Grief, Mindfulness and Alcohol

Coping with Grief / Coping with Grief : Litsa Williams



For further articles on these topics:


We have some off the wall posts here at WYG, but with a title like this one you are probably thinking that we have totally lost it. Mindfulness and alcohol? Are you kidding? As usual, I am going to ask you to let me explain.

Alcohol is integrated into our lives and society so deeply it is hard to think of a time and place that alcohol isn’t acceptable – even expected. Life is good? Have a drink. Life is rough? Have a drink. Celebrating? Have a drink! Out to dinner? What pairs well with your meal? Staying in for dinner? You don’t have to drive – have a few. Sunday brunch? Bloody Marys before noon. Wedding? Open bar drinks! Stressful week? Have a glass of wine or three. Finished a big project at work? Drinks for the team. Girls night? Cocktails. The big game? Beer. Wooing clients? Rounds on the company. Funeral? You guessed it – drinks! Short of hidden in your desk drawer at work, there aren’t too many places alcohol isn’t around and accepted.

"Alcohol is the anesthesia by which we endure the operation of life." - George Bernard Shaw

Though alcohol is everywhere, most of us can list the risks. Alcohol is a toxin. People can fall into the trap of using alcohol to numb, to self-medicate, and to avoid. There is a risk of becoming dependent on alcohol. We make bad decisions when we drink alcohol. Alcohol is generally not so good for our liver (or body in general). And yet, proving again that there is a HUGE gap between knowledge and behavior, we continue to drink it. Without too much thought, alcohol is often part of our daily life or social life or both. Even for those who eat organic, do yoga, and run marathons, alcohol is often a part of daily life-- set aside in another category where we don't choose to think about it too much.

If we do decide to stand nose to nose with our drinking, we often find a deep connection between rationalization and alcohol. For example, I have been known to tell myself I earned a drink. You know, for surviving the day. Or that Friday is a special occasion. Heck, I could rationalize alcohol as a form of grief self-care: I get a good night's rest? No problem- some wine will help me fall asleep (we won’t talk about the fact that it will be a restless sleep). I should get out and start doing things I enjoy? Happy hour with a friend sounds like a good place to start. I should talk with friends about my grief? Well, that will be easier and less awkward if we have some drinks. Have I mentioned I am a professional rationalizer?

What is the problem here? Though it seems like it goes without saying, alcohol is not a healthy coping skill. It is a tempting one, but not healthy. It addresses the symptoms of our grief, not the underlying problems. It makes real exploration of the underlying issues more difficult, masking them with a temporary “fix” and delaying us from addressing the feelings we must address. It puts us at risk for developing dependence. It puts a strain on our bodies. It puts us at risk of escalating to more dangerous substances.

I am not saying you need to cut all alcohol from your life -- really I am not. As a wine-drinking beer-lover, that would just be hypocritical. I am encouraging you to keep in mind that grief puts you at a higher risk for developing a problem with alcohol, so it is especially important to seek self-awareness and moderation. There are some things you can do to make sure your alcohol use is under control, that you aren’t using it to self-medicate or “cope” with your grief, and to assess whether you are in need of some changes to your behaviors or professional help. This is where mindfulness and increased awareness comes in.

Determine How Much You Are Drinking

Don’t guess or tell me you think you know, because you probably don’t. Don't feel bad about that. The reality is that most people don’t even know what a serving of alcohol is, much less have a good sense of how many servings they drink. Luckily your friends here at WYG are going to tell you. Why? Because this will allow you to tell yourself an honest story about how much you are drinking, whether you want to or not. You can't build awareness and consider change unless you start paying attention!

Beer

A serving size of beer is 12oz of a 4.5% beer. Think a pint glass is 12 oz? Think again. A pint glass is 16oz, so one pint of a 4.5% beer and you have already had 1.3 servings of alcohol. Eeek.

Do you like microbrews, IPAs, and those other fancy beers on the market? Many beers these days are 7% or 8% (sometimes even more). So even though the bartender may have only handed you one pint of beer, you may have actually had two+ servings of alcohol if it was 8%. I know, this is just like when you realized that a snack-size bag of chips is actually 2 servings. Sorry to burst your bubble.

