18 Days of Sober Takeaways: Day 7
Old Tools for New Problems?
Once the drinking stopped, I started seeing some of the things I’d been using alcohol to cover over.
I had ways of dealing with discomfort, I noted, that were not particularly sophisticated.
I could avoid things. I could control things. I could become defensive, convincing myself that I was right and then find plenty of evidence in support.
And, for a long time, I thought these were simply my defects.
But the work I did with Internal Family Systems Therapy gave me another way to look at them.
Some of my unhelpful behaviors probably developed because, at some point, they helped me to get through a life event.
But that didn't mean I needed to keep them.
As a result, I could stop treating myself like a badly designed person and start looking at my behavior afresh – and with greater curiosity.
That’s a much more useful place to begin.
Could curiosity kill the shame? Check back tomorrow, Day 8 of my 18 Days of Sober Takeaways from #NationalSoberDay to the start of #SoberOctober.
If you’d like to start on Day 1, you can find it here: 18 Days of Sober Takeaways - Day 1
To further explore any of the topics raised in my 18 Days of Sober Takeaways, or if you’d like support in stopping drinking, please visit:
Substack: Sally Cardy - Transformative Recovery Solutions