Dr Oz: What’s Your Truth?
Do you sometimes like to unwind with a glass of wine among friends? Dr Oz said that’s nice to do sometimes, but it can become a crutch for some. If alcohol becomes your stress reliever or source of comfort, it can spiral out of control. Melissa loves relaxing in front of the TV with a glass of wine. Over the years, her consumption has increased, and her family and friends turned her in to Dr Oz.
Andrea, Melissa’s friend of five years, has noticed that this awesome mom has been drinking more over the years. Andrea suggested that the stress of her divorce could be part of the problem. Brooke, Melissa’s 14-year-old daughter, has confronted her mother about her drinking habits, which has resulted in arguments.
Dr Oz: Using Wine as a Crutch
Melissa is a single mom who has been using wine as a crutch for her stress through the years. With Dr Oz’s help, friends and family expressed concerns. (keoni101 / flickr)
A distressed Melissa sat with Dr Oz for what was basically an intervention. She admitted that wine is her crutch and may have become unhealthy. “I enjoy it. That’s my way of, at the end of the day, taking a breath,” she said. “It just makes me feel better for the moment.”
Melissa started drinking regularly 15 years ago, after the birth of her second child. She began drinking with a fellow mom, and it started out as an occasional social outlet. Over the years, it became a part of her stressful daily routine. Sometimes she thinks of wine as her reward at the end of a long day.
Dr Oz: Putting a Blanket Over Your Emotions
After her divorce, Melissa admitted that she used wine to help her cope with her feelings after her divorce. She said that it helps her to relax and stop thinking about the troubles she is facing in her daily life. “I think the wine is putting a blanket over your emotions,” Dr Oz said. “That’s not the same thing as dealing with them.”
Dr Oz previously sent cameras and a member of his medical team to follow Melissa on her evening routine and see how it is affecting her health. As the night wore on, Melissa’s blood alcohol content rose and her coordination became affected. She went to bed after three glasses of wine, with a blood alcohol level of .07, just under the legal limit.
Dr Oz: Social Drinking Vs Habitual Drinking Vs Alcoholism
Melissa said that she does not drive after drinking even one glass of wine, so she would never be behind the wheel. The legal limit for driving in most states is .08. As Dr Oz gently probed, Melissa admitted that she could be on the edge of a problem. She said that she also relies on the wine to get to sleep.
Kristina Wandzilak, co-founder and president of Full Circle Addiction & Recovery, joined Dr Oz and Melissa, saying that social drinking has a social element, whereas Melissa’s Habitual Drinking tends to take place in solitude. Melissa may be between Social Drinking and Alcoholism. Kristina said that there are multiple ways that her Alcoholism can take a negative toll on her life, including when it becomes more of a priority than family members.
Dr Oz: When Taking the Edge Off Becomes a Problem
Melissa said she would probably consider herself an Alcoholic, and Kristina pointed out that it can be a slow process as you slide into a disease. Kristina called Melissa brave for paying attention to her habit and being able to address it. “We live in a culture that is entitled to taking the edge off. You are doing what we are trained to do,” Kristina said of this common habit.
Being nervous about the answer could mean that “you are on the precipice of a great truth,” Kristina said. Dr Oz promised to share a plan with Melissa that could help her find another way to manage her stress.
Leave a Reply