Mum whose crippling addiction to alcohol nearly killed her reveals why wine culture is so dangerous

A mother-of-two whose crippling addiction to alcohol nearly killed her has revealed how ‘mummy wine culture’ and acceptance of parents needing a drink just to get through a long day will ‘defraud you of life’. 

Justine Whitchurch, from the Gold Coast, quit alcohol seven years ago when she saw what it was doing to both her own life and that of her children. 

At her worst, in the last six months before she quit, the 48-year-old’s drinking would see her consume at least three bottles of wine a day ‘with some vodka shots occasionally thrown in if she wanted to go “undetected”‘.

Since Justine gave up alcohol for good, she has made exercise and healthy living a priority – and she looks better in her 40s than she did in her 20s.

On Wednesday she shared a comparison photo to Instagram of her, wine glass in hand, at 36 and then now at 48 with both a clearer complexion and clearer mind. 

On Wednesday she shared a comparison photo to Instagram of her, wine glass in hand, at 36 and then now at 48 with both a clearer complexion and clearer mind

Justine Whitchurch , from the Gold Coast, quit alcohol seven years ago when she saw what it was doing to both her own life and that of her children (pictured at the age of 44)

‘By definition mummy wine culture basically makes using alcohol to cope with your day as a parent an accepted, even celebrated, part of modern life,’ she captioned the image.

‘All over social media we are flooded with quotes that advocate how primary caregivers need the escape of alcohol to cope with a long day of caring for their children, amongst other mundane motherly “tasky” things.

‘Add a career or busy job to the mix and you 1000 per cent fall into the category of deserving of a reward for being superhuman. You actually do; just not one of this kind.’  

Ms Whitchurch despises this wine culture and ‘memes’ that poke fun at needing a drink at the end of the day because it helped her conceal what she already knew was a deep seated issue with alcohol. 

‘I don’t subscribe to the “mummy wine culture”. I think it is dangerous,’ she said. 

‘We are teaching our children that drinking is what you do when you can’t otherwise cope with life. A dangerous introduction to chemically relieved coping mechanisms. 

Ms Whitchurch quit alcohol when she was 40 years old after she spent most of her thirties ‘medicated from alcohol 24/7’ (pictured at the height of her addiction)

Since Justine gave up alcohol for good, she has made exercise and healthy living a priority – and she looks better in her 40s than she did in her 20s

‘We as a collective of women are voraciously enabling each other to avoid doing the work and treating our bodies and minds in the most health negative way, whilst hidden under the guise as “connecting.”‘

‘You can laugh it off, put it in a meme, throw it as a tagline in a conversation and downplay its validity all you like, but the end result is simply a disastrous educational tool for the people that we should love the most.’ 

With the holiday season – and summer – fast upon us, now is the time where habits can slip and old problems can bubble to the surface. 

To stay in control Ms Whitchurch recommends only choosing to attend functions you know you’ll feel comfortable at, and nominating yourself as the designated driver. 

 With the holiday season – and summer – fast upon us, now is the time where habits can slip and old problems can bubble to the surface

Set a limit on your intake and fill your wine glass with something non alcoholic to fill the void if need be, exercise through the cravings and ensure you’re getting plenty of sleep to recover

Set a limit on your intake and fill your wine glass with something non alcoholic to fill the void if need be, exercise through the cravings and ensure you’re getting plenty of sleep to recover.

Ms Whitchurch quit alcohol when she was 40 years old after she spent most of her thirties ‘medicated from alcohol 24/7’.

‘The single turning point was my nine-year-old daughter looking at me with tears in her eyes and saying, “Mum I am scared you are not going to get better”,’ she said.

‘I dropped 14 kilos in six months, my liver reading was around 2500 (it should have been 42), my triglycerides were so high I was a major heart attack risk, my platelet count was so low I had bruises from head to toe and my hair was falling out.

‘It got to the point where my dad saw me for the first time in months and he said that if he had not known it was me he would not have recognised his own daughter.’

Doctors also told Ms Whitchurch that she had just months to live if she continued the way she was going.

Ms Whitchurch explained that when she first quit, it was the first few months that were the ‘hardest’.

‘The initial phase of recovery is a lot about self-protection,’ she explained.

‘You can’t expect to be exposed to social situations with a nil effect.’

Ms Whitchurch explained that when she first quit, it was the first few months that were the ‘hardest’ (pictured before)

BEFORE AND AFTER: Once you have got over the initial first stage, the mum-of-two explained you still need to be careful with what you do and pick your social occasions wisely

If you are looking to give up, the 48-year-old recommends that you try and distract yourself as often as possible.

‘Look to do things that will benefit your health, like exercise, good nutrition and sleep, as well as re-connecting with the things that you used to love,’ she said.

Once you have got over the initial first stage, the mum-of-two explained you still need to be careful with what you do and pick your social occasions wisely:

‘When you do start to socialise again, choose a time of the day that you know you are least likely to be enticed,’ she said.

‘For me, that was always breakfast or brunch. That time of the day, you are less likely to be faced with the opportunity to drink. And just remember, you don’t need to do a whole heap of explaining.’

For support for alcohol-related problems and addiction you can contact one of the many services available, speak to your GP, local health service or call a helpline. There are trained telephone counsellors available in every Australian state and territory.

Justine’s recovery story and the steps she took to get sober are detailed in her book, Sobriety delivered EVERYTHING alcohol Promised, is available on Amazon and her website.

Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk