The key to coping with stress and avoiding a relapse clearly lies in preventing negative emotions like anxiety, anger, guilt, resentment, self-pity, depression and jealousy from occurring. The alcoholic needs to identify hot buttons that will lead him or her back to the bottle. Negative environmental events, which have been labelled as triggers, need to be observed and dealt with in a proactive way. Don’t walk where it’s slippery!  That’s the best advice I can give my clients. Don’t set yourself up for a bust. Alcoholics need to change the way they interpret and evaluate situations that could push them over the edge. Changing the things that cause arousal of intense, unpleasant emotions is a possibility in some situations, but is not possible in most, because the behavior of most other people is not under the control of the recovering alcoholic. Nor can they prepare for all the situations that can threaten their sense of well-being, because the list is infinitely long. People can and do perceive most situations as containing threats. All social situations contain areas of stress that can be perceived as threatening. Most people feel a need to perform well in life, no matter what the situation or occasion. In order to prevent relapse drinking occurring, alcoholics have to change the way they look at and interpret problem situations.  The way they interpret problem situations is stored in the memory so that responses to situations become habitual. For alcoholics these habitual ways of thinking have led to disaster; so change is necessary. This habitual way of responding, like all other habits, can be unlearned and new habits substituted. New responses do not call for a radical change in personality and are relatively easy to do. They do call for constant practice and the more help one can get in adopting the procedures the better. Since the way people think is under their personal control, so the way they go about recovering from alcoholism is under their control. With the exception of major events such as whether a war will begin, whether bank interest rates will rise or fall, or whether it will rain or not, people are in control of their own destiny. It is not these uncontrollable factors that cause them to return to drinking but the way they react to the things that happen in their everyday lives. People get angry because they are criticized, they get depressed because they make mistakes, they become resentful because they are passed over for promotion, they feel sorry for themselves because of the wasted years spent in alcoholic drinking, and they become desperate because they cannot see how to overcome their loneliness. All alcoholics are capable of rational thinking once they dry out and recover from the symptoms of physical dependence on alcohol. The very first step in recovery is to make a conscious decision to begin to think rationally about one’s behavior, to give away the impulsive, irrational, emotional ways and to adopt a problem solving approach to life.  It can be done! Amino Acid and Mineral supplements like Tyrosine for the manufacture of dopamine and noradrenaline, which are required for concentration, alertness, memory and a happy, stable mood. L-Glutamine can reduce both cravings and the anxiety that accompanies alcohol withdrawal. Magnesium Ultra Potent can be taken before bed to assist with a deep and restful sleep. It also helps to reduce stress, very beneficial to a recovering alcoholic.  Magnesium is also known as the “great relaxer”. A good liver tonic like LivaTone Plus is recommended and can be beneficial in those who have an inflamed liver or a sluggish liver.

Dr. Cabot’s book, Help for Depression and Anxiety is an excellent read for recovering alcoholics.   The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.