Introduction
As already identified, I would desire to lessen my general alcohol intake. Although I cannot classify myself as a drug dependant person as far as alcohol consumption is concerned, it is important to note that for health and social reasons, I would desire to lower my level of alcohol intake. This change is motivated by a long-term goal of becoming a healthy person as alcohol may jeopardize one’s health as it is excessive consumption causes liver cirrhosis among other diseases. The long term goal is to eliminate alcohol consumption as part of my list of consumables.
Medical and social reasons for drinking alcohol
Several health benefits are associated with low consumption of alcohol. Although Booley, (2006) notes that alcohol consumed in low quantities is beneficial to the body, he is quick to add that when consumed in large quantities, alcohol can outpace the benefits created by its consumption. One major benefit that one gets from a lack of consumption of alcohol is the reduced chances of contracting alcohol related diseases (Booley, 2006).
Consumption of alcohol has been associated with several types of cancers such as cancer of the liver, mouth, pharynx, breast among others. Consumption of alcohol is also associated with pregnancy problems, poorly developed fetus, birth malfunctions among other pregnancy-related issues (Stimmel, 2008). Socially, alcohol has been associated with increased social evils, suicides, and car accidents (Booley, 2006). Therefore, quitting this risky behavior helps a person to avoid all the identified problems.
SMART Goals
- Reduce alcohol intake from the current level to manageable levels such as two bottles per intake.
- Ensure that I do not engage myself in forums that may influence my behavior negatively.
- Continue equipping myself with the knowledge that may help in controlling alcohol consumption.
Despite these elaborated goals, there may be some obstacles that may hinder the achievement of the main goals. These obstacles may include behavioral obstacles where one may be inhibited by past behaviors such as social gatherings from quitting the unhealthy behavior.
Emotions may also jeopardize the achievability of the identified goals. As experienced by many alcoholics, emotional distress is easily countered by imbibing some alcohol and thus any attribute that affects the emotions may affect the behavior of the affected persons. Placing oneself in a situation where there are high rates of alcoholism such as bars can jeopardize the goal to quit alcoholism. Finally, the thoughts can inhibit the achievement of the set goals. People who are pursuing a specific goal must remain positive as far as their thoughts are concerned.
To overcome behavioral obstacles, one can use behavior modification techniques that guarantee that behaviors that encourage alcoholisms are eliminated. To counter emotional obstacles, one can obtain relevant counseling that will ensure that emotional instabilities do not result to further alcohol intake. Situational challenges can easily be avoided by ensuring that all situations that may jeopardize the goals set by a subject are perfectly and tactfully avoided. To overcome the obstacles that are brought about by thoughts, one can adopt measures that can lead to positive thinking which helps in making the subject focus on the achievability of the goals.
The facilitators and the enablers can help in various ways. The first way that can be of immense help from the facilitator is through positive behavior reinforcement where a subject is trained by the facilitator to embrace positive behavior. They can also help in counseling and encouraging one to remain focused on the ultimate goal.
References
Booley, T., A. (2006). Alcohol and Your Liver: The Incredibly Disgusting Story. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group.
Stimmel, B. (2008). The Effects of maternal alcohol and drug abuse on the newborn. New York: Routledge.