What do you use as a reward other than alcohol?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:>>A gift to myself has been therapy to change my mindset so I dont think I need a reward when I have a hard day

Intriguing. But don’t you get all stressed out and feel like you need something to release it?

Exercise or sex

[Anonymous]

Benadryl

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Benadryl

Do you really consider Benadryl a reward? If so please explain

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How is sparkling water a reward? It’s just carbonated water that was once barely adjacent to something fruity. You could have it literally anytime. Pop the can and done.

At least put some effort in. OP, do you like tea? What about high-quality loose leaf tea with lemon, honey, all that jazz?

Put the Perrier in a wine glass with a berry or slice of fruit.

[Anonymous]

I am really surprised no one has mentioned pot. Or as middle aged women call it, “pop a gummy.”

It’s amazing to me that weed has enjoyed a rebranding as a healthier alternative to alcohol as an acceptable destressor.

[Anonymous]

I drink tea and sparkling water now. And the occasional Diet Coke from McDonald’s. It’s what makes me happy.

[Anonymous]

Being outside. A bubble bath (I am in one now). Taking a walk or doing yoga.

I have had trouble with alcohol for as long as I’ve been drinking, but I am finally keeping it at bay because the hangovers are not worth the “fun” of drinking. It also makes you fat and ruins your sleep.

Once you go a few days in a row without alcohol, you’ll truly think about it so much less.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am really surprised no one has mentioned pot. Or as middle aged women call it, “pop a gummy.”

It’s amazing to me that weed has enjoyed a rebranding as a healthier alternative to alcohol as an acceptable destressor.

It's so bad for brain health.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Trying to quit or cut down on drinking due to all the usual middle aged reasons. After a long, stressful workday, I really want a drink. What do others use as a reward/destresser/transition from the workday?

I have heard going for a walk, but that does not cut it for me!

You have to switch your mindset and “reframe” your end of day ritual.

Nobody needs or deserves a “reward” for getting through every workday.

I don’t. You don’t. No one does.

That’s the kind of twisted thinking that feeds addiction.

I don’t doubt for a second that your days are super stressful! I totally believe that you come home exhausted, wrung out, and frazzled. I’ve been there so many times!

What you need when you get home - or even better yet, on your way home - is a TRANSITION ritual. Something you do each day to mentally let go of the day and open up space for your evening.

It’s not a reward, though. So there’s no “excuse” do do something like drinking that you know is bad for your body and mind.

For me, when I was commuting, it was listening to the same couple of songs at the end of my commute home. They were slow-medium paced and slightly cheesy, because that was my jam for some reason. Lol. Over time they became almost a lullaby - a ritual to signal I was putting down my day and leaving it there before I entered my home. (In the beginning, I really had to visualize the “putting it down” thing while I listened. But pretty soon it was automatic- those songs triggered the letting go feeling. They still do.)

Now, I come home and pet my cat. Silly but simple. He’s always happy to see me when I get home, and I focus on that. Even when DH and the kids are there - I take a few minutes of “cat time.”

Again, it’s not a reward. It’s a transition ritual - a signal to my nervous system to slow down. There’s a mindfulness to it - petting the cat slowly and calmly, really focusing on the feel of his fur and the sound and feeling of his purring, and feeling my body and mind finally come to rest rest after a crazy day. And then I leave the mental load there when I stand up.

You could easily try this with a few stretches when you get home. Or mindfully making yourself a cup of herbal tea. Or something else that is physically simple and soothing that you can use to slow your breathing and focus your mind.

But most importantly, we do not need or deserve a reward for “doing life.” That is a belief that addicts use to justify destructive behavior. Swap that thought out for something else and you’re already halfway there.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Starting in May of this year I went from exercising inconsistently at best to doing some sort of workout every day (Sundays are very gentle but I still do something). I do 45-60 minutes of cardio 4-6 days per week and strength 3 days per week.

Since I started this alcohol stopped feeling good. I was previously drinking too much (1-2 drinks 4-6 days a week). In the past two months I have had 2 drinks total and they have both just been reminders of how much my body dislikes alcohol. I'm just more aware of my body now and hate the way alcohol makes me feel. I sometimes think I'm tired, I'd love something to take the edge off. But then I think well I want to wake up early to work out tomorrow and I really look forward to that and even one drink will make me feel off. And frankly getting a workout every day makes me feel good enough that I don't feel a strong need for it. I look forward to reading books on my kindle before bed instead.

[Anonymous]

Gummies

[Anonymous]

I indulge in mindless scrolling on social media