Can a Glass of Wine Instantly Chase the Collywobbles Away?
If you’re having Ups and Downs and want to relax what do you do?
I am a white wine drinker and here is how I answer the question of whether to rush out to the Bottle shop and get a drink or not.
To begin with, I have no wine in the house. I am relaxing at my computer or reading, and I think “It sure would be nice to have a glass of wine right now.”
How about You?
If you had it, do you pour yourself a glass of white wine or a red when you want to relax? How about some cheese and a dessert wine?
If you’re feeling blue, is a bottle of Spumante or Madfish white wine the antidote? Or will a Heineken’s beer do the trick for you?
So, I’m sitting here, imagining the following about my glass of wine:
- Smooth and refreshing.
- Crisp and clean.
- Goes down well.
- Makes me feel warm and fuzzy.
- The more I drink, the more relaxed I become.
I wonder whether I should pop out to the bottle shop to get a bottle of Classic White (cheap) or a bottle of Madfish Wine (expensive).
It could be a treat or a reward for good behaviour, I muse.
The moment passes. I get over the “hump” by taking time out, by taking my attention away from what I’m presently working on, in order to distract myself.
Peering intently at something else on my computer helps me forget about my feeling of wanting a drink for a while. Then when I return to what I was doing, the yearning starts again.
So I make myself think about the WHY.
Why do I hanker after a glass of Madfish wine? And here are some of the answers.
- I have something nice or enjoyable to read on or off my computer, and a glass of wine would taste great, plus keep me in a happy mood.
- I am frazzled with ups and downs, and alcohol would help me relax.
- I have so much to do, a glass of wine would help me relax and slow down, and help me get through the day.
- I’m thirsty and a wine would be great.
- I like wine.
And then it hits me. I want to feel peaceful and happy and loved.
This is the underlying real reason for a drink.
💛 Maybe you are all alone with nobody around to talk to you.
💛 Perhaps you have been slaving away all day, without much recognition of what you do.
💛 Could it be that you are unhappy about something?
💛 Are you feeling “down” about the state of the World?
All these are very good reasons for wanting to chase away the “blues.”
Yes, alcohol can help you maintain your peaceful state. It can taste great. It may help you relax. With your inhibitions thrown to the wind, you will feel happier and even more empowered to say or do what you wouldn’t without its influence.
But these effects are temporary. Increasing your intake may even lead to the opposite of what you wanted in the first place.
If you can’t have what you think that you first want, go for a substitute, however paltry it may seem. You can’t have diamonds or a gold bar, so put some glitter on your nails or in your hair, or set a picture of gold bullion on your desktop Wallpaper.
I wanted something sustaining and had a hankering for wine. But I got over wanting a glass of wine, because I didn’t have any and accepted that.
Amazingly I got a coffee instead, and I really enjoyed it. 😃
You may even find that your second choice is better, for example I am glad that I didn’t go and get wine, because alcohol can interfere with my medication.
Alcohol can instantly chase the collywobbles away, but adequate recreation, sleep and diet, and asking for support when you need it, and forging genuine connections with supportive others, along with organising and believing in and loving yourself will sustain you.
Rather than just give you a quick-fix as alcohol does.
Think about it this way:
- You crave that real coffee blend that you tried in that little cafe in Paris.
- You wish you could eat that fantastic pasta dish that you had in Italy….
Be happy with your memories and experiences, and recognise that you want to recreate the nice feelings and sensations (and perhaps the things associated with these wishes).
Accept that you can’t have these right now, but find another way, because there’s always a choice! 🐠 🐟 🐠 🐟 🐠 🐟