week or month. Or it could be more. The steps will become clear once you make a commitment to change your relationship to alcohol and drinking.
To help you with this, I have several free resources including the 5 part Take Control of Alcohol course at www.alcoholfreesociallife.com Please be sure to check it out and let me know your thoughts.
