You decided to stop drinking. Maybe you went a few days, a few weeks or even a few months. Then you drank again and thought, Well, I’ve failed. Again. Whats the point?

Before you make it mean anything and get caught up in all or nothing thinking, have a look at what actually happened. What helped on the days you didn’t drink? What was different on the day you did? What could you do next time?

There’s a phrase I come back to a lot: there’s no failure, only feedback. And when it comes to changing your drinking, that feedback can really help.

If you've been wondering why stopping drinking can feel so difficult, understanding what's going on is a good place to start. But it's also important to recognise what you've already achieved.

Think about something you’ve already learnt

Do you remember learning to drive?

Clutch, mirrors, gears, indicators. And somehow you were supposed to pay attention to what everyone else on the road was doing at the same time. It was intense.

You took it sl...