We often describe alcohol as a treat.
“It’s been a long day… I’m going to treat myself to some nice wine.”
“Let’s get another bottle, we deserve a treat.”
The language that we use around alcohol is really important.
When you’re describing booze as a treat, you’re making it very special and irresistible.
Let’s get clear on what alcohol really is.
Key points:
What is a treat?
In other areas of life, a treat tends to refer to a high quality experience. E.g. going to fancy restaurants or the luxury of having some time to yourself. Alcohol can’t be a true treat – it’s a cheap, mass market drug that’s linked to cancer, depression, anxiety, diabetes and death.
“I’m going to trick myself tonight…”
Replace the word treat with the word trick because that’s exactly what alcohol is. Just think of all the different things we expect alcohol to do: make us happier, more sociable, help us relax, rev up, calm down, be more assertive, creative, braver, sleepier. No drug can do all those things.
Look after yourself properly
Treat yourself to a night off from alcohol and its games. Treat yourself to a new book, a long bath, or date night at your favourite restaurant. Maybe a treat for you is half an hour reading a magazine in peace. Proper treats won’t make you feel like crap afterwards.
So… trick or treat?
What choice will you make this Halloween? For help and support to quit drinking, check out my online course here.
31 responses
Love this trick or treat theme, it’s spot on! Thank you Kate, for showing me that alcohol is nothing but a big old trick. It consistently over promises and under delivers. Breaking up with booze is one of the best things I’ve ever done. I’m 9 months AF and I can hardly believe it. Thank you for your class.
It’s great to hear you’re getting on so well! Congratulations on your 9 months Alexandra 🙂
Thought provoking
Kate, your course has significantly changed the way I think about alcohol, in particular wine. I did view it as a treat. I now know it for what it is! A trick sending you on a downward spiral with no treat at the end. The more I learn about it the more it amazes me that we hold it in such high regard. It is nothing but a poison from the witches cauldron! Happy Halloween to everyone!
“Poison from the witches cauldron” sums it up very well, that’s for sure! Thanks Marja 🙂
All this makes absolute sense, it unfortunately I’ve got too deep in my alcohol addiction and might need detox. But it’s always been my reward and treat and that will be hard to break after 45 years of heavy drinking. Thanks for your honesty and I hope one day I’ll be alcohol free. Look forward to your updates as and when
Check in with your doctor and see if you need medical support to detox. You want to be careful there and make sure you’re being well looked after. Once you’ve safely stopped, come back here to do the all important mindset work. Don’t ever ‘hope’ to be alcohol free – get a plan together to make it happen. My online course will help you with that – it will help you tackle your emotional and psychological addiction. I’ve worked with plenty of women who’ve been drinking for 40+ years, so change is definitely possible for you.
Day 466 and this message still resonates. Thanks for the timely reminder!!
Glad to hear it Tracy! Congratulations on your 466 days! Impressive 🙂
Abracadabra…the “treat” quickly changes to a trick. Great analogy, Kate.
I’m glad that resonated with you Nancy 🙂
Back on track with sobriety. However still need pep talks, visits with friends in similar situations and love your “trick” talk. That is exactly what alcohol became to me. Started out as a treat or reward and spiralled down into tricking and fooling me!
Good to hear you’re back on track Marcia!
Love this! Don’t want that kind of treat anymore or ever again. It is always a trick not a treat!
Alcohol is no treat! It is a toxic substance.
…A drop of poison, is still poison. For a while I moderated, but even “treating myself, to just a beer or two on weeknights, still made me feel crappy the next day. Because I was still ingesting poison. Now that I’ve quit drinking, 26 days in, as a student of Kates course. I have no desire to drink on Halloween or any other time. Oh I have learned so many things as part of this course that I cannot unlearn. It has sincerely been life-changing. Alcohol is a trick 100%! It never helps and only creates its own set of issues! I don’t want it and I don’t need “it’s stupid games”! Instead, I’m treating myself to peace of mind, clarity, and no regrets!! I followed the sober school for two years before I found the courage to pull the trigger. It is the best money I have ever spent on myself, that I am no longer spending on alcohol.
