Winter is the season of slipping. An elderly friend of mine slipped on the ice outside our arts centre and is now recovering from a broken hip.
I’ve seen several cars and trucks slip off the road on icy highways. Some people I am counselling with drinking problems found the recent holiday season hard to get through without slipping, because alcohol was offered everywhere they went. A person who was working hard to control his temper slipped with an angry outburst, which ruined the holidays for his family.
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We need to develop devices to help ourselves prevent dangerous slips and falls. One device involves the following steps:
- Plan what you are going to do.
- Look ahead at dangers or unforeseen consequences.
- When you do move, move one step at a time.
- Then make sure you are stable before taking the new step.
Impatience to get down the walk, down the stairs or even out of a bathtub can encourage you to skip the above steps. Impatience to get somewhere causes most vehicle accidents.
Impatience with oneself, others or life is the most common cause of a person slipping back into drinking or drugs.
Life is unpredictable. We never know when we will encounter a skid of some kind. Success starts with you, but it also starts with patience.
Success also involves knowing when you can’t do it alone. Asking for someone’s arm to lean on may prevent a fall when walking.
And talking to someone who knows what you are going through is important when struggling with sobriety. That is one reason why the Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon phone numbers in most telephone books are important. It may only be an answering service, but if a person phones and asks for help, most likely someone will get in touch with them within the hour.
Peter Griffiths is a mental health counsellor based in Prince Albert, Sask. His columns are intended as general advice only. His website is petecope.sasktelwebsite.net.
