Re:Ask HN: High functioning alcoholism – anyone?
by davymac on Saturday November 25, 2017 @10:22PM
(#15779274)
I would add be careful with cutting off cold turkey (it depends on how dependent you are physically). Also, while tapering down, develop good “healthy addictions” to replace it with. Many times exercise and CBT is enough. Try that first. Expect depression to kick in. If you feel the need to return to booze even with those changes, medication may Be needed as you may be self-medicating, although your description sounds fixable without it.
Re:Ask HN: High functioning alcoholism – anyone?
by levimaes on Saturday November 25, 2017 @06:10AM
(#15775494)
I signed in just to upvote this! I hope someone can use it! Quiet and thankless internal discipline is highly rewarding, whereas the powers outside yourself (like excessive shopping, gambling, video entertainment, sex).... Well, they all make bank off of your diverted attention or indulgence. I admit I'm already being preachy, but I think what the basic abstract theme that "chatmasta" is disseminating is the same valuable theme that brought Tesla's genius to into the stratosphere -- albeit in his case with an early, rigourous start, and over the course of decades.
What works for me dealing with addictions / bad habits is to turn the habit around on itself. Start thinking of it negatively, derisively, until you hate it so much you’d be embarrassed and disgusted to engage with it.
Beyond that, find a way to get a dopamine hit from saying “no” to yourself. Relish the control it gives you. Personally when I say “no” to friends engaging in some illicit but fun activity, it feels good. I feel like I accomplished something just by saying no. That’s a powerful motivator and a critical element of developing the positive feedback cycle necessary to break a habit.