Replacing behaviors?

[LameName]

So from the time I was 13 to the time I was 17, I was an alcoholic. In the past year and a half, I have managed to stay sober, despite heavy pressure from my family to drink with them. I'm to the point now where I can comfortably be around alcohol (I can even play bbartender, making and serving the drinks) and I feel confident that I'm not going to relapse or anything.

So I've stopped drinking alcohol, but lately I've noticed that I seem to be addicted to low sodium V8 juice. I mean, it's juice, so it's not that bad for me. I was drinking it at about the same rate I used to drink alcohol, but I've lately cut down because of the price tag. Anyway, would you consider this to be normal, or does it mean that I'm still not quite over my addiction?

Also, do any of you have similar stories?

[sirjan xerdaj]

Yes this is normal! And you seem to have replaced a addiction with a healthy substitute. And it's low sodium?!? Shooooot, email your story to V8 and see what you get

I usually reply something senseless or witty but today I'm not on top of it, sigh...shoulda had a V8.

[Jen]

Remember, people often need their addictions to manage other things--emotions, events, people, etc. So, the addiction serves a purpose, essentially--a coping mechanism. Because of that, the addiction doesn't really matter--whether you're drinking, gambling, smoking, or drinking juice, it's not necessarily the behavior you have to examine, it's your reasons behind it. So, are you drinking the juice because you like the taste and it helps stop you from drinking alcohol? That's okay. But if you turn to juice when you're upset or sad or angry, that's a warning sign. Focus on WHY you are doing what you're doing, and that will help give you your answer