The people you choose to spend your time with will be a powerful influence on your choices. Are these “friends” a positive influence or toxic to you? Try this experiment; avoiding going out for your usual drinking/binging event perhaps not even remembering what happened, having a blackout. In this way, you can take time to examine the internal drivers of that behavior. If you also have a family history of addiction, this makes you even more vulnerable or susceptible to your own addiction potential. How vulnerable are you to addiction genetically? What are the behaviors emerging that cause suffering, shame or the “moral hangover?”
As an alternative, find activities, friends that give you a sense of purpose, meaning, fun without any substances. Friends that are a positive influence. The next day, evaluate how you feel about yourself. Check in with the “going out group” to observe their physical and/or moral hangover. Imagine the misery you have just prevented.
Other moral hangovers may include treating someone badly. Were you angry, mean, disrespectful or said horrible things? These feelings can causes regrets, anxiety, depression or worse. IT IS PREVENTABLE! Get with positive influences, people, ideas, groups and take responsibility for difficulties and problems. Until you “own” the problem, it will persist. It is easier to blame others and ultimately stay stuck. CBT or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can help. Take time to examine you choices, guilt, fears and plot a new course for moral happiness and self-esteem.