Alcohol is ruining my life – how can I put down the bottle for good?
DEAR DEIDRE: ALCOHOL is ruining my life, but no matter what I do I can’t give it up.
I want so badly to be sober but quitting feels impossible and I can’t see a way out.
I’m a 65-year-old woman and I’ve been a drinker since I was a teen.
I started off drinking socially with my friends but as I grew older I began to lean on it for comfort.
When anything went wrong the first thing I would do was reach for alcohol. It made me feel better and helped me drown out my thoughts.
For years I didn’t realise I had a problem. I still managed to build a career, have a happy marriage and start a family.
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But I’ve begun to realise the impact it’s having on me and it’s getting out of hand.
Now I struggle to start my day without a drink. It’s all I think about, and I can’t function without it.
My husband has been so supportive, but I feel terrible.
DEIDRE SAYS: The fact you have openly and honestly accepted that you have a problem with alcohol is the first step towards getting some help.