How Alcohol Can Affect Your Life
“If you change nothing, nothing will change.”
Alcohol and it's effects
Alcohol can affect your life in every way. Emotionally, physically, spiritually. If you are drinking more than occasionally, it almost certainly is having an affect, whether you want to admit it or not.
Alcohol and Emotions
Alcohol affects emotions and moods. Has alcohol started affecting your life?
Have you noticed that when you drink when you’re upset, it’s to overcome the emotions of fear, sadness, grief, shame, jealousy, hurt, shame, guilt or loneliness? You just want to feel better, or not in as much pain.
I know that when I was happy, I drank to increase the feelings of fun, confidence, self-esteem and belonging in social situations.
When we use alcohol to relax it is to create a feeling of calm. Worries of the day melt away leaving us in a cocoon of numbness.
Alcohol and Personal Growth
I can remember clearly one day in 1998 sitting in my backyard, reading The Four Agreements while drinking a glass of chardonnay. I knew that I wanted to grow personally. What I didn’t know at the time was that alcohol was going to prevent me from that desire. My spiritual life was dreamed of, but quite short of being realized. It wasn’t until 2009, the year I got sober, that the barriers to realizing my dreams were in a bottle and my head.
Emotional Effects of Abuse or Alcoholism
Alcohol affects the cerebral cortex of the brain. This is where thought processing and consciousness are located. Drinking causes an inability to think clearly. Alcohol also depresses the behavioral inhibitory centers, which leads to poor judgment and less inhibitions.
Alcohol certainly affected my life. It worked for me, until it didn't. My alcohol abuse affected me in many ways. I experienced every emotion and feeling noted above and all were increased when I drank. Poor judgment? Check. Less Inhibitions? Oh Yeah.
Physical Effects of Abuse or Alcoholism
Alcohol’s impact on your body starts from the moment you take your first sip. While an occasional glass of wine with dinner isn’t a cause for concern, the cumulative effects of drinking wine, beer, or spirits can take its toll.
Are you “Sober Curious?”
I don’t think this term was around before I got sober – I recently heard it for the first time. That’s exactly what I was, though. I was curious, and I didn’t know where to find out more about what I was feeling. There is an abundance of information available for those of you who are wondering about getting sober and living in recovery.
Are you ready for recovery?
I’m here to tell you that getting sober was THE BEST THING I’VE EVER DONE FOR MYSELF!!
You will have fun again. You will laugh and party and travel. Your life is not over – it’s just beginning!
Join me on Facebook this week as I go “Live” to tackle the topic of recovery. I’ll be popping in when the mood strikes to share some additional insights and answer any questions you may have. Please join me!
Interested to find out if coaching & recovery is right for you?
My name is Nancy McKay and I love to help women discover the gift of recovery. I guide them as they transform their lives, once and for all. Women work with me because of my experience overcoming major life challenges. I found my courage and strength and I guide my clients to discover theirs, too.
If you’re looking for a coach that will inspire, motivate and empower you AND that knows how you feel – we should talk.
Here's what one of my client's had to say:
“Nancy provided coaching during a challenging time in my life. She listened and shared insight to help me gain perspective. Working with Nancy was amazing! I will be forever grateful.”
Your Life. Your Choice
If you’d like to shift your thinking, schedule a FREE Discovery Call by clicking the button below.
