When Drink Is A Crutch

If you drink to be more sociable at a party or need a glass of wine to relax after work it may be time to rethink your alcohol consumption.

- Mieke Vlok

IT’Sbeen said no good story begins with someone drinking a glass of milk. And judging by the stories that get the most laughs at parties and around the braai, the prevailing belief does seem to be that where there’s alcohol there’s fun. For many years Janet Gourand (64) of Cape Town believed a few drinks brought her “best personality” to the fore. “Drinking gave me self-confidence,” says the human resources manager and mother of one. “I was still myself, just a fired-up version.”

It also seemed to Janet that all her fun experiences involved alcohol. “Like the time in my twenties when I locked the bathroom door during a party so I could take a nap in the bath and my roommate had to call the fire brigade to break down the door. It was a hysterical story to relate later.”

Drinking at parties was simply the norm and over the years it evolved into a few glasses of wine at home every evening. Pretty soon it wasn’t just a social crutch – it was also an unhealthy habit that left her feeling fuzzy-headed and lethargic the next morning.

“Many people think an alcoholic is a homeless person you find on a park bench, but there are many people who still function despite their unhealthy relationship with the bottle. They may have a good job and their families might not be suffering, but they still have a drinking problem.”

After waking up for the umpteenth time with a headache and only vague memories of the previous night, Janet decided on 23 May last year to give up alcohol for good. And she admits it came as a bit of a surprise to learn it’s possible to have a good time without drinking.

Fun without a drink? Really? 

It seems like a big deal at first. Because alcohol is a social lubricant it can be challenging to manage without it. And changing any habit isn’t easy.