Crayons, glue, backpack, binders, a magnum of wine. Ready for the first day of school. When did it become ok to sell the wine with the back-to-school supplies? Have wine and parenting become so enmeshed?
It makes me sad to see that. I know that 5 or 6 years ago those big bottles of wine right next to the crayons, backpacks, and binders, would have made me feel like one of the gang to be drinking my “mommy stress” away.
I remember watching this video once and laughing out loud.
At one time I guess that idea was a bit funny because it was a gross exaggeration. But my drinking problem was progressive. The regularity and intensity of my drinking increased slowly at first, picking up momentum quickly over the years between my forty fifth and fiftieth birthday-
I began to routinely “break the rules”
Don’t drink alone
Don’t drink when you’re angry
Don’t drink when you’re sad
Don’t drink on an empty stomach
Don’t drink before 5 pm…
As I broke those rules almost daily the addiction took over and I found that I didn’t want to drink, I HAD to drink.
I was teetering on the edge of progressing to that end-stage of alcohol abuse from which many people do not return.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about why it’s so hard for people who do stop drinking destructively to STAY stopped.
I know that I drank as Self-Care…
At almost 5 years sober I almost can’t imagine doing that now….
Almost—
Even now that I know my drinking was the opposite of self-care, and I’ve learned so many other types of genuine self-care in the last 5 years, even with my habits and routines all alcohol and nicotine-free, and even though I don’t have to fight cravings, my brain still reacts on occasion to the thought of wine by lighting up and thinking “cuddle” !!!!
I kid you not…
That is embarrassing really.
It is ridiculous to see such self-destructive behavior as self-care but many of us do.
I remember very clearly pouring that first glass every night after the previous night’s blackout and the early morning regret.
I remember pouring that first glass thinking “this is my treat… this is my reward… I deserve this”
We’re taught to drink to care for ourselves.
We need to learn different ways.
We need to learn different ways to care for ourselves because Alcohol Use Disorder kills 1 out of every 10 adults age 20 to 64, making alcoholism more deadly than automobile crashes, opioid abuse and gun violence combined We need to learn different ways to care for ourselves because
Making alcoholism more deadly than automobile crashes, opioid abuse, and gun violence combined…..
But before you can learn what it means to truly take care of yourself
Before you can do that
You have to get the toxic goop out of your system and start thinking with a clear head.
Join me in some genuine self-care
What will you treat yourself to when you chose not to drink today?
BOOM – Rethink the Drink – Come Join us Alcohol-Free Today
More From The Boozemusings Community Blog :
Breaking Down the Myths: What can Alcohol REALLY do for You?
Why Women Are Dying for a Drink and What We Can Do About It
Demystifying Sober – Survival Guide From My First 10 Days Alcohol-Free
If you are drinking too much too often don’t feel like you need to wait for a rock bottom to stop. Come talk to us and we’ll help you start thinking it through. Before it’s too late.
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Don’t let the shame of the stigma keep you from saying
“I think I have a problem with drinking”
