The Difference Between Enjoying A Drink And Alcoholism

Mind altering drinks (and plants and fungi!) have been in existence for centuries, and of course there’s a reason why some enjoy them so much. When enjoying a drink or two, it can sometimes be hard to know whether your drinking is within healthy boundaries, or whether you may have an alcohol dependency:

 

If you start drinking and find it hard to stop, you may have a problem:

For many people battling with an alcohol dependency, they describe their alcoholism as being like a switch that literally gets flipped after the first sip of a drink. They struggle to stop at just one or two, and often end up drinking far too much.

 

Do you constantly worry about whether your glass is full?

Are there times when you should be engaged in the conversation going on at your table, but instead you’re trying to (metaphorically or literally) catch the bartender’s eye for him to refill your glass before you’ve even finished; this behavior may indicate that you have a dependency upon alcohol, or at the very least, an unhealthy relationship with it.

 

If you regularly black out from alcohol consumption, you very likely have a problem:

There may be the occasional time when you’ve attended a party and drank more than you realized, causing you to black out, but if this is happening on a regular basis, then please seriously think about seeking professional help for alcohol dependency and abuse.

 

Is your life beginning to slip through your fingers?

If excessive drinking is beginning to prevent you from functioning in your everyday life and causing you to feel unable to take steps towards a ‘normal’ life, then talking to a professional about your problem is likely to help, and if you seek help soon enough, there’s every chance that you could quickly begin to get your life back on track.

 

Do you feel ashamed of the way you behave when you’re drunk?

While you may not always remember how you behaved after a long night of drinking, there will be plenty of people out there who will remember, and if you hear repeated reports about things you got up to that embarrass you or make you feel ashamed, it’s a good time to get some support to bring your drinking, and your life, into a healthier balance.

 

Perhaps the most important question to ask yourself if you’re not sure whether you need to seek help for your alcohol dependency (or if you even have a dependency), is whether your life feels happy and you feel healthy. If you wake up a lot of mornings with a sore head, feeling down and depressed, and constantly worrying, then these are clear signs that you might be doing more than simply enjoying a drink; you may be using drinks to cope with larger issues. If that’s the case, please seek the care you very much deserve.

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source https://heartcenteredcounselors.com/the-difference-between-enjoying-a-drink-and-alcoholism/

Analyzing Your Anger

Episodes of anger are perfectly normal for all of us, and they may be in response to a certain situation, or may arise due to an argument over something in which we feel passionate about. However, frequent bouts of anger or episodes in which the anger is uncontrollable, may may indicate that we need to analyze our feelings better and work towards reducing the level or frequency of our anger.

 

What is anger?

Anger is an emotion or feeling, and when communicated thoughtfully, does not usually cause others to feel attacked. However, expressing anger poorly (aggressively) in behavior and words can certainly be harmful to others and may even lead to physical anger and arguments. The sooner we learn to understand and accept that our emotions belong to us and that can learn how to best express them, the better we can limit any harmful or upsetting repercussions.

 

How can anger be managed?

Managing anger may be easier for some than for others, and we can either manage the situation we’re in that is making us angry, or we can manage our responses to such a strong emotion. If you’re frequently finding yourself in situations that are out of your control, then you may need to work on addressing your emotional responses.

There are a few ways in which you can learn to control your emotions, particularly anger, and meditation, self-awareness and other cognitive practices can be immensely helpful. For those who are not keen on such forms of therapy though, it may be prudent to try and shift the focus, from managing our emotions, to managing our emotional responses. If we decide that the behaviors we frequently display when we’re feeling angry are not conducive to peace and harmony, then we can to try and change them.

 

When do you need to worry about your anger?

Knowing when your anger may be something to worry about is not always easy, and some may wish to address and analyze their anger irrespective of whether it’s causing problems in their life.

But if you feel angry every day, or are struggling to control your anger when in certain situations and find that your behavior is harming others, then it might be time to talk to a qualified therapist.

 

Anger is a normal emotion, just like happiness and sadness, but when our emotional expressions begin to impact our lives in a negative way, then we need to thoughtfully address the issue.

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source https://heartcenteredcounselors.com/analyzing-your-anger/

Is Your Love Of Food A Destructive One?

The term ‘comfort food’ exists for a reason, and there is no shame in finding comfort in certain foods, in fact, it’s completely normal. Problems can arise, however, when we take this too far and forget that food is meant as fuel (and joy) for our bodies, not a substitute for heartfelt love or comfort. A destructive love of food can come about when it becomes your only coping mechanism, and the only reliable thing in your life.

