There’s a common saying that I’ve heard around 12-step meetings – “In our secrets lies our disease.” I personally feel that the term “disease” comes loaded with way too many alternate meanings attached – many implying that we are helpless and have no control over our situation. I prefer to say, “In our secrets lies our ‘Self-Imposed Prison’.”
How many of you have bottles of wine or liquor hidden in your house or other private places? “Jill,” a self-proclaimed “ex-wine alcoholic,” used to keep bottles of red wine hidden in her laundry room cabinets, stashed behind the bleach and the extra supply of paper towels. She would have a few coffee mug’s full of wine as she sorted and folded the clothes. It’s amazing how much more “pleasant” doing the laundry can be while sipping on a nice Cabernet! Ironically, now that she has control of her drinking and no longer needs to sneak, her laundry seems to be piling up. Or how many of you have learned how to dispose of your empty bottles so that they won’t “clink” in the trash bag, or how to hide the alcohol on your breath with menthol cough drops because the medicinal smell of ethanol is too strong to be hidden by chewing gum? I’ve heard these stories and more from people who could master in the art of espionage.
So why do we feel so compelled to hide our drinking problem? Perhaps we know that our professional credibility would be shot if someone knew that we were having problems with alcohol. Or it may be that the other moms / parents in the neighborhood or school would never trust their child with us if they thought we were not able to control our drinking. For me, I never wanted my children to pick up my habit, in case they carried the genetic predisposition to drink uncontrollably.
Now that I’m able to control my drinking with the help of MODER8® (a dietary supplement that helps me balance my brain chemistry), I feel it is my responsibility to “come out of the drinking closet” per se, and share my story with anyone I may be able to help. The following are some suggestions that have been helpful for me as well as others in learning to drink in moderation and control drinking.
Where to start:
Step 1 – Find someone safe with whom you can share your secret…not someone that will feel compelled to fix you or dish out “shame” or “condemnation” – or someone that could throw it back in your face next time you have a disagreement.
Some examples:
- Your doctor – if you’re concerned about it showing up in your medical record, ask your doctor not to record it in your file. Doctors see addiction problems all the time, and they usually don’t judge you or your character. They may have some good advice…
- Someone that you trust that you know has dealt with addiction
- Your counselor or therapist
- An internet community where you can remain anonymous
- A priest or pastor (this can be a little bit tricky, depending on your religion, the size of your church, etc. – listen to your gut first).
Step 2- FORGIVE YOURSELF!!! There’s nothing bad, evil or wrong with you because you have a drinking problem! The faster you can realize that and move on, the more successful you’ll be in gaining control over your drinking.
Step 3 – Know that you can overcome! Trust me, if I can, I know that you can!!
Step 4- Start working on a plan:
- Start taking a dietary supplement such as MODER8 to help you balance your brain chemistry and reduce feelings of stress.
- Visit www.MODER8NOW.com and click on “The Plan” to help you develop your own skills and tools to control drinking.
- Or go to your favorite online bookstore and search for material that seems to address your issues.
You may be surprised what letting go of these skeletons will do for you. But if you don’t at least take the first step, you won’t know what an incredible freedom there is out there waiting for you!
Elizabeth Michael is President and Founder of Second Chance Health & Wellness, Inc. Elizabeth is dedicated to helping the problem drinker and potential alcoholic turn their life around by combining a breakthrough method to reduce the desire for alcohol with a positive attitude to make a change. Her company’s mission is to provide the tools and knowledge necessary to help people take control of their drinking and their lives. Elizabeth invites anyone feeling that they may have a problem with alcohol to visit her website at www.MODER8NOW.com and blog at http://blog.moder8now.com. Elizabeth also hosts an online support group. If you’d like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Elizabeth Michael, please call 800-483-0385 or email at liz@moder8now.com.
Keeping Drinking Problems Secret By Elizabeth Michael