Drinking Red Flags

I spent years trying to get control over my confusing gray area drinking habit. The best way to describe my relationship with alcohol by the time I quit was love/hate.

I loved drinking.. when I was doing it. My friends still to this day will say I was the most fun person to drink with. I loved being able to instantly change the way I felt with a drink. I believed alcohol made life’s special moments more fun, and I just couldn’t imagine giving it up completely.

And yet, I knew the way I was using alcohol to cope with anxiety, stress, and life’s challenges wasn’t healthy. I hated that I looked forward to opportunities to drink, and I really hated how I felt the day (or 5) after drinking.

Fortunately, with the help of a sober coach, some self-education and mindset shifts, I was finally able to release alcohol from my life once and for all in early 2024.

Going totally alcohol-free seemed like the worst case scenario to me for years; and yet it turned out to be the best decision I would ever make. I don’t miss drinking at all, not even a tiny bit!

Here are some drinking red flags that you might want to pay attention to. They are your intuition sending you hints that alcohol is not actually serving you as much as you think.

1. You wonder if your life would be better without alcohol 

Have you had this thought? It was front of mind for me for a while. If you’re wondering this, you already know the answer.

2. You spend a lot of time worrying about your drinking

Oof!! I’ve been there. When I finally stopped drinking, I freed up so much mental space and time, which I now use for all kinds of wonderful hobbies and activities. Not to mention, I no longer worry about my health, getting cancer, dying young, or going to the doctor. The anxiety that comes with even mild to moderate alcohol use is no joke!

3. You struggle to stick to rules when it comes to alcohol

Are you disciplined in other areas of life, but when it comes to alcohol you just can’t seem to stick to the rules you make for yourself? Have you made moderation plans, only to break them shortly after? That’s because alcohol is a highly addictive drug and neurotoxin that messes with our brain chemistry in all sorts of awful ways. You are not broken, it is alcohol’s fault.

4. You wish at times that alcohol didn’t exist

Have you had the thought that it would be so much easier if alcohol just didn’t exist - that way you could stop drinking, but without anyone asking you questions or making you feel judged or uncomfortable? And what about those social situations where you rely on alcohol to loosen up.. ugh.

If you’re wishing alcohol didn’t exist, it might be time to reevaluate how much power it actually has over you. I don’t like peanut butter, but I have never wished it doesn’t exist; I just don’t eat it. Do you see what I mean?

5. You have a love/hate relationship with alcohol

If your best friend came to you and said they are in a love/hate relationship with someone they were dating, I’ll bet you would say that it sounds pretty toxic. You would probably even tell them to leave! Wouldn’t you?

Alcohol is no different, and yet we make all the excuses for it. If you love something at times, and hate it at other times, can you really say you love it? This is something to consider.

Conclusion

If you are feeling stuck and want to change your relationship with alcohol, you don’t have to do it alone. Let’s figure it out together.

My name is Gretchen Kamp, and I’m a 5X certified alcohol-free life coach. Email me at info@thepinkcloudcollective.com to book a free discovery call. I can’t wait to hear from you.

Rooting for you always,

Coach Gretchen
xx

Rooting for you always,
Gretchen