Q & A - How can I feel so “done” with drinking and then find myself drinking later that day?

First off, know that this happens to a lot of people. We wake up and feel terrible and think "that's it - no more hangovers. I'm done!" But, as the day goes on we start to feel better and the memory of how that hangover felt fades away. Then the usual cues hit and we start to falter. We start to think: "Maybe I can quit next week" or "One drink wouldn't be that bad" and we talk ourselves back into it. 

This is very common and it has a lot to do with our perception of the cost vs the benefit of drinking. Early in the day we can feel the effects of drinking from the night before, and so the costs seem high and the benefits seem non-existent. However, as the day goes on the cost seems lower because we're feeling better and we're encountering all the things that trigger us to drink - stress, work, family - so the benefits of drinking seem higher. And when the benefits outweigh the costs, you guessed it, we decide to drink.