Recently, I’ve been going over some statistics related to alcohol.  It’s stated that 65 million Americans report binge drinking but only 15 million Americans are clinically diagnosed with Alcohol Use Disorder. That means that almost half of the drinking population report that they have issues with over drinking.  Now, I’m no mathematician, but these numbers seem like they could use some attention.

As I reflect on my drunken days I would easily “binge drink” (defined by more than 4 drinks for a 2 hour period) at least twice (sometimes more) every week.  I also blew those stats to pieces while in college and in my early 20’s when I would drink for hours on end.  

Interestingly,  no one ever considered me to be a problem drinker.  Not the bartenders who  served me as I slurred to get another.  Not my doctor when I gained 30 pounds and told her I was depressed.  Not the same City Scoot driver who picked me up several times a week from a bar to take me home.  Not the waiter at the brewery as he watched me walk out with my babies in tow.  

No one.  

That is until I questioned my relatioship with alcohol.  When I stopped drinking, people considered me to have a drinking problem.  That was the line in the sand that separated my drinking (the drunk kind that has to stop) from other people’s drinking (the kind that can do all of the things stated above without any question).  

One of my favorite teachers, Holly, writes in her new book Quit Like A Woman

“We read labels.  We shun gluten, dairy, processed foods, and refined sugars.  We buy organic.  We use natural sunscreens and beauty products.  We worry about fluoride in our water, smog in our air, hydrogenated oils in our food, and we debate whether plastic bottles are safe to drink from.  We replace toxic cleaning products with Mrs. Meyer’s and homemade vinegar concoctions.  We do yoga, we run, we SoulCylcle and Fitbit, we go paleo, and keto, we juice, we cleanse……”

She goes on to talk about all of the other insane things we do in the name of health but then at the end of the day top it all off with drinks.  

I’m fascinated that when a person who juices, runs, eats kale, meditates, and drinks 4 or more IPA’s a night questions their relationship with alcohol that people are stunned.  Society immediately deems them as an “alcoholic” and thinks that they must go straight to AA or Rehab.  

I’m frustrated that I’m the one getting the side eye when I order a tonic and lime (no alcohol) from the person next to me who asks the waiter if the bread is gluten free and if they have vegan cheese to go on the cheesy bread appetizer.  It’s like my decision is based on shameful behavior and theirs is based on health.

But of course, there’s an unspoken understanding that the vegan could always go back to cheese without having to face life threatening consequences (unlike the “drunk”). While this may be true for some, it’s just not that cut and dry.

This black and white thinking is harmful.  People should be questioning their relationship with alcohol no matter where they lie on the spectrum.  It’s ok for us to explore, learn, and wonder why we want to drink.  It’s ok for us to openly ask questions about why we want another beer in the same way we would ask ourselves if we should go for that 5th slice of pizza.  

Alcohol needs to go onto the list of things we care about. We need to create awareness, if not for ourselves, then for the 65 million Americans who report binge drinking.   If we only think of people with problem drinking as alcoholics then we are leaving out nearly half of all drinkers who could potentially benefit from knowing the effects that alcohol has on their body.  Do you see the problem with that?

It’s the reason that I thought I needed more medication, more green smoothies, harder runs, and more discipline with my diet when, actually, I just needed to cut back on drinks.  It’s the reason I spent hours learning about coconut oil swishing, natural herbs to add to my juice, and yoga poses for anxiety. Since I wasn’t an “alcoholic” (according the online test I took), I assumed it couldn’t possibly be the alcohol.

I’ve heard some of the most preposterous things since becoming AF. People have asked me if I fear that my kids “will get it” or if I drank “in the closet.”  I’ve been told “I’m relieved” when someone finds out that I drank more than them while others have said “I’ve spilled more than you’ve ever drank” as if I’m not worthy enough of living alcohol free.

People have suggested that I’m not doing sober right because I didn’t go to AA (which I honestly had no idea was even a thing-but it’s a big thing). Lots of people have had a strong reaction to me not drinking and I can’t help but wonder if they feel this strongly about someone who has gone Paleo?

I get it, until I became sober I held alcohol on a pedastal and let it be free from scrutiny.  I deemed it a problem for only “those people.”  But now I want alcohol in the mix.  If we have no issues having open debates about drinking from plastic, whether or not we should vaccinate our children, and an ongoing dialogue on use of corn syrup, stevia, or agave then we can question alcohol without being shunned by society.

I’m not suggesting we all stop drinking. I’m just here to remind everyone that you can’t catch alcoholism by thinking about it.

As always, thank you so very much for reading. Want to get more in depth with these posts for an ongoing conversation? If so, join my private facebook group here. And, if you would like to have my exclusive gift of resources and information, get that right here.