A Simple Path from Alcohol Misery to Alcohol Mastery PDF EBook Seb Grant Quit Alcohol Formula | Page 28

Assert yourself
over your problems with you. If not, they
will suggest where you can get help.
Depression responds well to both drug and
psychological treatment.
When people have trouble standing up for
their rights, they begin to feel used and
worthless. Being assertive means giving
as much respect to yourself as you give
to others. It has nothing to do with being
aggressive or awkward. If you need help in
being more assertive, there are assertiveness
training groups available. These are provided
by psychologists and counsellors, and your
doctor may be able to refer you to one.
Some alcohol and drug counselling services
offer them. Now that you’ve given up drinking, you may be
concerned about how you’ll fill the extra time
you have on your hands. Plan your time. Think
of as many alternatives to drinking as possible,
no matter how unlikely your ideas seem. Ask
one of your supporters to help you. Fill in the
chart on the next page.
Reward yourself Develop your self-confidence
Treats are important to give you something
to look forward to. Daily rewards might be a
cup of tea or coffee, reading a magazine or
watching a favourite TV programme. Longer-
term treats might include going to the
movies, buying new clothes or having a meal
out. Looking forward to these rewards can
give almost as much pleasure as the treats
themselves. Some people drink because they lack
confidence, feel shy or find it hard to stick
up for themselves. They might have difficulty
saying “No” to people about things in general,
including when they are offered drinks. Often
they find it hard to express anger. They bottle
things up and say nothing, or say something
different from what they feel. Sometimes,
much later, they ‘explode’ in response to
some trivial incident when they should have
been firmer at the time. It is not possible
to deal with these problems properly here,
although a few comments may help. First,
confidence and assertiveness are skills, like
driving a car or operating a machine.
Long-term depression
If you think your depression is more deep-
seated than ‘the blues’, and you have been
feeling miserable for more than a few weeks,
see your doctor. Tell your doctor that you
have stopped drinking. Your doctor may talk
Deal to boredom