Hi Grey,

I have a few glasses of wine, maybe every third day, and sometimes a night cap of whisky. The units don't add up to much.

I don't obsess about the alcohol. I used to, but now I don't. By keeping a journal for the last year, and going on the wagon a couple of times, I've established that my anxiety symptoms are the main issue, and not booze. The anxiety comes up in it's own way, whatever I do.

It's the same with the IBS I suffer from. I used to obsess about diet, and have all sorts of medications etc. Gradually I realised that the IBS just has it's own rhythm and nothing affects it much. I can eat whatever I like, and it will be the same. The only thing that reduces the IBS is not thinking about it!

The one thing that did make a difference was giving up smoking. I had some periodontal disease and that has actually cleared up - to my amazement. I was quite prepared to lose my teeth, and still am, which is a great antidote to the phobias dentists try to instill into us.

I know I've said this before, but I believe it's the anxious mind that is hurting us, and not anything else that the anxious mind locks onto. That's no judgement on you, Grey, cos I'm in the same boat as you, fighting the rotten old anxiety day by day.

Peaceful thoughts, M

PS - My father had this same anxiety illness, and he never took a drink in his life. The only time he really loosened up was when he was dying of cancer. The morphine actually broke through his anxiety, and I saw another side of him for a little while.