Wine

alcohol and mindfulness; glasses of wine

A serving size of wine is 5oz. What does that mean in your wine glass? To make life especially tricky, wine glasses can range in size from 6oz to 20+oz. If you have a large wine glass it can be very difficult to gauge if you poured a 5oz serving or an 8oz serving or even more. Let's say you poured two 8oz glasses of wine after a long day of work. That is actually more than three servings of alcohol when you thought you only had two. Not to mention those occasions that you have a bottle with dinner and your friend, your date, or your waitress keeps refilling your glass before it was ever empty. You were busy chatting and suddenly the bottle is empty, yet you never once saw the bottom of your glass.

Liquor

A serving of liquor is 1.5oz. That doesn't look like much if you pour it in a rocks glass, juice glass, water glass, or pint glass. Most waitresses and bartenders will tell you they have had patrons send back cocktails made with only 1.5oz of liquor claiming it had no alcohol in it! Your bartender wants a good tip, so he often isn’t giving you a 1.5oz pour. He knows patrons are looking for a heavy pour. If you are pouring for yourself at home, don’t be surprised to find that you are pouring yourself at least 3oz (two servings) of alcohol in each drink you make. Start paying attention. Measure it out. Ask your bartender to measure it out.

Track It (Don't worry, there's an app for that)

woman drinking beer

Determining how much we are actually drinking is important because it reveals ways we rationalizing or are unrealistic about how much we drink. It is easy to say, Oh, I'll just have a drink or two after work to unwind. Well, if my first drink is a 16oz beer that has 7% alcohol and my second drink is a martini with 4oz of liquor I had over 4 drinks. We can’t assess the role alcohol plays in our lives until we know how much we are actually drinking -even when that number isn’t pretty. Of course there is an app to track this if you enter all the details. It is called DrinkControl and may be a helpful tool to help you build awareness.

Become Aware of Why You Drink

When alcohol is everywhere, it is easy to grab a drink without giving a thought as to why we are drinking. Your mission, should you choose to accept it: think about why you are drinking. What is the emotion causing you to reach for a drink? Consider your specific feeling and experience in the moment. Are you lonely? Bored? Feeling socially anxious? In pain? Celebrating? Stressed? Feel you have earned it or deserve it? Trying to escape? Feeling social pressure? The list is endless. In order to understand and assess whether we are using alcohol to cope with difficult emotions, we have to build an awareness about the emotions behind our drinks.

Identify Triggers

Sometimes triggers are emotions, as described above, but sometimes they are external, sensory factors. Begin becoming more aware of external, physical things that impact your drinking. These can be anything from the football game coming on TV, a specific restaurant or bar, eating a specific food, hot weather, cold weather, a friend, family member, significant other, place you love, place you hate, or any number of other things. If you know who, what, and where your triggers are you can begin making a plan for how you will manage them. If I know my bestie from college is a trigger I can make a plan for when I see her. If I know I can't go into my favorite bar without having six drinks I can make a plan to avoid my favorite bar, at least while I am getting comfortable with my new-found awareness and moderation.

Keep a Chart

For all of the above, consider making a simple chart to build your awareness. Begin tracking when you drink, how much, what the emotion was behind your decision to drink, and if there was an external trigger. This will help you become more mindful about the when, why, and how much or your drinking. Because knowing is half the battle.

alcohol mindfulness chart

Take a Break

Though we at WYG have been known to have a drink now and again, it is important to know you have control over your decision to drink. Take a month off from alcohol, to make sure you are in control of your drinking. This is especially important while you are grieving, when you are at a higher risk for developing a dependence on alcohol. Tell a friend, family member, or therapist and check in with them to stay accountable. If you find you are struggling with an emotion that makes you want to drink, or you experience a physical trigger, increase your awareness and make note of it. Journal about the circumstances and emotion. Once you have identified the emotion, use some of the techniques below to put space between you and the drink.

