I am on the school district's Autism Team which requires me to travel to different schools to help teams with intervention and assessment. The other day I grabbed my Sonic Diet Dr. Pepper the wrong way and popped the lid just as I entered the parking lot of the school I was supposed to visit. With a very wet lap, I called the school and my co-worker I was to meet there to tell of my emergency and need to run home and change clothes.
Some people worry that psychologists will analyze everything they do or say. Let me assure you that my favorite subject to consider and pick apart is myself. The above incident led me to consider my actions in a mostly funny, eye-rolling manner...
| On the continuum of substance abuse and dependence criteria for determining addiction clearly spelled out by the American Psychological Association. | |
| SUBSTANCE ABUSE: | |
| One or more of the following: | |
| FAILURE TO FULFILL MAJOR OBLIGATIONS | Still okay on this one...The kids are fed and wearing semi-clean clothing. I show up on my work days...even though I'm toting a rather large mug of the good stuff when I get there.. |
| USE WHEN PHYSICALLY HAZARDOUS | Is a constantly full bladder physically hazardous? |
| RECURRENT LEGAL PROBLEMS | Hmmmm. Could DDP be contributing to my speeding problem??? |
| RECURRENT SOCIAL OR INTERPERSONAL PROBLEMS | Actually, my love of this elixir helps my interpersonal relationships more than hinders. It keeps me calm in the face of homework and housecleaning and offers Brent a sure thing in the “this will make Rita happy” department |
| SUBSTANCE DEPENDENCE (ADDICTION) | |
| Three or more of the following: | |
| TOLERANCE | Definitely.I can have a (rather large) drink right before bed and still sleep like a baby. |
| WITHDRAWAL | Certainly. I arrive for an extended stay in Headache Land when I try to go off. |
| UNSUCCESSFUL EFFORTS TO CUT DOWN | Most assuredly. I’m sure onlookers do not realize but I try (unsuccessfully) to ‘cut down’ at least once-a-month. |
| TIME SPENT IN OBTAINING THE SUBSTANCE REPLACES SOCIAL, OCCUPATIONAL OR RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES | Sort of. I’m sorry to say that I know which gas stations and restaurants have the good stuff on tap and which don’t. I do not, to my credit, forgo social, occupational, or recreational activities in my search to quench my craving. |
| CONTINUED USE DESPITE ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES | Guilty. Sporting a clean, DRY outfit, I swung by the gas station for a 44 oz refill on my way back to work. PATHETIC. |
I hate to announce something in the LIKELY event that I won't be able to do it but I am going off DDP for at least a month starting tomorrow...Wish me luck.
7 comments:
Good luck. In 2006, I realized that my collection of empty DDP cans on the ski shelf in my dorm room was nearing 100, was a sure indicator that I was indeed addicted. It didn't help that a few friends were kind of appalled and used the word addicted. I went off cold turkey, and not just DDP. Soda in general. I've had a few drinks here and there, but only a single sip of DDP in a few years. You can do it!
I TOTALLY get ya on this one! I have a terrible addiction to Pepsi. I've committed to cutting back and hopefully cutting out entirely. We'll see how long that will last. The headache I'm sporting today is miserable!
Good luck Rita, We all know you have that will power and determation to do it... But your not the only one with a dp addiction Sean is consuming about an 18 pack a day WOW!! thats alot of soda better him than me. I sure if his was home it would not be near that.I just want you to know how much I always love reading all your sweet comments you leave me thanks for being you!!!
Good luck ... indeed.
One is definitely "better off" cutting out soda completely.
Now I feel bad that I came to your aid ... with your addiction "in hand".
Gee!!! I'd like to be a pepper too. If my mom can do it anyone can. I find myself wanting a big drink to watch Caden's ball game. I never use to do that. It never appealed to me until Kyler. By the way she went cold turkey for one month and now allows herself a small 8 oz once a week. She has stuck to it for 6 months now.
I think I could apply this to snowboarding for me haha. No way I'm giving that up though! Good luck! I went off all carbonation when I swam in high school. It definitely helps with breathing too. Or that's what other people told me :)
Pulling for you, Rita! My sister has a Diet Coke monkey on her back and I could easily revert back to the days when I'd get a headache if I hadn't had my Diet Pepsi by 11AM! And now I have such Diet Pepsi options - Lime and Vanilla! Mmmmmm...
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