Here is how to save the situation if worries about health, families or finances because of Coronavirus lead you into a lapse, when really you are committing yourself to not drinking, using or gambling.
You’ve been doing well – dealing with temptations, knowing your triggers and avoiding situations where you feel vulnerable. But very few people can honestly say they are 100% confident they won’t slip up. So make a plan now to deal with a mistake – just in case.
What are mistakes good for? Exactly – you learn from them, so here are 3 steps to make sure you use a lapse to get stronger.
- Expect to feel bad – you’ve let yourself and others down. Recognise the feeling, know it will go away in time – and don’t use it as an excuse to make the lapse even bigger.
- Line up now a friend you can talk to – someone who won’t criticise and will just listen to you. Because talking it through helps you make sense of what happened and puts your thoughts in order.
- Be honest with yourself – work out what went wrong and how you will deal with it next time.
You may feel it won’t happen to you, but don’t assume you won’t slip up. People who have lapsed and learn are much stronger and more confident because of their experience. Make your 3 step plan now, don’t wait until you make the mistake because you’ll be too late!