Thanks Laduska! I really appreciate your comment and I’m so pleased the course is making such a difference 🙂
Kate, it’s made ALL the difference
That’s really inspiring Laduska. I envy you. I pulled back from the brink (self-doubt and cowardice, fuelled by some mental health issues that constantly enable my self-sabotage). I could have been 26 days in and feeling like a warrior like you – instead I’m back in the “trying to moderate” rut. It doesn’t work. Kudos and congratulations to you. X
Liz, I know how hard it can be and you’re right! Moderation never works! Eventually we over do it. I just got so tired of the push and pull. It’s exhausting! I sincerely highly recommend Kate’s course. It changed my way of thinking. It’s very educational and only requires 20 minutes a day of course work. You commit to a non-negotiable 6 weeks alcohol free. With access to the course for a lifetime if you stumble or just need to review. It’s been a total game changer for me. If you decide to start drinking when it’s over, you can. But at that point ideally, you keep setting small goals for yourself. 100 days, 120 days, etc. You make it manageable. And avoid the F word (forever). This makes a big difference! It’s empowering and the support of the other women going through the same thing is extremely helpful. It’s a place to learn, to be honest and to connect. I’ve found it to be immensely effective. I cannot unlearn what I know now and am still learning as I’m only half way through the program. I HIGHLY recommend it. I can see a clear path now to living a happy and rewarding AF life! One goal at a time
Laduska, thank you so much for taking the time and trouble to reply. It’s much appreciated. So many times I have felt the penny had dropped – I have done an AF year before, and various stints between a month and 3 months, feeling so liberated and “knowing” I wouldn’t drink again. But the old self-sabotage keeps creeping back in. I have read/watched all of Kate’s blogs multiple times, and I know she’s right. For some reason though, something in me on some level still resists. Next opportunity I’m grabbing with both hands. Thank you for helping to motivate me again, and I wish you so well on your amazing journey! X
Liz! It’s no trouble at all. I’m really happy to help. Another bonus of being AF. I can be there for others 100%, and soon you will be too. Do it! I believe in you and I believe in this course. Willpower and inconsistent support is NOT enough. I quit in the past too, but didn’t have enough support or tools. I watched videos and read books, but it was not enough. Something about this course and the consistency of learning every single day, busting the myths, seeing it for what it really is, the dangerous toxin it is!! And the support of the others… it’s immeasurable! It was the missing piece for me. I really hope you go for it!! You got this girrrrl! I believe in YOU!!
Thank you for this video Kate. So well said. Alcohol is a huge Trick as it has tricked me for far too long and disguised itself as a Treat. This Halloween, I will have a treat of pumpkin pie 🙂 Thank you again!
Now that sounds like a good treat!
I love this analogy Kate…. so cleaver to use this for Halloween! Wine is definitely a ‘trick’ not a ‘treat’ & the more I learn about it the more I understand & believe this. Thank you for your wonderful videos! I always enjoy them & find them very helpful. Maureen
I’m glad this struck a chord with you Maureen. Wishing you a happy and hangover free Halloween!
Well, wines trickery can take a jump in the lake! I’m treating myself with love and kindness and peace …..
Love this Joy. Let’s leave those tricks and illusions behind 🙂
love this Kate! very clever and true Think I will Treat Myself and stay AF 113 and counting! Trick or Treat. will never mean the same to me again
Congratulations on your 113 days Mary Ray! That’s wonderful!
Very insightful and helpful. As always!
God BLESS you for all that you are doing for others to become alcohol free!! GREAT analogy! You are SO on target on exposing alcohol (ethanol) for the poison that it is!!! If I may, I’d like to use the “trick or treat” expression also, in case I get the opportunity!