How to Break the Cycle of Unhealthy Habits

When did you realize you had a problem?

The descent into the painful depths of alcoholism and addiction is often very slow. Most of us started drinking because we wanted to feel good, relax, hang out with friends — to take the edge off after a long, stressful week. Booze was everywhere, as were bars, restaurants, and advertisements for alcoholic beverages. 

I started drinking because the people around me were drinking. Everyone I knew did it — it was the norm. It’s true that they were mostly drinking beer and I was gravitating towards vodka with no mixers, right out of the bottle. Still, we were all having a good time! 

At a certain point other substances entered the picture. A pill here, a powder there — again with fun friends who like to have a good time. And only on weekends — that was my rule, and my way of knowing that it was just recreational. But weekends started to include Thursday nights (in moderation, of course). Then Sunday — which had been a rest day — was added to the schedule. Pretty soon, I was only staying sober Tuesdays and Wednesdays. And when I looked around, the friends who only drank beer were long gone.

It was mystifying. I don’t mean to get that way, and it took years for things to get that bad. Nobody wants to become an addict! But a natural series of steps got me to a place I didn’t want to go, and I became a person I didn’t recognize. At that point, like many of us, I tried to stop — only to find that I couldn’t. For years I tried to quit, alone, with no lasting success. I only got sober when I asked for help.

For me, that was a long time ago. I got sober in 2006, and my life changed. I have a spouse and two children, and when I look in the mirror I like the man I’ve become. I’ve been sober coaching for years, helping people to break the cycle of unhealthy habits.

Here are some of the most important things that I learned:

• You are not unique — there are millions of people who have struggled in the same way.

• You don’t have to figure out how to get sober alone.

• It’s not only okay to ask for help — it’s essential.

• You’re not a bad person trying to become good, you’re a sick person trying to get well.

• You can get sober.

By the time we need help, we often feel like we’re beyond help. But it’s simply not true. ANYONE can get sober — with the right support.

Sober coaching provides a path out of the isolation and pain of drinking and drug use. I will listen to your story without judgment, because I’m in no place to judge anyone. I will help you to understand how the disease works, and give you concrete processes to help you stop — and stay stopped.

Scroll down and book a free consultation today!