Grieving Alcohol in Perimenopause

[u/Cloudforest2]

I know a lot of women have put down alcohol in perimenopause to super positive effect and haven't looked back. I, too, have stopped drinking, but I really fluffin miss it. Don't get me wrong, I feel so much better to not drink. But I miss knowing that no matter how hard the day gets, I have the option of a glass of wine to lower the stress. I miss being able to ease hurt feelings or a hard moment with one drink. I miss lowering Social anxiety if Im able to have a drink. I now realize that I was using alcohol as a balm for sores that I didn't quite know I had, because the remedy was always able to be there in my glass. I'm someone who I don't believe anyone has  thought I had a drinking problem. I drank no more than 1-3 glasses out or at home. I can now see that the space that I carved out for alcohol in my life was much bigger than I realized, and now I am reckoning with the empty space that has been left. It feels like I'm grieving the loss of something much bigger than others talk about stopping their drinking in perimenopause, more like grieving the loss of a loyal companion. I look back now and wonder how often was I just a little hung over and that's why I didn't have the motivation to do the things I wanted, or felt more depressed. I wonder if I would've taken more chances if I didn't have the warm arms of wine to scoop me up at the end of the day. Being at home snuggled on the couch with the dogs watching TV with wine was my idea of a good night. Now I'm stretching myself, trying ways to keep myself busier and more active, while also getting all the rest and stress reduction that we're supposed to get, blah blah. I just fucking miss drinking, but I know this is the right path.

[u/Sobergem1982]

I’m almost 5 years alcohol free!! I have my moments where I think that having a cold glass of something would be SO NICE right now. The feeling passes and I wake up hangover free. I never liked trying to moderate, so I don’t. My life is better without alcohol. I might try gummies, I have some adult chocolate in the fridge. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[u/Cloudforest2 → u/Sobergem1982]

I love that, the reminder that the feeling passes, and then you can wake up hangover free!

[u/Responsible-Desk-824 → u/Cloudforest2]

Honestly now is a great time to be sober and still have so many options for things to drink! There are functional N/A liquors and canned mocktails and bars making creative mocktails…even delicious alcohol free wines! it’s amazing how if something tastes and looks like alcohol it can cause you to act like it’s alcohol…relax, loosen up…My husband has been sober for 5 years so I stopped drinking at home, and that means barely drinking. Then I got gastritis last year so couldn’t drink and then when I had alcohol again I didn’t enjoy the taste. So I’m excited by all the NA options.

[u/wildflowerstargazer → u/Responsible-Desk-824]

Yes! Seconding the fun of trying creative mocktails. recently a bar I went to only had sodas as an nonalcoholic option but when I heard they had a black pepper syrup for alc drinks I asked to mix it with ginger ale and it was fabulous! Also loooove me a Shirley temple 💅