One important step in recovery from alcoholism is to take a long, hard look at yourself. On the average, alcoholics have very low sense of self-esteem. They have coped very poorly with their lives and usually have major problems in emotional, family, social and occupational areas and frequently in financial, legal and sexual aspects as well.

The method of trying to move the self-image towards the Ideal Self is in the alcoholic’s recovery. However, many alcoholics fail because they think that after treatment for alcoholism, their problems can all be solved in a short time. Habits such as intolerance, anger and irrational ways of thinking have been built up over many years and that it takes time to tear down these old habits whilst, the same time, building up new habits of tolerance, assertion and rational thinking.

Drinking has become a habitual method of trying to cope with stressful situations and this habit, has to be unlearned and replaced with the non-drinking habit.  An alcoholic’s emotional intelligence grinds to a halt when they use alcohol to numb their feelings and escape their problems. It’s only when they are sober, they work through their problems and their emotions catch up to their physical self. How many alcoholics to you know who have very immature emotions? They have never had the chance to “grow up” and work through problems like normal people. They are often immature, selfish, self-centred, irresponsible and often procrastinate due to their inability to accept life on life’s terms. This can all change once they reach out for help.

There are many resources available to the alcoholic to help him or her achieve a successful sobriety. I have seen many ladies over the years that are still sober today. How do I know?  They keep in touch with me on a regular basis.

They have adhered to the program they were first introduced to when they started counselling. They also take their supplements, including Tyrosine and L-Glutamine to help balance their brain chemistry. L-Glutamine supports efficient brain function and is the body’s most potent antioxidant and detoxifier. You can find glutamine in my Ultimate Gut Health powder. Tyrosine is necessary for the manufacture of dopamine and noradrenaline, which are required for concentration, alertness, memory and a happy, stable mood. I also recommend Magnesium Ultra Potent to help them reduce stress and assist with a deep and restful sleep without having to use drugs or alcohol. LivaTone Plus supports phase 1 and phase 2 detoxification pathways, ensuring optimum detoxification of many toxic substances and also supports liver function and metabolism.

They meditate (active meditation) every morning for around 20 minutes to give them a good start to their day. They use the 4 Stabilising Questions and DBT to help them live in the “now.”  If they have serious issues, they know to reach out for help and talk about their problems.  The old days of resorting to alcohol to numb their feelings are gone forever.