Food becomes unhealthy when used as a frequent tool to help you cope with issues in your life, and when you’re depending on food to help pick you up or make you feel good instead of finding other ways to deal with your problems.

 

Make it common practice to turn to other, more positive things to help you cope:

We all know that food won’t make our problems go away, right? In fact, for many, comfort eating can lead to a whole host of secondary problems, such as weight gain and other related health issues. But we still enjoy turning to food when times are tough because it makes us feel so good, at least initially.

However, learn to turn to other comforting things to help you address your feelings, and you’ll soon get out of any destructive habits caused by comfort eating. Here are a few things that you could do instead of indulging in your favorite comforting foods:

 

• Light a scented candle and immerse yourself in your favorite soothing or uplifting fragrance
• Sit somewhere comfy and peaceful, and read a novel or good book
• Try writing down how you’re feeling in a journal
• Get out and go for a walk. Clear your head and immerse yourself in nature and the world around you. This often helps to give you a better sense of perspective and view of the bigger picture.
• Talk to a trusted friend or family member about how you’re feeling

 

• Indulge in a long, hot bath or shower. Use your favorite bathing products and unwind both your body and mind.
• Watch your favorite show

 

Try one of the above the next time your emotions begin to run high and you feel as if things are getting a little out of control. Recognizing your patterns of behavior is one of the first steps towards a healthier way of dealing with problems, and once you break the habit of comfort eating, you’ll soon find even more ways of giving yourself the comfort that you need.

 

If an unhealthy reliance upon food is taking over your life, it might be time to talk to a counselor about the cause of your discomfort, anguish or pain, before it develops into an eating disorder that could be much harder to cure. If you love your food and want to love your life, too, then rest assured that you can achieve a healthy balance, you just might need a little help getting there.

The post Is Your Love Of Food A Destructive One? appeared first on Heart-Centered Counselors.

source https://heartcenteredcounselors.com/is-your-love-of-food-a-destructive-one/

How To Stop Anxiety from Ruling Your Life

Anxiety and fear are two very common emotions, and there is certainly no harm in experiencing either, or both, frequently. Feeling anxious or fearful is a perfectly normal emotional response to trouble or danger, but problems can arise when our brains begin to alert us to trouble even when there is no threat. This is also a perfectly common and normal way for our brains to behave if we’ve suffered a past trauma, have a phobia, or if there is a family history of anxiety, but when left untreated, it can quickly begin to take over our lives.

 

Common signs and symptoms of anxiety:

While anxiety can manifest itself in myriad ways, some of the most common symptoms are sweaty palms and/or shaking hands, thoughts that race through our brains, shallow or quick breathing, butterflies in the stomach and difficulty concentrating, to name but a few.

 

If you suffer from attacks of anxiety that are (sometimes or frequently) controlling your life, then these tips for coping with it may help you. However, please note that seeking professional help is always recommended, and is often one of the best ways of ensuring that you deal with your problems in a safe and sensible manner in a caring environment.

• Don’t try to ignore your anxiety

Ignoring your anxiety can often cause it to intensify, and only when you’ve truly acknowledged it, can you begin to best address it.

 

• Express your feelings by writing them down

Most find this to be a powerful and simple tool for helping to combat fears and anxiety, and if you’re struggling to concentrate or fall asleep, then this can be extremely effective.

 

• Let someone else listen to your fears

Choose a friend, family member or even close colleague whom you feel will listen to you without being judgmental and talk to them about how you’re feeling. A problem shared really can be a problem halved, and once we say things out loud, they often seem less ridiculous or frightening.

 

• Work out your problems, literally!

It has long been known that exercise can be a great healer, and while the physical activity may be a fantastic distraction, the endorphins released should also help you to feel more positive about things in general.

 

• Get back to nature

Nature in general can have a hugely calming effect, so taking time out of your schedule to truly appreciate the world around you and the wonders of nature, can help you to connect with the natural world and see the bigger picture.

 

How do you know when it’s time to seek professional help for your anxiety?

There is no one answer for every individual, but if you’re feeling increasingly anxious or fearful every day and it’s beginning to get in the way of how you live and function as a person, then you may well benefit from speaking to a trained counselor. Remember that the sooner you do seek help, the sooner you could get back to your old self and begin living the life you truly deserve.

 

If anxiety is taking over, one important step towards an anxiety free life, is to acknowledge that you need help and to find a trusted counselor to work with. Once this step has been taken, you’ll soon be ready to stride towards a brighter, happier and fearless life!

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source https://heartcenteredcounselors.com/how-to-stop-anxiety-from-ruling-your-life/