For most of us, our relationship with alcohol, whether we are drinking or not, is complicated. When we find ourselves 'romanticizing' alcohol, it can feel confusing.

First, let's normalize these thoughts. Longing for the past, or feeling nostalgic, is a normal emotion. It is often tied to a longing for the way we used to be or the way we used to feel. I recently had a client share that 'nostalgia' is one of the reasons she drinks, that longing to feel a certain way or searching for a past version of herself can lead her to desire a drink. 

In this episode of The Sober Edge Podcast, I break down nostalgia and how it can lead us to the exact place my client ended up: with a desire to drink, or to a memory where alcohol seems attractive. 

Here is one definition of nostalgia from 'Atlas of The Heart' by Brené Brown: a yearning for the way things used to be in our often idealized and self-protective version of the past.

I also used an article from  Psychology today (link in show notes) to further breakdown how nostalgia connects us to alcohol. You will hear 5 key points as you listen to the episode.

This trip down memory lane that is nostalgia is not without danger; enter cautiously and ask yourself these three questions:

• Am I making alcohol the 'star' of this memory?
• What emotion am I actually longing for? Is it a connection; is it a younger, more innocent version of myself? Don't give alcohol too much credit.
• Is this thought and reminiscing coming from a place of pain? If so, does that make me want to drink?

 

Head to the SHOWNOTES for the links to the TEDX Talk I mention as well as the Psychology Today article.

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