Make a Plan and Concrete Alternatives

If you find you have control over your drinking but want to lessen your use of alcohol, especially if you are using it to cope with grief or other difficult emotions, there are some simple steps you can take. Start by looking at your emotion list. Make a new chart, where you list the thoughts, feelings, and emotions in one column. In the second column make a list of alternatives for managing each emotion. Don’t do this in your head. You want to get it on paper, so you can reference it when you need it. For example, if you want a drink because you are stressed or tense, exercise is a natural stress reliever that is a good alternative. So on your list, you might include going to the gym, walking the dog, or doing yoga. If you are inclined to have a drink because you have had a bad day, bad week, or otherwise “deserve” it because life just sucks, make a list of other ways you can reward yourself – get a manicure, buy something small you have been wanting, or have your favorite food for dinner. Wanting a drink because you are lonely or bored? Make a list of friends you can call. If you did our Support System Superlatives activity this might be the perfect time to pull it out and see who you can turn to. Wanting a drink because you are sad, angry, or otherwise in a general funk. Create a self-care list of things (other than drinking!) that cheer you up and keep it with you. You may find some inspiration in our Self-Care For the Rest of Us Post.

alcohol mindfulness chart, cont'd

When you notice your inclination to have a drink arise, take a deep breath and do a self-assessment of what you are experiencing. Pull out your list and make a commitment to trying at least two things on it before you pour that drink. This will get you some space between the emotion or trigger and your inclination to have that glass of wine.

Commit to Mindful Awareness

Now you just have to commit to paying attention! It isn't always as easy as it sounds. Sometimes it means facing the fact that we are using alcohol more than we think we are. It often means pushing ourselves beyond what is comfortable. Alcohol can feel like an old friend and an easy answer when life seems impossible. But I promise you will feel much better knowing that your decision to have a drink is your own, you are doing it mindfully, and you are not using alcohol as a friend or a coping tool.

When Do I Have a “Problem”

"If I have a near-beer, I'm near beer. And if I'm near beer, I'm close to tequila. And if I'm close to tequila, I'm adjacent to cocaine." - Craig Ferguson

Finally, it is important to note that, when it comes to alcohol, mindfulness and moderation is not a possibility for everyone. People will often ask how much alcohol is “normal”, “non-problem” or “social” use and how much is a problem. Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this, as there are many factors that come into play. If you find that you are using alcohol to cope with difficult emotions, like anxiety, stress, despair, boredom, or isolation this is a sign you should look to develop alternative, helping coping skills. If you can't, seek help. If you find that you are drinking on a very regular basis, you are unable to take a break from alcohol, are drinking more often or larger quantities than you planned, that you feel guilty about your use or things you do while drinking, are experiencing any problems at work, school, or in your home life due to drinking, you should seek professional help. Ultimately some people realize their alcohol use is a major problem and that mindfulness, moderation, and self-awareness are just not an option - it is all or nothing. If you think you may have a problem or have given thought to cutting back, seek some help. As we have said many times before, a little therapy never hurt anyone! There are plenty of options, from AA to substance abuse counselors. Find an AA meeting here or find a substance abuse counselor here.

Learn more about how alcohol effects our brain and mood here.

To learn more about how alcohol and grief intersect, check out Understanding Grief, Alcohol and Your Brain.

Share your experience with grief, mindfulness, and alcohol with us -- leave a comment!

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39 Comments on "Grief, Mindfulness and Alcohol"

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  1. Bill  March 25, 2022 at 5:10 pm Reply

    My wife of 41 years died almost a year ago. I’m not a person that drinks more than an occasional beer, or .5oz (approx) once in a while at bed time. I notice the next day I may be in a fog (like a head cold), and just wondering if this is an effect of the alcohol, or simply part of the normal ebbing and flowing of grief?

    • Litsa  June 5, 2022 at 3:12 pm Reply

      Brain fog can be a symptom of both, so it is hard to say! But especially with age brain fog after a night of drinking becomes more prevalent, so if it seems specific to only nights after drinking then it sounds like that is the likely culprit.

  2. Shelly  November 22, 2020 at 10:07 pm Reply

    I lost my fiancé about 2 and a half weeks ago. He was only 37 and he died in his sleep from cardiac arrest. His family came to stay with and grieve with me. They drink a lot and so do my friends and family, so needless to say there has been lots of partying going on at my house. I’m trying to stay strong and not drink so much but I’m easily influenced. I’m much happier and better able to deal with my emotions when I don’t drink so much, so I don’t know why I still do.

