The Clear Horizon

From oblivion of alcoholism into the light of sobriety

  • Am I boring or am I bored

    I guess in earlier periods in my life, I would have answered the question as follows: As long as I stick to expectations of my peers, family and co-workers, I am likely not to be boring, even though I might be bored. A classic situation would be going to a club or a disco, where Read more

  • Too many good Habits = Overload?

    Good habits is what makes up a good, successful life. I think… I thought. Well, yes. It’s true. But bear in mind the proverb by Paracelsus: The dose makes the poison. When I was in the Pink Cloud I made a had a lot of good intentions I wanted to implement in my life. I Read more

  • My midlife crisis – Or is It…?

    When my mid – 40s hit, I had the feeling something went horribly wrong in my life. I hated my job, approached my third burnout and I had the feeling I had taken the wrong turn somewhere in my life, although I have always told myself and everybody I wasn’t into a materialistic lifestyle. Interestingly, Read more

  • Toxic positivity in consumerism vs real life improvement

    I recently listened to commercials on the radio, and it suggested to “live your dreams” and “be individualistic” and “free your mind”, “be yourself”. It sounded like some sort of lifestyle coaching tips, but in the end it was only an advertisement for a car, an SUV, that superficially suggests an independent lifestyle, outdoors, with Read more

  • Hands free February – alcohol and devices

    Ok, I am in Recovery. So far so good. Why am I writing about a concept like Phone free February, that has been well established, but with a different name and with the supplementary „alcohol“? It’s about the hands. Initially, Phone Free February is about digital detox. Yes, this is my intention as well, but Read more

  • Rethinking my reward system

    What I had read about a couple of months ago now came back with the fading of the Pink Cloud. The program I attended advised us participants to have a god look at our reward system. In the first weeks and months, I didn’t realize how important this would be, although I took into consideration Read more

  • Pink Cloud gone – it has to get worse before it gets better

    The Pink Cloud has gone, and as expected, reality comes down on me with full force. What does that mean for me? Will I fall back into old habits? At the moment I am realizing that urges to substitute alcohol consumption or similar short-term rewarding habits try to get into my habitual system. Here is Read more

  • Catastrophising – why depression and alcohol can lead into a Vicious Circle.

    Ok, it is no big news that alcohol is a depressant and leaves you in a depressive state after the dopamine has dropped into the void. Alcohol abuse can lead to depression, depression can lead to alcohol abuse. No big news either. Catastrophising is something that can cause a vicious circle, where alcohol and depression Read more

  • Luck or Mindset – what is my label for individual success and failure?

    It all comes down to your own inner narratives. And these narratives determine your mindset and thus your life. Of course, our beliefs are strongly determined by our education in early life, but the good news is, we can change these mindsets. Suffering from the imposter syndrome? I did. Before changing my job, I had Read more

  • What is the Pink Cloud?

    When I initially stopped drinking, I was a bit confused by the fact how easy it seemed to quit in the first place. I felt high and euphorised. I really could not understand why I had this feeling. I deep dived into the matter: Reframe, blogs, books, videos. Not all of them take the pink Read more