Comments on: When Alcohol Used As A Crutch – Problem Drinking Can Worsen http://www.freedomfromalcohol.com/blog/2008/11/10/when-alcohol-used-as-a-crutch-problem-drinking-can-worsen/ Presented by FreedomFromAlcohol.com Sun, 22 Jan 2012 15:00:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Michael Pearlman, M.D. http://www.freedomfromalcohol.com/blog/2008/11/10/when-alcohol-used-as-a-crutch-problem-drinking-can-worsen/comment-page-1/#comment-5808 Michael Pearlman, M.D. Sun, 11 Jan 2009 17:06:54 +0000 http://www.freedomfromalcohol.com/blog/2008/11/10/when-alcohol-used-as-a-crutch-problem-drinking-can-worsen/#comment-5808 Thank you, Eric. For me the thrill of recovery was not only the return of skills I lost but developing the 'spiritual' connection to 'happiness, joy and freedom'. I, and so many of us in the throes of alcohol or drugs, could not access these 'graces'. For me the healing of myself, learning new ways to live and connecting with the experience and then the 'knowing of peace, joy and love were the great gifts of my recovery. It is wonderful to share this with others on the 'path'. Michael Thank you, Eric. For me the thrill of recovery was not only the return of skills I lost but developing the ’spiritual’ connection to ‘happiness, joy and freedom’. I, and so many of us in the throes of alcohol or drugs, could not access these ‘graces’.

For me the healing of myself, learning new ways to live and connecting with the experience and then the ‘knowing of peace, joy and love were the great gifts of my recovery. It is wonderful to share this with others on the ‘path’. Michael

]]> By: Eric Starost http://www.freedomfromalcohol.com/blog/2008/11/10/when-alcohol-used-as-a-crutch-problem-drinking-can-worsen/comment-page-1/#comment-5756 Eric Starost Wed, 07 Jan 2009 15:05:54 +0000 http://www.freedomfromalcohol.com/blog/2008/11/10/when-alcohol-used-as-a-crutch-problem-drinking-can-worsen/#comment-5756 This paragraph to me is the most important thing I need to come to realization with. ***We all find ourselves in these situations on occasion, so why is it more difficult for some people to manage them than others? Why do some feel the need to artificially stimulate their courage in order to deal with these conditions? As a method of coping, alcohol and its intrinsic ability to calm us down is something we find early on through our experiences with it. Remember having a couple extra drinks in order to ask a pretty girl to dance or going to a party as a teenager or young adult and heading straight for the nearest cooler or keg? We knew it would ease our anxiety, and at an early age we failed to learn the necessary coping skills in order to have the confidence to meet these situations with self assurance and aplomb.*** I know I have to rebuild these coping skills that I have let alcohol control for far too long. I missed out on some major emotional growth because I took the easy way out. Great article. This paragraph to me is the most important thing I need to come to realization with.

***We all find ourselves in these situations on occasion, so why is it more difficult for some people to manage them than others? Why do some feel the need to artificially stimulate their courage in order to deal with these conditions? As a method of coping, alcohol and its intrinsic ability to calm us down is something we find early on through our experiences with it.

Remember having a couple extra drinks in order to ask a pretty girl to dance or going to a party as a teenager or young adult and heading straight for the nearest cooler or keg? We knew it would ease our anxiety, and at an early age we failed to learn the necessary coping skills in order to have the confidence to meet these situations with self assurance and aplomb.***

I know I have to rebuild these coping skills that I have let alcohol control for far too long. I missed out on some major emotional growth because I took the easy way out. Great article.

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