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    • IsabelleS  November 23, 2020 at 12:45 pm Reply

      Shelly, I am so very sorry for your loss. My heart goes out to you. I understand the temptation to drink when navigating loss, especially when those around you are drinking. Can you communicate to your fiancé’s family that drinking is not helpful for you? Try to stay strong, but also don’t be so hard on yourself.

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  3. Ellie  October 9, 2020 at 11:53 am Reply

    I am the cautionary tale. The outlier, the thing that couldn’t possibly happen to you.
    My beloved mother, my sole twin, my lifelong supporter and friend passed away early this year unexpectedly and quickly. Unable to cope with the pit of pain that I could physically feel along with obsssive thoughts of what I could have done, should have done, hadn’t done… I turned to drink to numb me out. I drank every day for months to drown the grief, even after I went back to work (too soon) I drank every night. within a few months I drank earlier and earlier each weekend just to shut everything out. I thought it was helping. It did not, I was going crazy and all alcohol did was make me more depressed and anxious in the long run. I made one stupid mistake to get in the car when I shouldn’t have. I didn’t have an accident or hurt anyone or anything like that (thank god) BUT I should not have been behind the wheel after two large beers. I have stopped friends from driving in the past and would rage against the idea of driving after even one drink. That day I didn’t even feel drunk at all, that is how tolerant I had become. This of course is something that would never possibly ever happen to me…. except that it did because I used alcohol as a crutch instead of processing the pain, which I have now been doing for several weeks and it’s hard but something I need to work through, raw and open. Drinking to cope and quiet the brain starts out innocently but soon becomes the only tool you have to take away the sadness and despair. This isn’t what my Mom would have wanted and it’s not what your loved one would want for you. Don’t make my mistake, get help. Much love and blessings to all.

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    • IsabelleS  October 10, 2020 at 3:09 pm Reply

      Ellie, I am so very sorry for your loss. Thank you for taking the time to comment and to warn others about how important it is to get help when needed. I want you to know that it’s not too late for you to get help. I would recommend finding a therapist or counselor trained in grief, which you can find here: https://grief.com/grief-counselor-directory/. All the best to you!

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  4. Andrew Backhouse  September 2, 2020 at 6:13 pm Reply

    My father died suddenly a couple of weeks ago, we very close. I suffer from depression, and am find it extremely difficult to cope with, I have taken to drinking more and more to lessen the pain.

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  5. Mia  August 3, 2020 at 2:04 pm Reply

    My Mom and Da$ bit( died this year. M6 Mom, during the time of Covid. She was in a nursing home, alone, I was not allowed to travel to be with her.
    I drink every da6 now, on3 8 ox glass of wine, and sometimes a 3 oz cocktail, and a 5 oz glass of wine. I try to escape my pain. I am lost.

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    • EmmA  December 10, 2020 at 3:26 pm Reply

      I’m so sorry you are going through this. Please see your doctor speak to a friend even someone at AA it’s normal to feel in pain. It’s OK and you will get through this but drinking does not work.

      On some level I understands what you are going through I have recently lost my mum…

  6. D  May 2, 2020 at 8:05 am Reply

    All of you,
    Thank you so much for your stories. My beautiful son died two months ago of cancer, leaving behind his beautiful family, brother and mom and dad. It is the worst thing that has happened to me. I drink one 6-8 oz glass of rose every night. It is the only time I feel good. My heart is broken and will never mend.

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    • Zoe Hiles  September 25, 2020 at 7:42 am Reply

      Hi, I am really sorry to hear about your pain. When I lost my mum at 69 years of age, I was her carer and was devastated because I had no family or marriage of my own, I took to drinking and cannot really remember too much about that year. I have since listened to a book on audible called Grief and Grieving and I wished I had read it at the time because it mostly told me that all of my emotions, are right and totally normal and other stuff which I wont go into hear as the book expresses it better.

      I have found out recently that my brother has early onset parkinsons, and although this is different from him having passed, I am looking for a support group online because I think support really helps. We are not taught to cope with these things in society but the books and support make it a bit more bearable.

