HANDLING OUR ANGER

One of my most-read posts was "An Answer to our Anger" - April 18, 2013, so it seems anger is a wide-spread problem when living with an alcohol abuser.  It was for me too.

It is a negative emotion if though quite a natural one - so we need to do something constructive with it rather than:

• yelling at our drinker
• hitting them 
• abusing or hurting them with harsh words

 - all these things just give them a reason to reach for another drink!

So what can we do?  Here a few ways of getting rid of our anger:

• Re-read my post of April 18
• Get a pillow and punch your anger out on it
• Go outside and yell your anger - swear if it helps!
• Get out of the house and do some exercise - 
• walk  or run
• chop some wood
• dig a garden
• play squash or some other sport
•  do some shadow boxing
• punch a punching bag
• ride a bike or exercise bike
• swim
• sing
• climb
• do anything physical - BUT DO NOT
  
• TOUCH YOUR DRINKER
• TAKE IT OUT ON THEM
• TAKE REVENGE

Remember they are SICK, very sick, and right now can only be as they are, until they realise what alcohol is doing to them, and to everything around them.

And remember the "Serenity Prayer" from a few weeks ago - it has a wonderful calming affect on us.

And make enquiries about your nearest Al-Anon meeting.