Part 2. Consequences of drinking

Context In Which You Drink

Some things increase your urge to drink. Listed below are a number of situations or events in which some people drink heavily. Complete the sentences and decide whether these statements are true for you. ³⁰

“I often have an urge to drink…”

1. ...when I have had an argument with a friend.
Yes	No
2. ...when other people around me make me tense.
Yes	No
3. ...when I'm out with my friends and they stop by a bar for a drink.
Yes	No
4. ...when I feel I have let myself down
Yes	No
5. ...when I remember how good it tastes.
Yes	No
6. ...when I convince myself that I am a new person now and can take a few drinks.
Yes	No
7. ...when I pass by a liquor store
Yes	No
8. ...when I unexpectedly find a bottle of my favorite booze.
Yes	No
9. ...when I wonder about my self-control over alcohol and feel like having a drink to try it out.
Yes	No
10. ...when I am at a party and other people are drinking.
Yes	No
11. ...when pressure builds up at work.
Yes	No
12. ...when I am afraid things aren't going to work out.
Yes	No
13. ...when I am in a restaurant and the other people around me order drinks.
Yes	No
14. ...when I am angry at the way things have turned out.
Yes	No
15. ...when I feel under a lot of pressure from family members at home.
Yes	No
16. ...when I start to think that just one drink can cause no harm.
Yes	No
17. ...when I feel confused about what I should do.
Yes	No
18. ...when I meet a friend and he/she suggests that we have a drink together.
Yes	No
19. ...when I suddenly have an urge to drink.
Yes	No
20. ...when I want to prove to myself that I can take a few drinks without becoming drunk.
Yes	No

If you agreed with any of these statements, and you decide that you want to change your drinking behavior, these situations could present challenges to your change goals. If you want to stop drinking, it probably will be useful to think about what you want to do or say if you find yourself in any of these situations, or you might decide to avoid these situations entirely.