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  7. Sharon Sullivan  January 28, 2020 at 1:12 pm Reply

    Hi I am so sorry for everyone I lost my dad last July in hospital a week before his birthday then I lost my auntie and my uncle. All in 3 months I just started to drink everyday not a lot just to cope as my mum isn’t well either and I am a single mum with my gorgeous son who is now nearly 14. I know I have messed up now and again but he is doing great at school just want me back.

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    • Ana  March 7, 2020 at 1:40 pm Reply

      Sharon, I too am a single Mum. I have a 14 and 12 year old. I began drinking most days last year when my Mum was diagnosed with terminal cancer and I became her carer. I used alcohol to cope and take a break from reality. After she died in November, I have pretty much drank every day. Not a whole lot but I found that I always made sure I had beer or wine in the house. I looked forward to having this every day and found myself drinking earlier on the weekend. It’s only since I’ve been on antibiotics this week, so no alcohol for 5 days so far (14 in total!), that I realised I was dependent on alcohol. Honestly, I’m so much more miserable without it. But I also know that it’s not good for me at all and that I have become a daily drinker. I’m embarrassed and haven’t told anyone. So although I’m currently not drinking, I feel like I’m in a darker place and truly trying to decide if I continue on this sobriety after meds or not. Argh. Grief sux.

  8. Heather Baker  October 19, 2019 at 8:31 am Reply

    I am a 47 year old woman that’s struggling after losing both my parents 6 months apart 4 years ago this month. When I have been drinking I think it is to forgot the reality that they are no longer present in my life we were extremely close and I miss them terribly. It has started affecting my marriage to my wonderful husband whom I love my much and my grown up children, it’s even pushed some of my friends away from me. I need to find the strength and my families love to make my life change. I need to keep focus and make my family and friends proud of me and show them I can get passed this awful grief and pain I suffer with on a daily basis. I don’t want to be like this anymore. I need to find myself again the way I was fun and happy before my parents were poorly. Grief is a terrible thing to suffer with and anxiety feeling of being out of control, unhappy, lonely, with a big void to fill. Instead of filling it with drinking nights out I need to do fun things, music, colouring, reading, exercise, cinema and bowling and proper quality time with my husband Jon, Sam and Dan feeling that I gained trust and respect from them it all that matters. Hope this also helps other people that are feeling the same way I am I need my confidence back here is to the future!

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    • Theresa McMillan  December 9, 2019 at 3:33 pm Reply

      Dear Heather. I too have lost my parents. Dad died 4th January this year and Mum has been dead for 2 months today. I was caring for Dad when mum had cancer, she was in hospital. Dad had Alzheimers and died after breaking back in a fall. My mother’s cancer came back this year and found out she was terminal. Was drinking in evenings to help with stress and worry. Now she is gone too, I am drinking earlier each day. Had to relocate to look after them, have more friends here, just sit in their house all day doing nothing. My grief overwhelms me and the guilt I feel. I dont know how to stop this cycle of daily drinking. Each day I promise my husband I will not drink, and each day I break that promise. It is not even 10am and I am already trying to rationalize a reason for having a drink

  9. Stephanie  September 20, 2019 at 10:22 am Reply

    my beautiful husband was stolen from me 2/12/19 after a 10 month battle with the same bastard disease that murdered john mccain. he was only 28. we have two beautiful little girls, aged 6 & 2. i took care of him at home during his illness. he died in our bed next to me. at first, i couldn’t feel anything, but i started having (am still having, really) flashbacks of his death. i cannot sleep. i have anxiety attacks; at first, i thought i was having a heart attack…i know i’m extremely depressed. my husband was my best friend, my partner, & my only confidant. i am sure that i am drinking too much at this point. i feel overwhelmed by sadness, guilt, these crazy flashbacks, exhaustion, and despair. i don’t know why i’m writing this here really. some of your stories here really touched me, & i guess i just thought that maybe someone might understand. thanks for listening & sharing.

