Read facts on Australians and alcohol Emma Marks, 34 from Norwood, SA  Whenever I imagine an alcoholic, I picture a scruffy old man on a park bench swigging from a brown paper bag. I'd never think of a young businesswoman like me succumbing to something so terrible. But eight years ago, that's exactly what happened. It wasn't until I hit rock bottom that I realised I had a problem.
I was 16 when I had my first glass of wine. As I sipped my drink, I felt a new confidence. I liked it. Soon, I was drinking whenever I went out with the girls. When I was drunk I was the life and soul of every party.
As I got older, alcohol became part of my daily life and I had a few glasses of wine most nights.
Then in 2003, I met Stephen through work and we fell in love. Steve was 14 years older than me and had three children, Harrison, now 16, Nicholas, 15, and Courtney, 12. Not long after we got together, Steve and I decided to buy a hotel in Adelaide. I was so excited at the idea of running a business.
However, being the boss was tough. The days were tiring and stressful. Most afternoons, once I'd finished serving lunch, I'd go across the road to a Chinese restaurant to catch my breath. One day I ordered a glass of wine.
Back at work I found I had a spring in my step. The stress had melted away.
I started having a drink with lunch every day. It helped me cope.
Soon, I wanted that boost earlier in the day too. Why wait until lunchtime to be happy?
Quickly it became the norm to have a shot of vodka when I arrived at the hotel. I drank all day, reaching for booze every time the buzz wore off.
I was going home to Steve plastered and waking up with banging headaches. To deal with it, I'd simply reach for another drink, usually vodka kept on my bedside table.
Most of my drinking wasn't done at home, so Steve didn't know the full extent of it. But he knew enough to be worried and begged me to slow down.
But I didn't care. Plenty of people drank to cope. It wasn't as if my life suffered. I still ran a business, I was still in control. Or so I thought.
For the next few years, my habit escalated. At my worst I'd down four double rums with pineapple juice at breakfast, then sip vodka throughout the day. At home, I'd unwind by sinking two two-litre casks of wine. My friends and family were beside themselves, but their pleas fell on deaf ears.
The more Steve questioned me, the more I hid my boozing, pretending I'd stopped. Deep down I knew I had a problem but it wasn't until I smashed into a parked car that it finally sunk in. Police breathalysed me and when my blood alcohol level came back at six times the legal limit, I broke down. I could have hurt someone because of my stupidity.
I realised I could barely remember the last two years of my life. It was a blurry haze. I wasn't living. I was hardly existing.
The police said they wouldn't press charges if I got some help. I didn't need to be told twice. But part of me could hardly believe it. How was I addicted to alcohol? I had a partner, a family and a business
Nervously, I attended my first Alcoholics Anonymous session. To my surprise, there were other young women in the group. Women just like me. Hearing how they'd changed their lives made me realise I could too.
'I'm an alcoholic,' I admitted.
After that night, I made the decision to never drink again. I locked myself in the house, determined to go cold turkey. Steve stayed by my side as the alcohol left my system.
It was tough, but slowly I came out of my permanent hangover. As the fog cleared, life got better. I played with the kids and remembered doing it the next day. It was a revelation.
My relationship with Steve improved too. Three months after I quit drinking, he proposed.
I'll treasure that moment forever and I was so grateful I wasn't drunk when it happened.
There was more joy when I discovered I was pregnant.
With my five-month baby bump under my wedding dress as I said my vows, I couldn't believe how far I'd come from the drunken mess I'd been.
When our son Thomas arrived, I didn't think life could get any better. My family had never been as strong or happy now I was sober. I knew I'd never give it up for a drink.
Now, I'm a full-time mum and I've been sober for six years. Steve and I had another child, Chelsea, and while we still own the hotel, I don't work there anymore. Instead, I channel my energy into Mums' Lounge, a social networking website I've created for mums to meet up and share news, gossip and support. I feel so passionate about helping other women - something I'd never have been able to do before.
I'm so glad I've realised that the true meaning of happiness can't be found at the bottom of a bottle. There's more to life than having a drink. Australians and alcohol- A recent international study found the social and personal consequences of drinking for Australian women are among the worst in the world.
- After looking at more than 40 countries, Australia ranked third when it came to feeling the impacts of alcohol consumption. This included needing a drink to get going in the morning or experiencing a hangover.
- There are over 3000 deaths from alcohol in Australia every year and now cigarette-style health warnings are appearing on the labels of popular alcoholic beverages, warning about the many dangers of drinking.
- If you or someone you know needs help to tackle an issue with alcohol, visit www.aa.org.au or drinkwise.org.au for more information.
You can visit Emma's website at www.mumslounge.com.au. As told to Rebekah Scanlan (30) |
