“Help! 911 I am about to drink.” 10 Things to Try Before Opening the Bottle

Strategies to help you stay sober.

You woke up strong, with the best intentions. You quit drinking alcohol. In fact, you are pretty proud of yourself. You have a nice streak going on — fourteen, twenty-one, 60, 100 days. Whatever the amount of time is, you are on a roll.

However, that doesn’t mean you live a triggered-free life.

A trigger is anything that makes you want to drink.

It’s really not hard to find yourself wanting alcohol in today’s society. Culturally, we use it in nearly every celebratory gathering– craft beer at a barbeque, a bottle of wine at a dinner party, and even mimosas at kid’s birthday parties are a few moments you may see a drink and want it.

Alcohol is everywhere.

At dinner, seeing a server with a tray of wine can trigger you and think that looks nice.

At the pool, the people next to you sip on an ice-cold margarita, and you think how refreshing.

You go to a movie, see beautiful characters relaxing with wine, and wonder if she’s badass.

You are on vacation and watch people take a shot before hitting the dance floor, careless and free. You think I want to party!

Alcohol isn’t going anywhere. But does that mean you should avoid going out in public? No.

Well, maybe.

In my early days of sobriety, I stayed home instead of attending family gatherings. I didn’t want to put myself in the position to drink. Peggi Cooney shares in her book This Side of Alcohol that if she felt that a situation would jeopardize her sobriety, she wouldn’t go. Hearing this gave me permission to stay home and get through the tricky parts on my own.

But am I going to be a hermit for the rest of my life?

No way!

I want to travel and show my kids the world. Meet people. Go to concerts and festivals. I want to try new restaurants, explore, you know, live my life as I’m sure you do too.

So, how do you navigate triggers to drink in public when you are having a 911 moment?

Hello. This is 911.

Hi. I am about to drink.

Ok. What does it feel like?

My mouth is salivating. My heart is racing. I can’t think clearly. My thoughts are getting louder. I am about to say f-it and just have one.

Ok, ma’am. Before you open the bottle, I want you to try one of these:

10 Things to do Before You Open the Bottle

1. Breathe. Just breathe.

Try a box breath. Breath in for 4. Hold for 4. Let it out for 4. Hold for 4. Repeat.

Our breath is all-powerful. Kyle Chastain writes about how Navy Seals use box breathing to aid in calming their nerves. When you intentionally slow down your breathing, you signal your body that it’s ok, and your beautiful brain releases chemicals to relax.

Whether you box breathe for a count of 5 or 3, make them all the same length like a square box. Ready. 1, 2, three, four…

2. “(Your Name), Stop” and then say things you are proud of about yourself.

Out of all the words stored in your head, your brain knows your name the most. So when you say your name, paired with the word stop, you are forcing yourself to wonder what are we stopping for?

After you have your own attention, start listing things you are proud of like this: I am proud that I have decided to stop drinking. I am proud that I have ___ days of sobriety. Look at how far I have come! I am proud of my efforts.

Staci Danford, an educational neuroscientist, says that when you do this, you are rewiring your brain to handle future similar situations in this manner. You are teaching yourself new skills to live the life you want, not the one you feel trapped in.

3. Move your body.

If out with others, excuse yourself to use the restroom. Walk briskly around the block — pace in a different aisle. Wiggle your body, skip, jump, twirl–whatever. Just move!

Why? Moving your body reduces muscle tension which reduces anxiety. Having a daily exercise ritual is healthy for humans, but when you are feeling the tension of the moment to drink or not to drink, simply moving your body around signals your brain to switch gears. So, have that solo disco party.

Speaking of dancing…

4. Listen to Music

Pump up the jam. Pump it up! Science confirms that listening to music reduces your cortisol (stress) levels and releases serotonin (the happy chemical) in your brain.

Sean Swaby of The Good Men Project explains that music is a super pill that can make you feel happy, help you heal, motivates you, and enables you to cope with life. And in this particular instance, you need a new coping strategy.

So, bust out your earbuds, and listen to your favorite Spotify list (or download mine from Gumroad).

