All Gillian wanted was to regain control of her drinking.
At 38 years old, she knew that alcohol had already put her marriage in jeopardy and was beginning to threaten her career. What started as a typical college prank turned into regular binge drinking at professional happy hours, and eventually an urge to drink all day long. Most days, the vodka bottles went from being full in the cabinet to empty to being placed in the recycling bin.
“I got to the point where I said, ‘Oh my God, I can’t stop myself,'” Gillian said.
Her boyfriend was at a loss. Although her therapist’s harm reduction strategies were sometimes helpful, relapses continued. And while her GP encouraged her to lose weight, she never prescribed any medication that might help. In the end, Gillian chose the only path she knew. She sought out local Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.
However, the mutual aid association also did not work out. She felt the program was too God-centered and the message of achieving sudden and permanent abstinence was unrealistic. At several points, the men aggressively followed her and other women under the guise of mentorship, offering to give them rides home or asking for their phone numbers. She sensed camaraderie among other attendees who gathered for drinks at a nearby bar after the meeting.
STAT+ exclusive story
Already have an account? Log in
This article is exclusive to STAT+ subscribers
Unlock this article and get in-depth analysis, newsletters, premium events, and news alerts.
Already have an account? Log in
Individual plan Group plan See all plans
To read the rest of this story, subscribe to STAT+.
Subscribe
Source link
