If you are struggling, feeling depressed, low, anxious, not sleeping well, have an overactive brain, roller coaster emotions, the list goes on. Please, take a break from drinking alcohol.

Effects of alcohol on the brain

If you drink alcohol regularly, it will have an effect on you, your physical health or most likely your mental health at some point. The effects of alcohol on the brain have been well documented.

Let's take sleep on its own.  Alcohol impacts on your ability to get good quality sleep.  If you are tired and not sleeping properly this alone will affect your emotional health.

Do you drink regularly? Could you cut down? Does it affect your sleep?   When was the last time you took a break from alcohol?

First things first, take a break; 3 months at least.  Then re-assess, see how you feel.  Most people will feel better within the first few weeks.  While you are taking a break, sleep, be nice to yourself, take it easy, eat healthy food, do...

Festival season is here.

The bands, the music, the people, new friends to be made, losing your tent, losing your friends, maybe even your mind? Will it rain and will we get covered in mud this year? Or will we all get sunburn and be dehydrated? Who knows what the British festival season will bring.

Most people have a great time at festivals with no problems. The only thing they take home are great memories and thoughts of “when can we do it all again?!”  But for some people with a tendency to over-indulge or openness to try new things a number of things can go wrong.

So what can you do if you want to have a good time, but don’t want to feel like the world is ending for the next week afterwards? Maybe you just want to enjoy the experience without any dramas, attempt moderation or festival healthy style?  Yes it is possible to have a healthy festival trust me I have done it quite a few times.

Here are my 10 tips for surviving the festive season

...

Have you have been thinking about getting help to stop drinking? Or reducing or controlling your drinking?

Or maybe it’s your partying or drug use that has got out of hand.

You don’t want to tell your doctor or maybe you have spoken to them but it wasn’t really that helpful.

Some people will just be able to stop, gain control or reduce.  There is so much information out there on how to stop drinking, but it’s hard to know who and what to listen to.

What if you can’t do it on your own, what then? There is lots of help to stop drinking available, but you have to know where to look.

When I wanted to make a change and find help to stop drinking, I was lucky there was a great trainer and therapist in my life that had already spotted me coming a mile off, so they were ready for the call.  Also, in some weird way I was trying to help myself.  The want was there, I wanted my life to be different I just didn’t know how.

If that person...

If you want to make changes to your life, you must do something different. Action is needed.

Yes, you can read books, do courses and learn from people.  Obviously, they are all good things to do.  But none of it matters unless you are willing to do something about it and try things. And that’s the bit where people get stuck.

The thing is we don’t know until we try, the only way is through.

In fact, I would say that’s how most of us learn, through doing.

For instance when you first learn to drive you have no idea what you are doing.  All of it seems weird, awkward, scary and confusing.  You have to think really hard, pay attention and concentrate.  You make mistakes, stall the car and kangaroo jump around the car park.  Maybe you even feel scared and anxious. Or have doubts about whether you will even be able to learn. Thoughts of “will I ever pass my test” or “will I kill someone” running through your head.

It...

Top tips from others on how to live a happy healthy life, free from bad habits and addictions.

Most of my learning comes from working with and listening to thousands of people.  Yes, I have read the research and the books and taken part in a lot of training.  But nothing really compares to working with and listening to people that have done it.

People who have stopped and reduced: their drinking, their partying or their drug use and have changed their lives.  It doesn’t have to be people that have come back from the dead.  Everyone I have worked with has a story.  These are people from all walks of life: rich, poor, old, young. Getting into trouble with booze, drugs, food or gambling doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t care if you work, whether you have money or where you come from.  It can effect anyone and everyone.

Here is a collection of some of my favourite little pieces of wisdom from those that have been there and are still doing...

The Rules for Moderation, after a break. 

Maybe you have taken a break. Stopped for a while. Done dry January or even given up for a year.  It’s been great, interesting, you have learnt a lot and you feel healthier and happier.  However, now you want to have a drink, just the one. “Ones ok, right?”

I get asked this question a lot.  People can take a break or give up.  They can change their lives so things are working.  But then what?

Do you start drinking again?

Is it ok to drink again?

Questions, questions.

Hopefully you know by now I am not the fun police. I am all about helping you to live a life that works for you. Its cheesy but true – live the life of your dreams.  And we all know if you are drinking or using drugs that’s not really going to work.

You don’t have to be abstinent forever unless you want to. Or it would cause significant problems if you started drinking or partying again.  Some people...

I have quite a few people telling me in their early days that they are really struggling with being sober/alcohol free or taking a break.  It doesn’t matter what you call it. The issues are generally the same.

What happens is people come to me when something isn’t working in their life. 9 times out of 10 people are usually drinking too much, partying too much or taking too many drugs.

And it doesn’t necessarily mean there is a problem with that, it’s just something isn’t working.  Maybe they can’t sleep, their relationships not working, are feeling anxious and so on.  Alcohol, drugs, caffeine all these things can be a contributing factor.

We start by stripping it back.  Stop the drinking, the drug use, the excessive caffeine consumption, (I can hear you say why caffeine?) the thing with coffee and I mean weapons grade coffee which more of us our drinking now is, it’s a stimulant. It also comes in variable strengths, so...

Cravings 

A powerful desire for something, a hunger, a thirst, want, urge, need.

There are lots of different words that sum up how we feel about cravings.

People ask me about cravings all the time. When will they stop? When will they go? People seem to worry and panic about them.

Let’s get a few things straight.

People have cravings all the time for many different things and many different reasons.  I would go so  far as to say there is no rhyme or reason to them. 

Its ok, don’t panic, a craving won’t kill you.  It’s just a feeling, something that pops into your mind, a thought.

Think of it like an emotion.  You feel many different emotions throughout the day.  Happy, sad, thoughtful, angry, frustrated, elated, love.  The list is endless.

Most of us don’t react to every single feeling we have.  If you do then please get some help, you don’t need to be a slave to your emotions.

So, you are going to have...

I love peoples life stories, stories of change.

I find them inspiring. We can learn from each other.

Listen to Lillies story of change. She starts of quiet reticent as you can hear she feels bad about certain aspects of her past, but keep listening as there are some gems of advice in there.

https://soundcloud.com/stephanie-ichange21/extra-ordinary-people-podcast-2

I love people and I love real life stories. Real stories about change. It can be motivating and inspiring to hear how people everyday transform their lives. If they can, imagine what is possible for you?

If you need a bit of motivation have a listen to Vicky's story of change.

https://soundcloud.com/stephanie-ichange21/extra-ordinary-people-podcast-1