Freedom from alcohol: Evaluating your relationship with alcohol in the new year

By Cynthia Reeves / Photo by Kate Treick Photography

She calls it her superpower. About thirty-five months ago, 54-year-old Jackie Hayes had her last drink.

“My initial thought was, ‘I’m free,’” she said.

In a culture obsessed with alcohol, Hayes feels empowered. The nightly question, “Should I drink tonight?” is now answered with a firm “No.”

“It is my superpower because I can achieve all my goals and live my best life without the anguish of being a prisoner in my own body.”

January and the new year mark a time when many women examine their relationship with alcohol. Dry January has become a popular challenge. According to “The Dry Challenge” by Hilary Sheinbaum, the term was coined in the UK in 1984 by a nonprofit’s campaign to reduce “the harm that can be caused by alcohol.” Now it is so popular that other months compete, such as Mocktail May or Sober September.

FOR GOOD HEALTH

Renea Clowdsley, a nurse practitioner in Gulf Breeze, calls Dry January “a great idea.” She has done it and spent extended periods of time being alcohol-free. As a healthcare provider and a part of the Pensacola Beach community, she sees the paradox women face.

“They are either imbibing to be a part of the group or abstaining for better health outcomes,” she said. “It is a huge issue in our society.”

Clowdsley believes most women do not fully understand the health impacts.

“Even moderate intake increases the risk of breast cancer,” she said. “Greater than seven drinks a week increases stroke, ischemic heart disease and hypertension.”

Clowdsley says women who abstain from alcohol have fewer menopause symptoms including hot flashes. Her statistics come from the North American Menopause Society. NAMS recommends that healthy women consume no more than one drink per day or seven drinks per week during menopause. Clowdsley adds that drinking also increases osteoporosis and the likelihood of hip fractures.

FOR A BETTER LIFE

Hayes, a hospice nurse with Emerald Coast Hospice, has many “whys” for quitting.

“Honestly, I just had a mind shift. I didn’t pick up any new habits. I just decided I didn’t want to poison myself anymore.”

Hayes deals with crises every day as a nurse and wants to “be there fully for my patients and family.”

In April, she lost her husband of thirty years, Tom Hayes, after his battle with lung cancer. She no longer felt drinking was reducing stress. Her drinking had gotten to be a vicious habit.

“I was stuck in this cycle. I got home from work and one drink turned to two, or three, or four,” she said.

READING ABOUT IT

Two best-selling books on women and alcohol inspired Hayes to quit. Both “Quit Like a Woman” by Holly Whitaker and “This Naked Mind” by Annie Grace focus on the idea that we live in a world obsessed with drinking. Both authors believe that the alcohol industry is targeting women more now than ever.

Whitaker writes alcohol has suddenly become “an accessory to every product, service, or event everywhere: wineglass holders for the bathtub, wine yoga for my nerves, pro-wine onesies for my baby, wine wipes for my wine-stained teeth, wine glass holder necklaces for my aching arms, wine sports bras for my runs.”

She adds, “There is a lot of effort going into promoting alcohol consumption and even more an effort to normalize it. And it’s only getting worse.”

Grace has a similar take.

“You assume our culture is so intertwined with alcohol that living life without it will be impossible,” she writes.

Grace encourages a 30-day experiment similar to Dry January to “test something about yourself.” Women may join her challenge online or listen to “The Naked Mind Podcast” to hear counseling sessions with women examining their drinking habits.

Hayes encourages women to start the new year by listening to the podcast or reading one of the books even if just to be better educated.

“I think we are dumbing down our women and making our lives smaller,” she said.

She realizes it is a personal choice and a commitment that is difficult in our culture.

“I want to stress people who don’t drink absolutely don’t judge people who do, but I want women to know how much better life can be.”

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A Dry January reading list: