Abv: LC - To suffer from a LC is to feel consumed by guilt, stupidity, inadequacies and most importantly shame following a big night out of over-indulgences...
"I woke up with the biggest Loser Complex (LC) this morning once I realised I..."
...OK so let's start by stating that some of us know about this affliction all too well! in fact I am surprised I didn't coin the phase myself! We all know what it is, and we all know how dreadful we feel during the LC phase.
Part of extraordinary living is about having a high level of awareness with regards to yourself, and accepting all the aspects of who you are, while being able to progress and strive for improvement. ...Yes even in - and through the LC moments.
Let's take a closer look at what is actually happening during the LC phase;
Physically:
- your body is still probably saturated with alcohol.
- your body is probably fatigued
- your body is dehydrated
- you experience a loss of balance
- you will have a headache
- you might have an up-set tummy or even throwing-up.
- you might still have a racing heart - basically, alcohol makes the blood vessels dilate lowering your blood pressure so your heart has to pump faster in order to pump your blood.
- blood shot eyes - this happens because alcohol causes the blood vessels in your eyes to become dilated. This in turn causes the white area of your eyes to turn red. This symptom is called vasodilatation.
avoidance of loud noises and bright lights - loud noises could cause your headache to increase. Also, bright lights will cause your red eyes to squint, which also has the potential to increase you a headache.
Right, so the above sounds very familiar - the average 'hangover', so what's the difference between a hangover and LC you might ask? The answers lay in your thought processes, behaviour and depressed levels of self-esteem that follow.
So you already feel like you have been hit by a bus physically, then slowly but surely the events of the night are pieced together. Usually not by your own recollection, due to high alcohol consumption and inebriation, but rather by various entries of information given by friends or others, or even via pictures and posts on face book etc...(cringe worthy stuff I tell you)
Let's now look at what is happening to you emotionally; As the urban dictionary states:
To suffer from a LC, is to feel consumed by guilt, stupidity, inadequacies and most importantly shame following a big night out of over-indulgences...
What this means, is that both your body and emotional state are at an all time low, and you are aware of it. So what can be done to counter act these intense emotions of self-loathing and shame?
Rest up - a good sleep will help with the fatigue and you will be able to think more clearly.
Drink water, loads of water! - water will hydrate your body, especially your brain and assist in restoring a sense of balance. NOT too many fizzy drinks like "the black ambulance - Cola"
Eat! eat a combination of protein, starch and veg. Soup sometimes is the best remedy, or a smoothie followed by something more substantial. Avoid too much caffeine as this will dehydrate you further.
Take some vitamins and maybe a pain-killer.
Emotionally it's going to be harder... try not to beat yourself up too much!
- When you are told about your bad behaviour during the course of the previous night, whether it was dancing flirtatiously in-front of your boss at a work party, or dancing on the table of a night club like it was your stage, or even just being totally verbally obnoxious and over-baring towards those around you. Just listen and hear, apologize and don't make excuses!
 Once you have heard enough, say thank you and try to let it go.
- Tell yourself that you are not your actions, it's only what you did, not who you are!
- Know that you will begin to feel better very soon! hopefully within 3 days to a week.
- Focus on the positive aspects of your life, like your work, health, personal projects, hobbies, family and good friends.
- Know that you are not the first, nor will you be the last person to have to go back to a place to collect your name off the floor so to speak.
- Use it has a learning experience - "when we know better, we can do better"
- Don't worry too much about what other people who don't matter in your life think of you - They can only judge you if you let them! Life is too short to beat yourself up!
- Forgive yourself if you feel that you have let yourself down in some way!
- Learn to laugh at yourself and try not to take life too seriously.
- Oh and remember, you were having fun! there are some people who would swap your self-loathing LC for their traumatic life pains in a heart-beat!
- Resilience in life is key!
- Have no regrets! only lessons. Have a plan of action for the next time you go out on the town or to a party - limit your alcohol intake by slowing down your drinking pace, and with soft drink substitutions in between alcoholic drinks.
- Love yourself and snap out of it!
Live well!
Marie Joshua
Psychological Counsellor & Well-being Practitioner.
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