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    • Nicole  December 29, 2019 at 7:45 pm Reply

      Stephanie, your story made me cry. Its hit home terribley. Im so sorry for your loss i really am. Words cannot describe it. I too lost my partner this year, 03/08/19 very unexpected. I keep having flashbacks aswell from the hospital and its making me ill, i kent sleep having anxiety attacts too. Im drinking daily because i find it slightly numbs the pain. But the pain inside is horrible. I hope your children are coping with your loss. <3

  10. Gaby  August 26, 2019 at 4:42 am Reply

    It was 9 years ago I lost my baby girl who was born premature. It was tough, I blamed myself many nights wishing she was with me. To deal with the grief I started drinking beer then liquor. When I was pregnant again in 2014 I obviously quit, I saw it as a new beginning. Unfortunately my sister died that year in a car accident while being heavily intoxicated. I began drinking again after my son was born to numb the pain. I hope I can sober up, it’s been to long living this way

  11. BOBBI kAY  May 17, 2019 at 9:25 pm Reply

    my husband has had a drinking problem for years. our youngest son died in a truck accident last fall. its been very hard for all of us.but my husband drinks and even more now.it just adds to our pain, all he sees and feels is his pain . I am tired of the selfishness of his,his pain is not any worse then ours and we have to try and keep on facing life. I have never felt so alone in my life, every night I see him passing out . Our son was 23 and hated seeing his dad like this and he knows that.

  12. Susan  April 29, 2019 at 5:52 pm Reply

    One month ago I lost my husband of nineteen years to colon cancer. We were in love since I was 16 and now I am alone for the first time. His decline was long and painful, and as his caregiver it was very traumatizing. We were always social drinkers. When he was very sick, and now that he is gone, I limit myself to two drinks per day. It is NOT easy to do that. I am so very sad, but I am also terrified of illness after seeing what he went through. I know that overuse of alcohol can contribute to cancer and many other health problems. Remembering this, and knowing how much my dear husband wanted me to find joy in what’s left of my life, I find the strength to continue taking care of myself. Every day it’s hard, but every day I congratulate myself for honoring his love. Pray for me that I can continue to do so…because any day could be the day I fail, and then God help me.

    • Steven king  September 10, 2019 at 2:17 am Reply

      I lost my wife of 32 years we met when she was14 and I was17 I am completely miserable everyday my son is handling it better than myself I drink vodka every night until I’m high so to speak hoping I will not wake up I am definitely on a self destructive path but I’m doing it intentionally I feel as though I’m a drag on my son I love him very much but I know I’m one bad day away of well you know ,I’ve been successful at what I do but I have shut down money nor material possessions mean anything to me anymore my life ending is what matters to me now unfortunately I have Lewy body disease which makes this even harder nobody will ever know what I’m going through because I have a very unusual situation.

  13. Daniel  April 16, 2019 at 11:18 am Reply

    Hi, Greetings. I would like to cite this article in my research work and I need some details : who wrote it and in what year. In sum how would you like us to reference it

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  14. Raymond cann  April 14, 2019 at 5:41 pm Reply

    I lost my girlfriend 11 months ago she was binge drinking for years and this time she drank for 3 weeks and then stopped I was away from home working I tried everything she wouldn’t listen to me the morning she stopped she rang me she was bad in bed but I said can’t you get a couple of cans to bring her down she was too weak to go out I rang her a hour later she was still the same I said I was going to work shall I ring you when I get there she said yes a hour and a half later I rang no answer 10 times I rang then I called the police they kicked her door in she was dead I think she had a seizure coming off the drink too quickly I miss her so so much she was a beautiful woman who would do anything for you it’s killed me inside I still love her so much

  15. K  January 29, 2019 at 8:21 pm Reply

    I am so thankful to you brave souls for sharing your story of pain and loss. And for explaining choices about drinking to numb the pain – to make the unmanageability of it all somehow bearable. My mum drinks and I lost my dad to cancer last year. It has been excrutiating for me on so many levels. Being so close to dad (best mates) I felt lost, as if I had no air. I have just commemorated the first 12 months after his death and returned to the ‘family’ home and spent some time with my mother. Mum is drinking so much more now and I feel so much concern for her. My sister is also drinking heavily at this time. The ‘grief coping’ drinking started for mum after she lost her mother 43 years ago and it has vamped up now with the loss of her life partner, my father. I attend my own support group to find and maintain my own sanity and emotional sobriety. It is work – daily work – but I, like all of us, am learning to make my own choices. I sometimes worry that I too would head down that path – and man oh man is that promise of taking the pain away a sweet sweet one – but somehow I find myself thankful for all that has come before (the trauma and the blessings) as they ensure I must and will continue to carve my own path – survive using my own unique grief tool kit (which takes a long long time – but gradually the lungs are starting to fill with air again). I have two kids – I know now I want to thrive – not just survive. I have been in intense grief – barely functioning for two years (a lost relationship immediately followed by dad’s death) – now I choose to live. I am not commenting on others – I merely want to give thanks for this website and for everyone’s contributions. It is invaluable – as always. Thanks and blessings.

