I Drank - We Drank - A Coping Skills Inventory

The original article used DRANK – which word will you select to fill the blank?

I - - - - - - for happiness - and became unhappy.
I - - - - - - for joy - and became miserable.

I - - - - - - for sociability - and became argumentative.
I - - - - - - for sophistication - and became obnoxious.

I - - - - - - for friendship - and made enemies.
I - - - - - - for sleep - and awakened without rest.

I - - - - - - to nurture myself - and became bitter and spiteful.
I - - - - - - for strength - and felt weak.

I - - - - - - for love - and destroyed it and drove it away.
I - - - - - - medicinally - and acquired health problems.

I - - - - - - for relaxation - and got the shakes.
I - - - - - - for bravery - and became afraid.

I - - - - - - for confidence - and became doubtful.
I - - - - - - to protect my inner self - and became mean and callous.

I - - - - - - for inner peace - and was consumed by fear.
I - - - - - - for freedom - and became a slave.

I - - - - - - to erase my problems - and saw them multiply.
I - - - - - - to numb my pain - and became more tormented.

I - - - - - - to cope with life - and invited emotional and physical death.
I - - - - - - finally, when I did not even want to - and couldn't stop.

The example above illustrates “avoidance/denial” coping.
~Adapted from “ALCOHOLICS' DILEMMA”

In most cases, the reasons we give ourselves, and others,
for our actions
are actually excuses
and rationalizations;
not reasons.

Soundtrack: Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child

A Native American elder once described
his own inner struggles in this manner:

“Inside of me there are two dogs.
One of the dogs is mean and evil.
The other dog is good.
The mean dog fights the good dog all the time."

When asked which dog wins,
he reflected for a moment and replied,
“'The one I feed the most."
~George Bernard Shaw

You can run, but you can’t hide from yourself;
when the night, or the quiet moments come,
the terrors visit and invade your thoughts and dreams
- all the stuff we tried not to face.
~Sensei Yoda

How’s your avoidance coping working for you?
Every considered not running any more and facing your life?

Only the Wounded Heal;
Only the Separated Reconcile

There are all sorts of reasons for why people drink excessively:
- addiction
- habit
- coping with dysfunction and abuse
(a strategy which backfired)

Coping Skills Inventory

Each of us experiences life, and encounters situations
and circumstances in our own way.

Different ways - our responses to those are as unique
and individual as we are ourselves.

Thus, people form different addictions and dysfunctional behaviour patterns.

Exercise I

Below is a sample “fill in the blank” inventory:
each sentence has a goal (what addiction you chose)
– a strategy (blank)
and a resulting outcome.

Read each sentence and then insert the word in the blank that you feel fits best.

Exercise II
Now, return to the first exercise, and rewrite each sentence.
Write the goal, then your strategy to achieve it in the blank,
and resulting outcome.

Exercise III (interactive)
I’d like you to email me your revised results
– to use in workshops
(of course, they will be anonymous and remain confidential)

Healing
outreach
around
the world

I Drank - We Drank - A Coping Skills Inventory

A MorningStar - Dawn Cove Abbey Inspiration & Healing Page

To submit comments, requests or materials,
contact me at: outreach@dawncoveabbey.org

A MorningStar Presentation From Dawn Cove Abbey
Roadside assistance: cyber-style, for your Journey through Life
Snippet Design: KT+
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