Did your break fail if you were drinking anyway?

We regularly get the question from participants, who accidentally drank on purpose, whether their break was for nothing. Often they feel so bad about that one misstep or several outliers that they see the entire break period as a flop. Do not! Not necessary!

So you've been drinking. Yes, that sucks. And too bad. You were doing so well. And that is the only and the last thing we want to say about it. You probably already feel guilty enough.

Is that needed? Feeling so guilty? We can be brief about that. New. You'll get over that one slip. It is important that you consider why you have been drinking. Was there a feeling before it? Was there anything that bothered you? Got sad? Angry about laundry? Felt extra festive? Research this for yourself so you can get ahead of it next time. Then make the appointment with yourself again that you will go for it again.

What if you drink more often during your break period?

One slip of alcohol doesn't make your break a flop. But if you catch yourself having another glass in your hand when you're actually celebrating a break, it's time to scratch your head. You may simply not be ready for a break. You also have to learn to pause. It can be a bumpy road. Look at the days when you could go without alcohol and be proud of that. Make the decision to continue pausing or let it go for a while. You can decide every day to be alcohol-free for a month.

Increase the chance of success

To make your break period a successful break, it is important to prepare yourself for difficult moments. Are you fitting, but your partner or roommates are not? Make sure you get a nice non-alcoholic drink that you like to drink. Try to get enough sleep, eat healthy and exercise enough so that you feel mentally and physically strong. Focus on positive things (the spring sun, that walk, your cup of ginger tea, that nice reading book or that good series), so that anxious feelings (with a view to corona) do not get the upper hand.