The Clear Horizon

From oblivion of alcoholism into the light of sobriety

mental-health

  • 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

  • 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

  • Insights true today maybe obsolete tomorrow – how I accept new beliefs without the urge of justifying

    When I quit drinking, I had the conviction that I could go on with my habits like before, only by shifting from alcoholic beverages to non alcoholic beverages, but the amount and the habits stayed the same. I thought that this would keep me from becoming boring in the eyes of other people. Plus, there Read more

  • How to deal with people you don’t want in your sober life anymore – and vice versa.

    There were those days I thought I needed to be friendly, to be everybody’s darling, to please everybody. Yes, there were times when I thought I needed to make a large circle of “friends” on social media. Boy, the times have changed. I always thought it was due to Covid that I had reduced social Read more