Are you feeling the pressures of being Mrs Perfect?

There are growing numbers of professional women who, according to Lucy Rocca in the media this week (founder of soberistas.com), are drinking a bottle or more of wine a night.

Lucy has been speaking out about the pressures on professional women, which is driving them to drink. Lucy said she ‘drank to relieve loneliness as a single parent’ and describes herself as a binge drinker with no ‘off-switch’. 

Drinking less will affect your quality of sleep and you will feel and look better but then the professional middle-classes know that. So what is going on and why are women drinking to these unhealthy levels?

Well often it’s a way of dealing with stress… perhaps not a very good way… but it’s an unconscious coping strategy.

Whilst clients may present with a drinking problem, the real problem is usually much deeper. Psychodynamic therapists help clients to explore what is going on in their lives that leave them communicating in this way. We help clients to find words to express themselves in a different way. Once clients can do this, they can then flick the ‘off-switch’ to ‘on’ and start to take more control of their drinking as well as their lives. 

We all have a glass of wine from time to time to help us unwind at the end of a busy day but when you notice this happening more often and it’s not just a glass or two... then perhaps it’s time to ask yourself if there is something else going on in your life that you may be avoiding.

Whilst the reality might be a sobering thought, you don’t have to deal with it on your own. There are professional counsellors out there who can help you to face the reality and deal with it together.  

So next time you find yourself reaching out for that glass of Rioja! Stop and ask yourself ‘do I just fancy a glass of wine?’ Or might there something else going on?

It is also worth reminding people that safe levels of drinking are 2-3 units a day for women and 3-4 units a day for men. With 1.5 units equivalent to a small (125ml) glass of (12.5% abv) wine; 2 units equivalent to a medium (175ml) glass and 3 units equivalent to a large (250ml) glass of wine and more if the wine is stronger… but then you knew that didn’t you?!