Alcohol abuse is on the rise among mothers, according to the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Unfortunately, many mothers struggle in silence as the stigma associated with doing it all and—gasp—needing help looms large. But addiction is a danger to ourselves and our loved ones. If you’re in the West Side Cleveland area and need help, please reach out to us. We’re here for you.
According to a recent article: “Lots of people drink in response to stress, and mothers are not immune to feeling like an extra glass of wine will help them unwind at the end of the day,” she says. “If you’re getting together to drink, odds are, seven of those women will be fine but there will be someone in the group [who’s] struggling.”
The rise is fueled in part by messages in pop culture championing mommy boozing. Earlier this month, singer Kelly Clarkson told People magazine that, as someone raising four children, “wine is necessary.” “Bad Moms” and “Bad Moms 2” have been box-office hits with their portrayal of rogue, chardonnay-swilling mamas. Etsy is filled with crafts emblazoned with cute, sassy messages about how raising children requires you to pour yourself a glass or three. The Facebook group “Moms Who Need Wine” has nearly 728,000 members.
“If you take a look at how much media, how many movies [and] books [have been] written about alcohol [for] mothers, it’s huge,” says Cindy Feinberg, who leads a recovery coaching business in New York City. She struggled with alcoholism when she was raising children and now sees a growing number of clients in similar circumstances.
“You maybe have a glass or two with your mommy friends, but then you’re usually polishing that bottle off by yourself,” says one mother from Long Island, now sober for a year and a half, who asked to remain anonymous to maintain her family’s privacy. “It was okay for mothers to drink because it was always reinforced that ‘you deserve it.’ But that’s what kept me drinking three years more than I should have.”
To read the complete article on the New York Post, click here.