Before we can stop drinking we have to understand why we need to. That sounds simple but those of us who have gotten to that point know that it is not.
We justify our drinking as an adult release.
We think that we are entitled
and of course, it is necessary
for us to have downtime.
Our jobs and domestic responsibilities demand more and more of us as we travel through adulthood.
Every cultural message that we have been fed
since early childhood
teaches us that drinking is what adults do to handle a hard day
or to celebrate a victory.
We have been taught to think of problem drinkers as pathetic, broken-down souls with a bottle in a brown paper bag wasting away their health on a park bench.
Or a violent parent out of control and terrorizing their families every night until they finally pass out cold.
Those images protect us from the modern reality of alcohol abuse don’t they? I am not that —
I hold down a challenging job, care for my children and keep my household running smoothly. Right?
But really the vast majority of people who binge drink are highly functional. It might be the Dr that doesn’t ask you the questions he should about your drinking when he realizes that your symptoms could be alcohol-related. It might be the school teacher who is just a little to edgy this morning because they are still ashamed of not remembering going to bed last night after the second bottle of wine.
Before I could stop drinking I had to understand why I needed to.
A few months ago after many years of wondering, googling, reading, questioning, doubting…I realized that it was me. And even though I really have known that for such a long time doing something about it was the hardest thing that I’ve ever done.
And the best thing that I’ve ever done.
Period…
Alcohol is the only drug that people question you for NOT using but you don’t HAVE to drink. Don’t stay trapped because the stigma of not drinking seems worse than the cost of drinking to much.
Sobriety is Clarity, Creativity, Freedom! Community connection is the first step.
ReThink the Drink
