Being Conscious of “Transfer Addictions”

You may have heard someone say (or maybe you’ve said!) “I have an addictive personality.”  It’s important to know that there really isn’t any scientific evidence for the existence of an “addictive personality” - you aren’t doomed to constantly be battling one addiction or another. It’s more helpful to consider our resilience, instead. When we have mental wellness, we’re less likely to rely on addictive patterns to get us through the day. Additionally, overcoming one vice provides more resilience for future vices because our brains know it is possible. The limiting belief of having an “addictive personality” sets us up for failure and isn't always helpful. We simply note the risk of transfer addiction to bring it into our awareness, so that we can then utilize our healthy coping mechanisms.

You are more resilient than you could ever imagine. If you find yourself relying on something else in the place of alcohol, be gentle with yourself and course correct where you can. This gets easier with time, as you gain more distance from your past alcohol use.