![]() “I grieved wine. There was a point when I was on a video call, and the doctor said, ‘You need to choose your life over wine. ![]() She had her last drink on and started the medicine on May 6. But even with the support of her doctor, the substance-abuse program, her counselor and her husband, quitting drinking wasn’t easy. Wampler was prescribed a medication that would curb her craving for wine for the first couple of months. Over time, she realized that she was a functioning alcoholic. Functioning alcoholics don't fit our cultural stereotypes about alcoholics - they have often have homes and jobs and families and they often don't think of themselves as alcoholics - until they try to stop drinking. The program included virtual meetings with a counselor. Wampler attended, even though she wasn't convinced of her alcoholism. Wampler's doctor referred her to a 10-week virtual substance abuse program. “I thought, ‘Are you kidding me?’ I was still thinking I didn’t have a problem,” she says. Courtesy of Pamela Wampler Coming to terms with her problem Wampler's husband knew her drinking was a problem because she got angry when there wasn't alcohol in the house. "I think I needed that slap in the face from my doctor that said, ‘You need to change your life,’” she says. "I said, ‘I’m just a mom who drinks wine, I’m not an alcoholic.’ And she says, ‘No, you need help.’" Her doctor wasn't buying it and, finally, Wampler heard her. She told her doctor that her habits were normal. Wampler still didn't believe that her drinking could be that much of an issue. "I wouldn’t be eligible for a new liver because I would be considered an alcoholic." To make matters worse, the drinking that had harmed Wampler's health could also impact her ability to access healthcare. And her blood pressure - which had been normal all her life - was high. “I just sat in her office and cried. I told her, ‘I know I’m over the top, and I don’t know what to do. Wampler knew she had gained weight and her suspicion was confirmed at the doctor’s office - she was up 70 pounds. Her doctor asked her to come in for an appointment. In March 2022, she called her doctor because she wanted to increase the dose of her medication. Wampler had been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder at age 40 - around the same time she started drinking wine. Courtesy of Pamela Wampler A wake-up call at the doctor’s office "But my husband knew because there always had to be wine in the house - I got angry if there wasn’t." Wampler used alcohol to numb her days - but she didn't think it was a problem. “I was really good at hiding it," she says. Wampler was hungover about three times a week, but she was holding down her job as a resource specialist teacher. Her two adult sons didn’t think she had a problem. If you’re ready to stop, arming yourself with strategies and tips can help you or a loved one take small steps towards big results.Drinking quickly became a daily habit, and soon enough Wampler was finishing a bottle - sometimes two - every night. She started gaining weight and she stopped eating at night - choosing to drink instead. Stopping drinking could make your life feel brighter in all kinds of ways, as well as helping your long-term health. Heart disease, stroke 10 and high blood pressure 11.But, as drinking even at low levels increases the risk of these diseases, deciding to stop drinking completely is a positive choice.ĭrinking alcohol also causes other long-term health problems. Your level of risk will depend on how much alcohol you have drunk over the long-term, as well as other factors like family history and lifestyle. 6,7 Giving up drinking could also have a big, positive impact on your liver and should reduce the chances of developing liver disease, as long as it hasn't already been irreversibly damaged. 5Īnd by taking the decision to stop drinking, you could reduce your risk of developing many serious alcohol-related diseases.Īlcohol is linked to seven different types of cancer including bowel cancer, breast cancer, liver cancer and mouth cancer. Good health is a really important factor in how satisfied we feel with our lives.
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