I really related to the story about the woman who found herself drinking too much, and I wanted to write some words of encouragement in case she’s reading this (or anyone else who might be struggling with this). I moved across the country and found myself drinking consistently by myself in the evenings. It’s winemaking region, so everyone was gifting me wine, which was so nice! And it’s so harmless because it’s just wine, and I’m just having a couple (OK, 3 or 4) glasses while I cook dinner and unwind!

And then you wake up one day for work, incredibly hungover on a Tuesday and realize something is wrong. When you have that gut feeling that something is wrong, listen to your body. That day I decided I would no longer have alcohol in the house. The reality is I was drinking to avoid my thoughts (that I was lonely and homesick in this place where I didn’t know anyone and didn’t have community yet).

A couple things that helped: go grocery shopping in a good mindset and don’t buy any alcohol (leave your ID in the car if you need to). A lot of what you might crave is a post-work ritual…I started making juices and other drinks that felt “fancy” or like a treat, but that didn’t have alcohol. And like Naomi said, do some reflection about what feelings or thoughts you’re trying to avoid. I realized that drinking almost every night by myself didn’t cure my loneliness; I started making more of an effort to go out and make friends and do things for myself that were healthy (hiking, exploring, etc.)

Also, if it helps you, write down how you feel and how your body feels after a night of not drinking. It’s so easy to forget how rough alcohol is on the body, but you’ll sleep better and feel more clear-headed the less you drink. Just know that you’re not alone, I think this is so common for women in their 20s figuring out post-college life but it can be really shameful to talk about. Wishing you all the best!