"Recovery is all about using our power to change our beliefs that are based on faulty data." - Kevin McCormack
[i] Author Dave Gray defines belief as; everything we ‘know’ to be true.
[ii] Things we ‘know’ to be true are not actually formed upon reality, but on reality, as we have interpreted it from our experiences, observations, assumptions, and conclusions.
With alcohol, this is exactly what has occurred. There is a huge amount of belief that some people collectively hold that is not built directly on the foundation of reality.
These beliefs can include:
- Alcohol provides enjoyment
- Alcohol provides relief
- Alcohol is key to social situations
- A party can’t really be a party without booze
- Alcohol makes us funnier or more creative
- Alcohol can relieve our stress or boredom
In order to change our beliefs, we need to bring the unconscious experiences, observations, assumptions, and conclusions into conscious thought. This will change the unconscious helping to free the desire to drink. And this is scientifically proven as scientists now realize that the brain is able to change and adapt in response to new experience. This is a process called neuroplasticity. [iii]
[i] Gray, D. [Dave Gray]. (2015, January 23). Liminal Thinking The Pyramid of Belief.[ii] Gray, D. [Dave Gray]. (2015, January 23). Liminal Thinking The Pyramid of Belief. [iii] Harris, D. (n.d.). 10% Happier: How I tamed the voice in my head, reduced stress without losing my edge and found self-help that actually works: A true story.