i used to be basically a "part-time alcoholic"... i only drank when i was depressed (which of course only hurt me), and when i drank, i drank to get drunk (really just to escape the pain), and then i kept drinking.. way past the point of being just drunk...

when i realized i had a problem (4 yrs. 3 mos. ago), i was blessed to be able to just quit... alcoholism runs heavily in my family on my dad's side & i don't know by what means i was able to just stop as i have a very addictive personality myself...

my suggestion.. what makes you take that first drink?? is it just to take the edge off what you're going through.. is it to relax??

you're going to laugh at me when i suggest this, and you can take it or leave it...but i realized last night when i was really agitated & wound up and just needed to CHILL out but didn't want to pop a xanax... that a big cup of double strength chamomile tea (specifically a combo of two packets of honey vanilla chamomile & two packets of chamomile, mixed with two packets of splenda), has the exact same calming effect that i used to get from that first drink... and NONE of the negative side effects... and it's delicious which doesn't hurt

i know, it's a weird suggestion.. but there it is it's strange the things you realize in your 30's... no one would have been able to tell me that when i was in my 20's... NO ONE!!!!