Arguably, demonizing alcohol is an overcorrection. This vilifying perpetuates feelings of shame and hiding behaviors. The impulse to hide is a signal. Shame becomes big and scary and morphs into tunnel-like vision. Often, you are left in a corner, with minimal square footage to look fairly at your experience. Journal Prompts: I tend to hide... The corner feels like...

Alcohol can be euphoric and bonding, and alcohol can be miserable and isolating. - Journal Prompts: Alcohol is bonding when... Alcohol is isolating when...

Your body is designed to naturally release good feeling chemicals like dopamine and endorphins. Overtime, if you have artificially stimulated the release of these chemicals through drinking, your body chemistry adjusts. Your body learns that it does not have to make these chemicals naturally, it can rely on alcohol consumption to do the work. From this perspective, your brain is solving a problem by drinking. For most, this chemical experience can be reset. - Journal Prompt: I feel good when... - For more information: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6826822/ For help: https://www.samhsa.gov/find-support

Problematic drinking does not station itself nicely on the outside rim of your relationships. It shows up within and around your relationships, like a textile pattern, predictably. It shows up within and around your relationships, like a textile pattern, predictably. - Journal Prompts: My relationships + drinking means... I notice a pattern of...

Drinking is favored in boredom. There is an impulse to occupy quiet spaces. A resistance to risk letting your mind wander. Journal Prompts: Quiet means... When I am bored, I...

Alcohol can create the illusion of permission. Perhaps, it gives you the confidence to do or say things that you would otherwise find difficult. - Journal Prompts: Alcohol gives me permission to... The last time I did that without alcohol was...

Regulating emotions is a persistent motivation for alcohol use. Even if it is a net negative experience, alcohol can be still be quite dependable, which is to say, reinforcing. - Journal Prompts: The emotions I regulate with alcohol tend to be... I would love to put a barrier between me and feeling...

When alcohol becomes blind muscle memory rather than something you are present for, you might consider restructuring your pairing. If you always have alcohol with _____. Perhaps still do both, but separately. Unpairing empowers your awareness and disrupts the brain velcro to habits.