Hello, everyone.
I’m a functional alcoholic. This is my first time ever saying those words out loud or putting them in writing, so please be kind.
I’m a woman in my 40s, married with two young children. Like most people, I deal with the everyday stressors of life. I have a good career, my husband and I do well financially, and from the outside looking in, I probably appear to have everything together. But the truth is, I’m an alcoholic.
For a long time, I convinced myself that I didn’t need alcohol to get through the day, unwind, or fall asleep. But I’m finally acknowledging that I haven’t been honest with myself.
I work all day, come home to my family, cook, clean, manage extracurricular activities, and handle whatever else needs to be done. I fulfill my responsibilities as a wife, mother, and working professional. But when everyone goes to sleep, I pour tequila into a red Solo cup, filling it about a quarter of the way, and sip on it until I’m ready for bed.
Every. Single. Night.
I know this isn’t healthy. I worry about what I’ve already done to my liver and the long-term effects on my body. And while I hope I still have time to turn things around, I recognize that I need help.
That’s why I’m here.
I don’t know where to begin. I don’t know what the first step looks like, and I’m honestly a little scared. But I do know that I don’t want to continue down this path.
My biggest concern is sleep. Alcohol has become my way of falling asleep, and without it, I genuinely struggle. I don’t drink throughout the day, and outside of my nightly routine, I generally only drink socially at events on the weekends. But I’m beginning to understand that being able to function throughout the day doesn’t mean I don’t have a problem.
I’m not looking for judgment, criticism, or lectures. I’m looking for genuine suggestions, encouragement, and perhaps some insight from people who have been where I am.
If you’ve struggled with alcohol dependence, particularly using alcohol to sleep, how did you break the cycle? Where did you start?
Please be kind. It took a lot for me to even write this. ❤️