  16. Carolyn  June 26, 2017 at 12:56 am Reply

    Hi I’m a 44 year old Mom of a 21 year old son, 4 year old girl, and 2 year old girl withDown Syndrome. I have always been a social drinker since age 20. except when pregnant. The last year has been the hardest losing my father, grandmother, and hubby losing job. I was a teacher for 10 years and want to go back. However with the death of my gmaI have been drinking everyday. Yes to numb pain plus I need 2 root canals so a couple shots help. I’m in so much physical and emotional pain it helps for the moment. My hubby is great and a good dad but I feel like a crappy mom lately. I drink problably 6 shots liquor because I feel normal when I do. I do get sweaty and anxious and feel like I have the flu when I stop. My question is I never drank this much until all the trauma in my life this year. I think it’s a phase and I’ll get over it but for now I don’t k now what to do. There were times in my life I quit drinking like when pregnant and maybe a year or so here and there. But I like howI feel and the sense of well being or false sense of it. Most of all my life is sooo stressful whenI take a drinkI feel calm and ok.

    • Litsa Williams  June 26, 2017 at 1:52 am Reply

      Carolyn, it is easy to think that time fixes and heals but unfortunately, especially in the case of trauma, there often needs to be real therapy and support to get through. Because we develop a tolerance to alcohol, the more you drink the more you need. Health and Human Services recommends no more than seven shots a week for women (any more than four at once is considered binge drinking) and the symptoms you describe when you don’t have a drink are a pretty good sign that you have a physical dependence, something that it is important to address and detox from in a safe, medically supervised setting. I would start by looking for a trauma counselor who has some experience in substance abuse (or vice versa) and go in for an evaluation so they can gather more information about you and see what treatment is going to be the best fit. Best wishes and don’t hesitate to get back in touch if you are having trouble reaching a program.

  17. Michael  May 19, 2017 at 3:46 pm Reply

    I found this to be a very helpful website. I recently lost my father after he’d had a year-long battle with leukemia. Now that the hospital visits are over and the funeral is done, there’s just an emptiness that I now fill with being drunk or high. It is affecting my work, health, and relationships and I realize that it has become a real issue that requires immediate attention. I have arranged for grief counselling in hopes that properly addressing the root will help me salvage some semblance of a functional life.

  18. Jill  December 17, 2016 at 12:15 am Reply

    Terry, I am so sorry for your loss, I find at the same crossroads my husband was killed in a motorcycle accident last year, never even got a chance to say goodbye. Unfortunately, I turned to alcohol to deal with his loss, now 18 months later, I find that I have a problem, I am unable to deal with his death without drinking away my sorrows every night. Sometimes thw world just seems easier with drunk glasses on. I came to this site looking for help and will try some of these suggestions. I pray my friend that you have goten yourself down a better road than I, I will keep praying for you. Peace my friend may the road rise up to meet you may the wind be always at your back…..

  19. James  November 2, 2016 at 3:20 am Reply

    My mom was murdered 10 years ago while I was in prison. I HAVE TURNED TO COCAINE AND ALCOHOL TO COPE WITH THIS. I do not know why I cannot shake this feeling of sadness, depression, hopelessness, and worthlessness.

  20. Becky  September 18, 2016 at 2:18 pm Reply

    I lost my husband almost 10 months ago. He had leukemia and died 4 weeks after being diagnosed. I miss him so much I feel like I can’t breathe. I drink because I’m sad. I drink because I’m lonely. I don’t know where I belong anymore. I’m 42 years old and I don’t know what comes next. Drinking makes me feel better for a little while. I don’t want it to be a problem.

