Hi Donna

It is the nature of addiction, the brain still needs it's fix, it doesn't make the connection between the alcohol and the pain, like your mind does, it just knows it needs it.

There is an article in the newsletter archives part of this site (click on the heading Resource Center at the top of your page and then click newsletter archives) that explains it a little more in detail. It's titled "Forgetting (or unremembering)"

Basically, while we are using other things, having other addictions, we "forget" the effects of the things we are using, as those addictions raise our tolerance level so to speak. With each addiction that we take out, our tolerance level for the pain is lowered, and eventually because of this (our brain chemistry being more balanced) the reaction to the pain is more severe and we just don't get the chance to forget anymore. I have been dealing with this a lot myself at the moment, with an addiction that is not a substance/food and my tolerance level to it has over the past week been the way it should be and I have finally said "goodbye" to the addiction. Took me two years to get to this place though, and am so glad I got here.

As you move through the steps, this will get better, and on step 7 we deal with all these leftover bits of us that we know we would be better off without. It's hard to stop any of them permanently while sugars are still being used.

Hope that helps

Love

Jane
xx

: Why? I seem to be asking myself this
: question a lot lately. Why, when
: the effects of drinking alochol,
: even a "little bit" are
: so bad do I drink it anyway? I
: have a severe case of psoriasis.
: Alcohol absolutely makes it worse.
: The itching and scaling are
: worsened and the pain in my skin
: is impossible to describe. I know
: that even one glass of wine causes
: trouble with my condition, it
: disrupts my sleep and a whole host
: of other issues, but yet, I still
: succumb. Not nearly as often as
: before RR. Not nearly as much
: quantity as before RR (it used to
: be no less than 2 drinks at a time
: on at least a weekly basis, now it
: is one drink just once or twice a
: month). But still, when the
: negative side effects are so bad
: why do I do it at all? Any insight
: is greatly welcome and
: appreciated.

: Donna