Gray area drinking is hard to define and diagnose. We have been working with only two possible narratives around people who consume alcohol: either you are an alcoholic, or you are not an alcoholic. There has not been a third, fourth, or fifth narrative for those drinking alcohol. That's where gray area drinking comes in! Gray area drinking includes those people who do not feel like they are alcoholics but do drink more often and in larger quantities than they want or feel healthy and balanced. They enjoy a glass of wine or bottle of beer after work but end up drinking much more and falling asleep on the couch. Some gray drinkers determine it is best for them only to drink alcohol one or two times per week but end up drinking five or six nights. They have not paid the same degree of consequences in their life that alcoholics have and are acutely aware that this is not the best they can be doing for themselves and the people that matter most. Gray area drinkers want more from life and do not think going to rehab or A.A. makes sense.
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15 results for tag: Trauma
Stop Trying To Fix Me – I Am Not Broken
I am not broken. As often is the case when we try to "fix" somebody, we inadvertently tell them we think they are broken. Why would something need to be "fixed" if it is not broken? This poem by Jeff Foster is a beautiful Illustration of a person who has the strength and courage to say, "I am not broken!". I am not a lost cat with a broken leg, a muffler, or a hot water heater. I am a human being who deserves respect, care, affection, and attention. I am not broken. It is not your job to fix me, nor is it wanted or helpful. Love me instead....
This Sculpture Shows The Inner Child In Us – Love
Book Release: Raised by Wolves, Possibly Monsters - From Mobster to Reiki Master, A Memoir of Awakening & Transformation. Find out more about this exciting new book here.
Buy Your Copy Now!
We all have a little boy or little girl inside us, or both. Many people refer to this part of ourselves as the Inner Child.
The term Inner Child gets used a lot these days, but what is the Inner Child? I like the description below.
"The inner child lives in all of us; it is who we were before life happened to us. When the negative ...
18 Invaluable Pieces of Advice From Therapists & Counselors
There are not many common pieces of advice from therapists and counselors since we have diverse training, backgrounds, and experiences, but this list seems accurate. The themes around boundaries/saying "no," protecting yourself, and letting go of relationships that are not supporting your growth and peace are essential and agreed upon generally across the field. Of course, your specific situation and circumstances are important to consider as well.
My favorite piece of advice from therapists and counselors is first on their list: "Feelings are not facts." I wish we could all integrate this nugget of wisdom into our lives!
... What Is Gray Area Drinking and What Can I do About it?
When Trauma Blocking Gets in the Way
10 COVID-19 Emotions You’re Not the Only One Having
This is an incredibly helpful and informative article on coping with COVID-19 emotions. The suggestions for identifying what we are experiencing and knowing we are not the only ones going through this challenging period in human history are supportive and inclusive. This is the first time in human history that such a global pandemic has occurred since the internet, news media and social media have been as entrenched in our lives as they are now.
We are experiencing an extremely high level of COVID-19 emotions that we're not present during other global pandemics. The reasons are two very critical situations - we did not know the specifics of what was happening throughout the world as we do now. There is such a high degree of misinformation that creates fear, confusion, and distrust that did not exist previously. Anybody can post a blog on COVID-19 without any medical or pandemic knowledge or training and find an audience of people who will believe them, make decisions based on the misinformation, and spread false recommendations that others will share with others. This is harmful to our collective well-being on so many levels!
Please be gentle with yourself. You are NOT supposed to be OK. We are all experiencing a wide range of COVID-19 emotions that are loud and, at times, overwhelming. Please be gentle with yourself and ask for help if needed.
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... Trauma Is Not Your Fault, But Healing Is Your Responsibility
Book Release: Raised by Wolves, Possibly Monsters - From Mobster to Reiki Master, A Memoir of Awakening & Transformation. Find out more about this exciting new book here.
We all come into this life with stuff to unpack and learn. Some of us have entered life with more significant challenges than others. It can be said that ALL OF US have endured trauma in one form or another. This can mean being neglected as children, being abused as a child, teen or adult, military, sexual assault and rape, alcoholism and drug addiction, poverty, and racial and cultural issues, just to name a few forms of trauma. We all experience these challenges in different ways. It has become widespread for self-help and pop psychology "gurus" to present pathology as a singular, logical pattern that explains life experiences through a lens that, in all cases, "this means that" and all people experience "this and that" the same. It is false and damaging to the millions of people who read or hear these claims and wonder why it is not valid for them. We have our shared experiences but in our own unique way. That is one of the joys of being human!
No two people experience trauma the same, but there are enough common traits to share and learn from each other and gain support and camaraderie. I can learn from you and vice-versa. I remember when my cousin returned from Vietnam, he would not discuss what happened to anyone. Then, one day, a friend of his who was also a Vietnam vet was over. He talked and talked about what he saw and did for hours. We were all surprised after not hearing him speak about it for more than a paragraph after being home for several years. The same applies to people participating in Twelve-Step or cancer survivor groups. Shared experiences help us feel like we belong and we are not alone. This is important in moving forward through traumatic experiences.
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Book Release: Raised by Wolves, Possibly Monsters
Find out about this exciting new book here.
My Memoir Available Now!
