What I'm Doing to Break My Alcohol Habit

What I’m actively trying in my journey to break free from alcohol . . .

Some of these mindset practices may also help you break free from other habits like sugar overconsumption, social media addiction and any other habits that have you shackled

For years, my evenings were defined by an unhealthy ritual: glasses of wine, whiskey, or beer that I convinced myself were deserved. This nightly habit, seemingly benign at first, escalated into a necessity I couldn't shake off.

I’m convinced that this practice is no longer serving me but changing courses has proven to be difficult than I expected. I've learned and adopted various strategies from resources and close friends, redefining my approach to breaking free from alcohol. Here's how I'm attempting to do it:

• Substituting one behavior for another: experts say to replace one behavior with another and suggest going for a walk, journaling or meditating during that 5pm “dopamine monster” hour. This wasn’t quite practical for ME so I’m subbing the booze with gum, popcorn, sunflower seeds and spindrift (a sparkling water) in a wine glass

• Reframing the Narrative: Telling myself I get to enjoy Topo Chico, Spindrift and Pellegrino instead of a substance that doesn’t treat me kindly and that I get to enjoy a better nights sleep rather telling myself, “I have to …” which gives off a more deprived sensation to my brain

• Practicing Self-Compassion: Treating myself with kindness as if I would if my kid were recovering from a sickness (rather than grinding through rigorous workouts and difficult tasks), especially in the challenging first few days of abstinence.

• Shunning Self-Judgment: Recognizing that feelings of shame and guilt are counterproductive and actually cause backward progression. I'm learning to have a kinder internal conversation with myself telling myself that I am not inherently flawed but that an addictive substance is causing flawed choices/behavior

• Focusing on Nutrition: Concentrating on nourishing my body especially during the daylight hours with high-quality, whole food proteins and fibers, understanding the crucial link between these nutrients and gut health, mental health, and decision-making.

• Understanding the Role of Dopamine: Acknowledging that my craving for alcohol is tied to dopamine spikes and lows, and relearning how to regulate these toward sloping rises and falls in dopamine as nature originally designed.

• Outsmarting the 'Dopamine Monster': The 5pm Dopamine Monster will die if not fed alcohol. I am weakening it by tricking it temporarily with sweets/treats so in it’s dying process, it is less “painful” for me. Dessert before dinner is my mantra for now.

• Embracing Discomfort: Accepting the discomfort as a necessary and temporary phase of renewal and drawing strength from overcoming harder things in the past like childbirth!

• Maintaining Resilience: If I slip up. I pick myself up and continue on my journey to sobriety. I do not throw caution to the wind; I just hop back on the wagon

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