The Escape is The Drink Archetype™ that associates alcohol with a way to forget what’s bothering you.
Over time, this archetype teaches the brain that big emotions can’t be tolerated without a drink. The Escape often leverages overwhelm against your resolve to drink less.
The key to working with this archetype is learning to develop a curiosity around your emotions in order to strengthen your resilience.
HOW THIS ARCHETYPE WORKS
The brain associates alcohol with a way to forget what’s bothering you.
Drinking can help you quiet a chattering mind, stop worrying, or numb negative emotions.
This archetype commonly appears when you feel besieged by emotions or unexpected life events.
The Escape tends to show up when you:
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- Feel overwhelmed by responsibilities.
- Are unable to shake worries about the future.
- Are dealing with family or relationship struggles and conflict.
- Feel consumed by news, politics, or world events.
- Are trying to cope with grief, loss, or trauma.
When The Escape is activated, saying no interferes with your desire to avoid certain emotions, making it hard to abstain or moderate.
THE MINDSET TRAP
“I just need to get through this, and then I’ll cut back.”
The more you rely on a drink to cope, the less resilient you’ll start to feel and the more insurmountable your situation will seem.WHAT YOUR BRAIN LEARNS
The specific thoughts, feelings, and actions associated with The Escape create a learned behavior that influences how much and how often you drink.
The Ultimate Guide to Drinking Less outlines what you need to practice thinking, feeling, and doing instead to combat The Escape archetype.
Common Obstacles
The Escape often uses overwhelm to sabotage rules, drinks plans, and Dry Januarys.
Keep in mind, not all obstacles will apply to everyone with this archetype:
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- You have no other way to shut off your brain or stop thinking.
- You planned to cut back, but then life got crazy.
- You just don’t want to feel this way anymore.
- You’re just so worried and don’t know how else to feel better.
- You need to avoid certain emotions that might open the floodgates.
- You’re responsible for so much, but once you have a drink, you’re “off-duty.”
- You should’ve moved on by now, but you can’t let go.
- You have no reason to feel the way you do.
- The world is falling apart, and it’s just too much to take.
- You can’t come to terms with what happened.
THE DEEPER DESIRE
Willpower and discipline often fall short because they ignore the subconscious desire behind reaching for a drink.
Learn about The Escape’s deeper desire in The Ultimate Guide to Drinking Less and why it’s the hidden key to success.
The Perspective Shift
“You don’t need to stop your mind from chattering to find peace. You just need to reframe the noise.”
The Fix
If you want to drink less, you have to do more than say “No!” to your cravings. You must dismantle the beliefs associated with The Escape that lead to giving in.
Get the specific exercises for The Escape archetype inside The Ultimate Guide to Drinking Less.
The Superpowers
Letting go of The Escape will make you more resilient.
Here are some of the superpowers waiting to be unlocked:
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- Discovering you are so much more capable than you realize.
- Trusting your ability to problem solve on the fly rather than always needing a plan.
- Feeling confident you can handle any emotion on your own.
- Quickly interrupting overwhelm by just focusing on the next small step.
- Asking for help or support instead of telling yourself you need to tough it out.
- Knowing you can captain the ship even when seas are stormy.
LEARN MORE
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Discover how your primary and secondary drink types influence how much and how often you drink.
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