Thank you SO MUCH for this post, em. I think everyone has to come to this conclusion at their own pace, but hearing it from others who are dealing with similar illnesses can only be helpful.

If we are struggling to make our lives functional, or to keep them that way, alcohol use makes it harder to reach that goal.

We talk about getting regular sleep, eating well, taking supplements, even how much caffeine and sugar we can use without affecting our mood negatively, so if we're that sensitive, it certainly doesn't make sense to put alcohol in our bodies.

It took me a long time to accept this. While my depression was more moderate and the only med I was taking was an SSRI, I continued to drink socially.

Now, though, I try to balance my meds, sleep, diet, socializing, exercise, etc., just to feel decent enough to get through the day, so it's easier to leave out the alcohol.

I haven't addressed addiction anywhere here and I'm not qualified to. I'm just talking about the health effects of alcohol + mental illness.

Three cheers for Em!