Alcoholism Support Group
Alcoholism is the continued consumption of alcoholic beverages, even when it is negatively affecting your health, work, relationships and life. If you think alcohol is causing you to lose control, it's time to seek help. Our group is a safe place to vent, check in, get back up if you fall, and reach sobriety.
I'm afraid my drinking wine in the evening is becoming a problem. Over the last 10 yrs I've progressed to drinking one small glass of wine to now drinking 4. It amounts to 2/3 bottle. I've been drinking this amount over the last year. I am concerned for my health. I am a widow, and live alone. My job is fullfilling but stressful. I have a large family and two sweet grandchildren who when I retire in two yrs I will be able to spend more time with. I'm very active, I'm a runner and weight train. Other than my wine habit I live a full and healthy life.
This group is very inspirational. I would like to feel free of this habit, but I'm afraid of not being able to sleep or other symptoms if I stop.
Any advise or information would be so appreciated.
It is good that you have recognised how drinking has been progressing and how it is affecting your health and wellbeing.
It would be wise to treat the problem seriously and I will tell you why. When you use alcohol as a form of relaxation or to help in dealing with life’s stresses, the mind learns that it does indeed work. The result is that what had been an odd glass of wine now and again can become the answer to dealing with more and more minor issues. Additionally, for about one in every ten drinkers, a gradual change occurs in the way that the body reacts to alcohol. This physical change results in the body craving more alcohol once a drink is taken and each drink increases the craving. None of this happens overnight but it is instead a gradual process and that makes it difficult to detect.
I would suggest at the very least cutting back on the number of nights that you drink and the amount that you consume on a particular night. Can you for example have one glass of wine a couple of times per week and no more? Would you be happy to give up drinking for a few months? If the answer to either question is no, or if not drinking leaves you grumpy and unhappy then you may be in different territory where you need to stop drinking completely. If you have already decided to stop drinking then you have taken an important first step.
The best people to talk to about withdrawal symptoms and possible sleep issues are the medical professionals. If you have become somewhat dependent on alcohol your mind will try to come up with all sorts of reasons for not addressing the problem so be aware of that and keep focused on what you need to do. There will probably be a short period of re-adjustment after you stop and it may be uncomfortable but not nearly as bad as the consequences of getting drawn deeper into the black hole of alcoholism.
I appreciate it and will make a goal.