"Alcohol Abuse - How to Start Helping Yourself First"

They say that the first step to solving a personal problem
is to admit that you have just that-a problem. While this
is somewhat true, especially when the problem is alcohol
related, you need to slowly work yourself to some desired
goal, whether it's to stop drinking all together, or to
moderate your consumption (which a doctor can help you
decide based an overall health analysis).

Back in college (or university), there was a track coach
(who eventually coached the Olympic team) who told his
runners that you had to visualize your goals, and in your
mind, watch yourself run the entire race in optimal form.
He also told his runners to write down their goals in a
small journal each and every day.

When this is applied to someone suffering from alcoholism
or abuse, it may help him or her substantially control
certain drinking habits. For the first entry in your "stop
drinking journal," write down the reason that you want to
cut down or abstain from alcohol. You can either write it
in paragraph form or make a list that you'll be able to
read clearly if you ever need reminded. The list may
include such reasons as: to sleep or get along with my
family better, or to improve health.

Next, as the track coach would have his runners jot down
their goals, so should you. Each and every day you should
limit your alcohol intake to only one or two glasses, and
no more. Write down this goal for each new day in your
journal. And, if you don't think you can start there, go
ahead and create a chart that diagrams how much drinking
you do each week.

Be honest with yourself and record how much you've drank
each and every day. After three to four weeks, see how much
you've consumed. And, if you feel able, share this
information with your doctor, then s/he will help you
assess if your drinking is should be considered problematic
(which is usually a male who drinks more than two drinks
per day, and a female who drinks more than one).

So, instead of allowing yourself to be victimized by your
own emotions or self-control issues, start taking control
with this simple step. If you're not sure that you have a
problem, but you feel like you might, then chances are you
do.

So, don't make excuses, monitor yourself daily. Once you're
ready, perhaps you can share your material with your doctor
or other professionals (or a therapy group) who understand
what you're going through.
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About the Author

Paul Johnson works as a software developer, often working
long hours under great stress. A few years ago he realized
alcohol was becoming a problem. Now he's written a series
of useful articles on alcohol abuse, and the important
information he discovered during his recovery process.