Post by Ray Wohltman on Jan 24, 2016 16:53:13 GMT
The MM Step-by-Step Approach
Here’s an outline of the steps. The order in which you undertake these steps isn’t critical,
but it’s a good idea to spend at least a little time working with each of them:
1. Start keeping a diary of your drinking, to help learn how your problems with
drinking occur.
2. Look at the limits of drinking for moderate drinkers, and some of the practices
and attitudes that go with moderate drinking, to get a clear picture of the moderation
objective.
3. With that clear picture of what moderation looks like, consider whether
moderation or abstinence seems the better objective for you. Also score your problem
severity with a self-test, and consider other factors, to see whether moderation would be
workable for you.
4. Make an extensive list of the problems drinking has caused you, and the benefits
you expect from moderation, to strengthen your resolve.
5. Start on a period of abstinence of 30 days or more, to experience the positives of
non-drinking. During this period away from alcohol you can work through some steps to
help you achieve moderation.
a. Learn skills for avoiding drinking on occasions when you choose not to
drink.
b. Learn skills to control drinking on occasions when you do drink.
c. Identify the key triggers that lead you to over-drink, and develop
means to neutralize those triggers.
d. Develop your own personal rules that will keep your drinking moderate.
e. Identify and start new spare-time activities that will displace drinking in
your life.
6. At the end of your period of abstinence, you can start drinking again cautiously,
being mindful of your limits and personal rules for drinking. Maintain a high degree of
attention to your drinking during this period, including keeping a diary.
7. If and when you have slips, do a post-mortem to see what went wrong, and
change your personal drinking guidelines if necessary.
Here’s an outline of the steps. The order in which you undertake these steps isn’t critical,
but it’s a good idea to spend at least a little time working with each of them:
1. Start keeping a diary of your drinking, to help learn how your problems with
drinking occur.
2. Look at the limits of drinking for moderate drinkers, and some of the practices
and attitudes that go with moderate drinking, to get a clear picture of the moderation
objective.
3. With that clear picture of what moderation looks like, consider whether
moderation or abstinence seems the better objective for you. Also score your problem
severity with a self-test, and consider other factors, to see whether moderation would be
workable for you.
4. Make an extensive list of the problems drinking has caused you, and the benefits
you expect from moderation, to strengthen your resolve.
5. Start on a period of abstinence of 30 days or more, to experience the positives of
non-drinking. During this period away from alcohol you can work through some steps to
help you achieve moderation.
a. Learn skills for avoiding drinking on occasions when you choose not to
drink.
b. Learn skills to control drinking on occasions when you do drink.
c. Identify the key triggers that lead you to over-drink, and develop
means to neutralize those triggers.
d. Develop your own personal rules that will keep your drinking moderate.
e. Identify and start new spare-time activities that will displace drinking in
your life.
6. At the end of your period of abstinence, you can start drinking again cautiously,
being mindful of your limits and personal rules for drinking. Maintain a high degree of
attention to your drinking during this period, including keeping a diary.
7. If and when you have slips, do a post-mortem to see what went wrong, and
change your personal drinking guidelines if necessary.