Should you really have a drink tonight?

In reading my story about my problem drinking, perhaps you saw some part of yourself in that post. Or perhaps not at all... Or perhaps you thought... hmmm maybe, but I am not that bad. I was not that bad for a long long time, and even when I was bad I would have times when I would be not be that bad either. The problem with problem drinking is it doesn't always pose itself as a problem...

So as I was thinking about my meeting tomorrow, a staff meeting with 85 colleagues, with a lot of strong characters and generally a lot of petty arguments which lasts far too long and for no good reason. As I coordinate the programme for students which is taught by 12 teachers, it means that I feel a fair amount of pressure and spotlight, none of which I enjoy particularly.

Now this leads me to remember this time last year, or the year before (which was even worse) and remember the state that I was in to face this situation. Knowing how horrible these meetings are - what would I do? Have ATLEAST half a bottle of wine, to take the edge off the anxiety the night before... Even though I knew that when I drink I don't sleep well, but the idea that a drink would help, was so much stronger than the idea of the consequences which would prevail.  You can always convince yourself that this time it would be different...
Dealing with this meeting hungover/sleep deprived - added to the stress and anxiety - lessened my effectiveness to deal with criticism and made me less patient... Yet I repeated this pattern over and over again.

I remembered this also at the weekend when we took the kids to Paris, I was pretty ill and miserable and premenstral, if I had drank the night before would my stress levels have been worse or better??? Without a doubt - Much worse!!

So should you drink:
The night before you go on holiday? NO 
The night before you have guests to stay? NO
The night before a kids party? ABSOLUTELY NOT
The night before Christmas? NO!!!!
The night before an exam? Nup
The night before you have to work the next day? Nope
The night before you want to have a nice day with your kids? NOT EITHER...
The night after the hellish day with the kids/husband/work/family - NO... It will only make the day after even worse!!!

So unless you never suffer from hangovers - unless you never ever feel tired after a night of drinking alcohol - unless you just drink one glass and that never induces massive amounts of will power to not drink another...
Then you should probably think about what alcohol means to you...
You're not an alcoholic - that is a BIG word, but perhaps you use alcohol in an inappropriate and unhelpful way.

Hangovers and good parenting NEVER mix

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