Food and functional alcoholism

[RipleyAbroad]

Hello, I’m posting for insights or support as a functional alcoholic. I’ve drank daily for many years, now have a small child (didn’t drink during pregnancy and for several months after baby was born) and drinking is increasing again, 1 - 2 bottles of wine a day. Partner has a chronic health issue and I work full time, stress is no excuse I know but it’s like being a single parent and a carer, no family nearby so I have failed repeatedly in attempts to engage in exercise or local clubs, drink is now my off-switch. I spoke to my GP, but where we live the only option is residential rehab and I cannot do that due to illness of partner and age of child. It’s now got to a point where I have so much anxiety that I only eat when I’ve had alcohol, can’t eat in the day, drink every night and binge eat. I’ve tried this naked mind, I have a therapist, I feel totally stuck and sick and I don’t feel that hope that I can get better. Has anyone had alcohol morph into an eating disorder? Did you get better? I need hope and I don’t know where to look anymore x

[mathanxiety]

How were you able to stop during pregnancy?

What support did you have in order to do that successfully?

[FlibbedyFlobbedyFloo]

I believe alcoholics anonymous do online meetings

[mindutopia]

Lots of people find they struggle to eat while actively drinking. I don’t think it’s an ED per se, but just part of an unhealthy pattern, anxiety, your body looking for calories from alcohol and not food. That said, of course, there are people with addictions and ED.

Ultimately, the most important thing is to not drink. Whether you are eating loads or eating a little isn’t quite as crucial and will likely even out. I’d recommend looking up an organisation called Bee Sober. They have online support and do a 30 day supported alcohol free experiment. I found that really helpful as well as having a community to check in with every day. It’s hard to find time and I tried to initially argue against spending money on support (Bee Sober is £14.99 I think a month). But I was spending £14.99 on a box of wine every damn day! That’s £450 a month. And I was certainly losing at least an hour or two a day with my family either running to the shop for alcohol or drinking it or hiding it. Actually, it turns out I had so much more time to support my dc and Dh when I wasn’t drinking even if it meant taking time out for support.

Most people don’t have access to residential rehab and do quit on their own, so it is possible. Sounds simplistic but I had to decide I just wasn’t drinking. I had to take leave from work to focus on myself. I had to do things I enjoyed in the afternoon and evening and leave Dh to deal with the dc. Even with a partner who is ill, realistically they may need to push through despite illness and pick up the slack. You’re doing it while ‘I’ll’ and in the longer term, you’ll be able to better support them if you aren’t really ill yourself or drowning in anxiety and depression from drinking. Short term, someone else needs to step up and take care of you and take things off your plate so you can be well and happy again.

[RipleyAbroad]

I just stopped as soon as I found out I was pregnant, it wasn’t easy but my baby took priority and I really just didn’t think twice about it. Also had a lot of morning sickness and heartburn so I was actually put on a liquid diet so didn’t have to worry about eating - had supplements etc. Baby was extremely healthy thankfully.