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"The only step I have taken alone in my journey to sobriety was that first call I made to Alison Bulman. Thereafter I have had a constant and steady companion as I pulled my life together and committed to a life without alcohol. She has informed, coached, encouraged, comforted, pushed, and celebrated with me. She never once judged me. She has been an indispensable ally in this battle. No one should have to take up this fight alone." -Anon client
Hi! I'm Alison Bulman,
a trained addiction expert
....here to tell you that
you do not have to do this alone.
And I don't recommend trying.
I know because I've been there.
And what separates the people who succeed at creating great lives free of addiction vs. the ones who don't, who keep struggling, is whether they reach out for support.
Did they lean on it to learn about and face this "cunning, baffling, powerful" thing called "partying" that somewhere along the way became a nightmare.
I share my personal experience with sobriety to show you that you can do this, too.
You are not the exception.
The good news is, there's lots of help all around you, that you don't yet see, starting here.
So, welcome!
I'll help open your eyes to what will carry you on this path - whether you want to explore your drinking, cut back, or stop altogether, I can show you how.
But "first things first:"
Let's address The Myths
A huge misconception I often hear....
is that if you don't drink every day or lose everything, then you don't have a drinking problem. But "alcoholism", simply drinking too much, looks different for everyone.
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There are "high-bottom" people who keep it all together on the outside but inside are riddled with anxiety, fear, wondering why they feel so bad.
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There are also people who sometimes drink a little and head home, but binge on other occasions where bad things happen as a result. So they don't think they have a problem because "it's not always a issue."
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Then there are those who grew up around alcoholics and point the finger saying I'm not as bad as them, they are the one with the problem. "My drinking pales in comparison so I must not have a real problem."
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And then the people who know they have a problem but reject all the tried and true solutions because "the group sounded religious," or "they're way worse than me," or "It's just not for me; I've never been a joiner."
But here's the hard truth...
Our personal policies got us here.
And they can quietly make us miss a
HUGE OPPORTUNITY to change our lives for the better.
They say changing our substance use is like a window of opportunity that briefly opens.
So to jump, we can consider it possible, for example, that never being a joiner has played a part in our isolation and hitting this bottom?
Is it harder to sit in a room and disagree with some methods?
Or would we rather keep trudging along in Hell, glad we're not one of them suckers who asks for help?
There comes a tipping point where the status quo becomes more unbearable than taking action to change it.
Bottom line is, whether we have a drinking problem or not, it must be decided by us.
And you can do this by exploring your relationship to substances in therapy.
With support,
you save yourself a ton of anxiety, stress, time, money and frustration.
For now, ask yourself two questions:
Be super honest...
1.) How is my drinking impacting my life, my relationships, career, money, my kids, my physical AND mental health? In other words, how "unmanageable" does it make aspects of your life?
2.) Do I continue drinking even though I know it causes harm to myself, or others? In other words, how "powerless" are you when it comes to deciding if you'll have another drink when there's something important coming up, or you promised yourself or others you wouldn't, or just know it's s bad idea, and you do it anyway?
See below for a few more questions that can bring some personal clarity....
If you can relate to any of this, it may be time to consider addiction counseling.
1.
Feeling the need to drink or drug even though your rational mind says not to
2.
Regretting what happens when you use or saying how did I get here again?
3.
Over time, needing more to get the same effect
4.
Friends, family or colleagues have commented on your use
5.
Not meeting obligations and work responsibilities
6.
Hiding your use, or feeling shame about it
7.
Wanting to stop or control your use
8.
Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when not using the substance
9.
Failed attempts to quit or control it
10.
You're sick and tired of being sick and tired.
"You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending."
-C.S. Lewis
"Don't be afraid to start over, it's a chance to build something better this time."
Let’s talk
Contact me today for a
If you represent an addiction treatment center, consider hosting my Sobriety-themed Lovitation™ Workshop at your facility!
Help clients bond with each other, elevate their communication style, and build healthier relationships to stay sober, truly connected, AND happy.
