A Simple Path from Alcohol Misery to Alcohol Mastery PDF EBook Seb Grant Quit Alcohol Formula | Page 27

• With practice, the relaxation will come
easily. Practise how to do this once or
twice a day, but not within two hours
of eating a large meal as digestion of
food prevents a good level of relaxation.
Imagine being somewhere pleasant, such
as lying on a beach on a warm, sunny
day. It can help to play soft background
music. Decide when and where you will
try this relaxation exercise. Practise it at
least once a day for a fortnight. Give it a
reasonable chance to tell if it has been
beneficial or not. Skills improve through
practice – and relaxation is a skill.
Allow yourself enough time to build
your expertise.
Beat depression
The term ‘depression’ is used for a range of
feelings, from being ‘down in the dumps’ to
feeling there is no point in living any more.
Many people drink when they feel down.
When you feel depressed for long periods,
you can get stuck in a very low emotional
state. Alcohol is a depressant and guarantees
to make this worse. If you’re feeling fed-up
or that you’re missing out on life, there are
things you can do to lift your mood.
Some suggestions:
• Take up a new activity or interest.
• One of the problems when people start to
feel down is that they stop doing things.
They lose contact with friends and brood
about their problems. They close the door
to having fun.
• Live for the present and not the past.
• If you feel guilty or are full of regrets, you
are living in the past. Put the past behind
you and work hard at living your life to the
full – today.
• Control your thoughts.
• Be aware of thoughts that leave you
feeling low, such as regrets about missed
opportunities. Challenge depressing
thoughts such as “I’m no good at
anything” or “Things will never get any
better”. Replace them with a more
positive outlook.
• Set yourself goals to achieve. These
could be household chores such as
mending a fuse, moving furniture around
or decorating a room, phoning a friend,
joining a club, applying for a training
course or planning a holiday.
• Learn more about depression from
depression.org.nz