5. Listen to Podcasts.

Since you have your earbuds out, listen to people who have been there and done that.

By listening to someone else, you can feel less alone. I know that I do when I hear similar experiences to what I am going through. The best part of sober-minded podcasts is that they leave you with some hopeful insights into your particular situation. You may feel motivated to walk away from your urge to drink.

Check out the podcast lists in this article.

6. Call someone.

Have a friend on backup who will always answer a text or call from you so you can talk through what you are going through.

Arrange a 911 protocol with your buddy. For example:

If I text you 911, I need you to pick up the phone when I call or text me you are busy so that I can leave a voice message. I have something I need to get off my chest. I might be on the verge of having a drink.

Then, be sure to buy them a cool souvenir for getting your back.

7. Pop in your support group.

This is by far my most favorite thing to do when I am feeling the urge to drink. I joined Sober Sis’s 21-Day Reset Challenge in December of 2021. Using Marco Polo App, a video walkie-talkie, a group of about 15 of us checked in daily with each other. We still do this most days. It feels weird when we don’t.

When I am on vacation, I may not be able to listen, but it is very helpful to jump in and just admit what’s going on to people who get it. A weight lifts every time.

Janet Gourand, the founder of Tribe Sober, explains why support groups work. They help us feel that we are not alone and provide a source of inspiration–that we can do this!

Not only that, but support groups offer different perspectives. It’s easy to feel stuck in your own mind. Someone else’s insights can help you learn how to thrive. Plus, you can feel accountable to your new circle of friends.

Don’t have one? Download my list from Gumroad of groups to join.

8. Write it down.

In the early days of tracking my sobriety, I kept a little notebook and pen in my purse. When I felt the urge to drink, I would write down what I was feeling, thinking, or anything about that moment I was in. Just the act of putting pen to paper helped me take a mental pause from reaching for a drink.

9. Play the Movie Forward.

Tell yourself what will happen if you drink. You have lots of evidence of this. You know. Be honest with yourself.

For me, it goes like this: I will enjoy the first sip and feel good for about 20 minutes. Then, I will consider having another — just one more. So, I will have another and feel suitable for another 20 minutes, but I wonder how my glass emptied so quickly?!?!

And then I will fill it up again. Another 20 minutes will go by, and I’ll think, I am already doing this, so let’s go to town!

I will keep drinking until I can’t anymore. I will say things I don’t remember, wake up in the middle of the night with anxiety, and when I finally get out of bed, I’ll try to piece together a blurry night as I eat greasy food and want to lay in bed all day.

That doesn’t sound fun, but that’s what will happen.

10. Try the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Technique

No, we aren’t going to watch Count Dracula on Sesame Street, but we will be intentional in the next 2 minutes about what we choose to think about.

This is what you do:

Say five things you see around you

Acknowledge four things you can touch right now

Name three things you hear

Two things you can smell

One thing you can taste

By doing this, you are telling your brain that you are being mindful in this moment right now. You aren’t going to take a drink impulsively.

Or you could simply just be there, in the uncomfortable moment. Often we try to push our feelings aside instead of sitting with them. If you are ready to be more Buddhist and allow the urges and feelings to happen without doing anything, then you are definitely leveling up your be-in-the-moment skills.

Why do these things help you reconsider taking a drink?

Because you are creating distance between your thoughts and actions.

You think alcohol will help you loosen up, be sexy, or fit in. It’s easy to act on those thoughts the more you put yourself out there in the world. When you take a moment of pause before you take action and break your streak, you are enabling yourself to form a new neural pathway in your brain, one that your intentional choice creates.

Instead of choosing to drink, I hope you choose one of these other things to do. Let me know which of these strategies resonates with you in the comments. I’ll be sure to comment back!

DISCLAIMER: Some of these links may be affiliate links. This means that I receive a small commission when you purchase. Also, I am an educator, not a medical professional or a licensed counselor. If you have concerns about alcoholism and/or trauma related healing, including mental health concerns please seek help from the appropriate professional.

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