Have you ever found yourself comparing your wine intake to that of your friends to determine if it’s “normal?” Do you wonder if your alcohol consumption is healthy? These can be tough questions, and the answers may not always be easy. When we are constantly surrounded by messages that being a mom today means having some wine to deal with the “whine” it can be confusing.
We live in an alcohol-obsessed society and in recent years much of the obsession has turned to “mommy wine culture.”
You can’t walk into a boutique on Central Avenue in St. Petersburg, FL without seeing a t-shirt, tea towel, or greeting card with some kind of wine or another alcohol joke on it. “This Might Be Wine” coffee mugs, “Coffee now, wine later” kitchen signs, and “My favorite child gave me this glass” wine glasses are just a few of the thousands of products out there that are marketed to the understandably stressed out and overworked moms among us. But for some women, the line between what is funny and what is problematic can start to blur.
What’s wrong with having a little wine with friends to take the edge off the stresses of working, parenting, and the myriad responsibilities that come with day-to-day life these days?
For many, there is nothing wrong with it at all. Wine is not inherently good or evil. The problem is when it begins negatively affecting your life and/or the lives of those around you.
Alcohol is a depressant.
If you struggle with depression or anxiety, consuming alcohol can actually exacerbate those feelings and lead into a vicious cycle of drinking, feeling more depressed/anxious, then drinking more to numb those feelings. The worst part about the numbing of those feelings is that we can’t selectively numb: when we numb our anxiety, we also numb our joy. Excessively using alcohol to escape the difficult feelings that sometimes accompany being a mom means also escaping the amazing feelings of joy and love and being fully present and mindful.
Another thing you might be struggling with is getting enough sleep.
Working, running from soccer practice to piano lessons, trying to keep up a household, serving a healthy meal once in a while, and staying attentive to your partner can lead to exhaustion. Unfortunately, exhaustion doesn’t always lead to sleep. It is a common misconception that alcohol can help sleep. While it’s true that alcohol can help people fall asleep faster and even get deeper sleep, it has a negative effect on REM sleep. Disruptions to REM can lead to drowsiness the next day and negatively impact concentration. This too can often lead to a vicious cycle of drinking to fall asleep, not getting restorative REM sleep, then drinking again to fall asleep the next night.
The number of wine memes about stressed moms is not a coincidence.
Women today are working more than ever before and still doing most of the heavy lifting in the home as well. Kids are taking on more outside activities and we’re all still living through a global pandemic. On the positive side, the “mommy wine culture” has allowed us to shift away from the idea that moms need to be perfect all the time. Parenting is hard and no one is doing it perfectly.
Everyone deserves a break and a chance to relax and do something fun like have a drink with friends.
If you are questioning if your after-work cocktails are making things worse instead of better, it’s OK to ask for help in answering that question.
ME-Therapy is a safe and judgment-free space where you can explore these questions and get support as you work through the answers. We believe that mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health are important and we want to help. If anything in this article resonated with you and you’d like to explore further, please reach out to us.
Ready to Explore Your Relationship with Alcohol Through Therapy in St. Petersburg, FL?
Beginning the journey to your best self is easier than most of the things we’re all doing right now! Therapy does not have to wait. You can get the mental health support you need with a skilled therapist in St. Pete or with online therapy in Florida. To begin, just follow these simple steps:
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- Contact us to request an appointment
- Meet with one of our experienced therapists.
- Get support & begin your journey toward mental wellness & connection today!
Other Mental Health and Wellness Services at ME-Therapy
At ME-Therapy, we believe in the importance of mental, emotional & physical wellbeing. Our therapists want to help your mind but also want to feed your soul. This means we take a holistic approach to mental health. In order to do this, we offer a wide range of mental health services in our St. Petersburg office and online including therapy for women, therapy for men, trauma therapy, and holistic, spiritual therapy. For couples and relationships, we want you to know that our relationship therapists are here for you ALL. In addition to marriage counseling, we provide sex therapy, affair recovery counseling, and poly-friendly kink-aware therapy.