  21. Jessie  June 26, 2016 at 6:01 pm Reply

    I’m having a glass of rosé wine to help soothe the pain of grieving for my mother who died 4 months ago. It’s that or I don’t know how else to deal with the atrocious pain.

    • Litsa  June 27, 2016 at 10:05 am Reply

      Jessie, I am so sorry for the death of your mom. A glass of wine now and then is okay, the issue is when one glass always turns into 3 or 4 glasses, or when you don’t slowly find and learn other ways to cope so alcohol becomes your only tool. We have a lot ideas for coping on the site that may be of help as time goes on.

  22. Ravi  June 20, 2016 at 12:44 pm Reply

    Please read this. Don’t ignore.

  23. bethany  June 16, 2016 at 7:50 am Reply

    Finally admitting that something is wrong and coming online for help. In the past two years, I lost my son, born prematurely. A year later my partner, this winter, his father, was killed in car accident. I loved them both so very much. I’m divorced and have an elementary school son and lately on the nights he’s with his dad -we split custody- I drink. Alone. It went from zero to sixty in no time. I’m scared. But not drinking, I’m empty and devastated, weeping. I feel like everything is gone and I’m so isolated and empty and broken.
    I’m glad for this site. I’m going to go a month clean. I have to get over this sorrow. Fingers crossed.

    1
    • Litsa  June 17, 2016 at 9:39 am Reply

      Bethany, I am so sorry for the losses you have been through. There is a phenomena known as cumulative grief, when you experience multiple losses in a short period of time. This can make it more difficult to manage and process the complex emotions of grief. Have you gotten any outside support from a grief counselor or group? As it seems your alcohol use is tied directly to those grief emotions, finding support for the grief will probably be a crucial part to managing your alcohol use. Also, it may be worth considering a substance group like AA or SMART, to connect with others who have struggled with alcohol.

  24. Tracy Russell  March 21, 2016 at 12:41 pm Reply

    There is nothing on this website that I don’t find useful. I have finally admitted to myself that alcohol has become a problem for me after losing my amazing Dad suddenly 18 months ago and have been using WYG ever since. I drink because I’m lonely, sad, depressed and all the other horrible feelings that go with grief. I even have a drink to celebrate having a good day! I discovered malt whisky about a year ago and have pretty much drank Scotland dry! I never hid my drinking from anyone, I simply didn’t care – until now. I’m so fed up of feeling hungover but I’m amazed at how well I have been functioning after drinking a lot the night before. So, I have made a decision to stop. I promised my Dad at his funeral that I would make him proud of me and right now I can almost hear him begging me to stop. Maybe one day I can raise my glass of non alcoholic fizz and say cheers to Dad, this one is for him x

    1
  25. Kathryn  December 12, 2014 at 5:03 pm Reply

    Dear Terry,

    I’m so very sorry for your loss and can’t begin to imagine how it would feel to lose someone with whom you have shared so many years and such a deep and enduring intimacy.

    Having recently lost my youngest son, at age 22, I find myself vacillating between the feelings that you have and the need to stay present for my other son, who is also trying to sort out his own grief.

    I hope that you will find peace in time and that the pain will lessen. I’m hoping the same thing for myself…

  26. Terry  November 4, 2014 at 12:30 am Reply

    I’m 67 and recently lost my eternal soul mate of 42 years to breast cancer just two weeks after the initial diagnosis. She did everything right – annual mammogram, gynecological exam with pap smear, physical, etc. The above ground nuclear testing in Nevada during the 1950s – early 60s was the cause of her premature death. She was the right age (mother’s womb to 10 years old) living in an official downwind area of the testing. The irony for us was that, as a child, I would stand in awe as the blasts lit up the night sky like daytime while my future sole mate was given a death sentence sixty years in the making.

    Except during college after turning 21, I have never abused alcohol. Now, I have two beers or two full glasses of wine (3 drinks) in the evening. Frankly, I could not care less if that’s problematic. The future now is a specter of loneliness, foreboding and uncertainty. So I “belly up to the bar”.

    • Breeann  April 13, 2019 at 5:45 pm Reply

      Terry, your story is so touching. It sounds like you and your wife had an amazing partnership–one that shone brightly. I’m so sorry she passed prematurely and unfairly. I hope that you have found light in the harrowing journey that is grief. <3

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