subject: Does Mommy Really Have To Go To Rehab? A New Way To Control Drinking [print this page] With ever increasing stories of "closet alcoholic moms" and soccer mom DUI arrests, it"s becoming less of a shock to know that there are many more women with drinking problems being reported now than ever before. But think of the numbers of women that aren"t seeking help because all they can visualize is being checked in to a rehab facility or trudging into an AA meeting, dealing with the shame and social stigma of alcohol addiction and ultimately having to give up alcohol completely. People need to know that there are other ways to battle their problem besides abstinence and 12-step meetings!
It"s frustrating to watch the women on TV and in the media as they talk about their recovery as something almost like a prison sentence. It"s as though they have been diagnosed with leprosy or an incurable sexually transmitted disease. The "successful" ones (those that are completely abstinent) seem to be pleased with their sobriety, yet you can almost see the shame in their eyes. If you were to ask any one of them if they would like to be able to drink socially, I believe 99% of them would say "Yes!"
My own struggle with alcohol began at an early age "" at age 12 "" but even earlier, I can vividly remember the first "buzz" I felt when I was only 9 years old. After trying some of my grandmother"s sherry, I immediately fell in love with the sensation and struggled for most of my life to find a feeling that could replace it.
Over the next few decades, nothing had an effect on controlling my abuse.I even attended Alcoholics Anonymous for 2 years, but then "graduated" and begin drinking again. Although I had an unpredictable compulsion to drink, I was able to earn degrees in both biochemistry and biology and gain extensive experience as an analytical chemist and formulator. Little did I realize that those accomplishments would later help me overcome my drinking problem.
Finally, the desire to regain control of my life directed me to several research studies that had identified a link in the brains of alcoholic families. My subsequent findings about brain neurotransmitters and their role in controlling addictions, including alcoholism, led me to develop MODER8, a new alcohol moderation management dietary supplement.
As I began researching, it became more evident that there are many contributing factors to alcohol abuse or addiction. For me, it was a matter of balancing my brain chemistry, which is why I developed MODER8, but I also had to LEARN how to deal with issues from which I was escaping. A light turned on in my head "" "Alcoholism isn"t a disease. It is a choice."I identified the following areas that helped me to overcome my problem:
1.Focus on the SOLUTION, not on the problem. You may have heard that what you focus on is what expands. It"s true "" focusing on your drinking problem will only cause you to drink more. Instead, visualize what your life would look like if you weren"t living in an alcohol induced coma.
2.Develop some new personal goals or re-kindle lost dreams and begin to put together an action plan for obtaining those goals or dreams.
3.Get rid of the secrets! Tell someone that you"ve been struggling with a problem, but that you"re making the changes to take back your life. HINT: Don"t tell someone that could possibly hold it over your head later "" tell a priest, therapist or good friend that you trust.
4.Develop a drinking plan. Begin to set drinking goals and limits, rather like someone would do when they begin a new eating or exercising plan. It"s important that you take baby steps at first and make small changes. For instance, instead of 12 drinks a day, try cutting it in half to 6 drinks per day "" and praise yourself for making those changes!
5.Create a list of things that you enjoy doing instead of drinking and keep the list near. Come up with some alternatives to drinking that are equally as pleasurable and preferably some that require that you do them sober in order to perform best or enjoy them the most.
6.Determine the main triggers in your life that are causing you to drink and develop a plan for changing the situations or circumstances.
7.You may need a little therapy to deal with any issues from which you have been trying to hide, such as childhood sexual or physical abuse, abandonment, death of a loved one, etc.
8.Supplement your program with a dietary supplement: Dietary supplements, such as MODER8 "" which contains the amino acids gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), 5-HTP and L-Theanine, can help to restore the brain chemistry and reduce cravings in people that have become addicted to alcohol.
9.Healthy stress management, such as exercise and meditation, can reduce urges to drink. It also helps to boost energy levels and how you feel about yourself.
For more information or tools, visit www.MODER8NOW.com
