Dear wine memes,

I don't need alcohol to survive motherhood.

I need coffee. A nap. Support. A hug.

And reassurance that there is no such thing as a perfect mom.

Literally anything else BUT an anxiety-inducing substance.

It's funny until it isn't anymore. I used to laugh at these memes too. I used to think it's just a joke. There's no harm in laughing. The thing is, these memes are harmful because they perpetuate the narrative that mommy needs alcohol to get through motherhood.

For that struggling mom who has been drinking more than normal due to the stress of motherhood, she uses those memes and her friends/society as justification that there's nothing wrong with her drinking behavior. The thought of, "If everyone else is doing it, then I must be fine."

Yes, alcohol gives you the quick fix you're looking for, but that's all it is. Temporary relief until that buzz goes away. Then your back to being in the same situation you were in or sometimes worse.

Nothing ever gets better from drinking. Nothing. Our problems are still there. The overwhelm is still there. The kids are still there. And who knows, you may have added MORE issues to the mix by saying or doing things that you regret. And the anxiety the next day can be so crippling that you reach for the bottle again to get relief from that. And that mamas is how you start the cycle of addiction.

I was there. Using alcohol as my relief from the overwhelm, stress, and racing thoughts. It gave me comfort until it didn't anymore. I wish someone told me that alcohol wasn't the solution. The solution wasn't at the bottle of the bottle.

The solution was to use healthy coping mechanisms like calling a friend, going to therapy, having a cup of hot tea, taking a nap, hiring a sitter to watch my son while I could do something just for me, and reassurance that this mom thing is hard. No matter what you see. No mom has it all together all the time. I literally needed anything else but an anxiety-inducing substance that made me feel even worse about myself as a person and a mother.

So if you're reading this, you too deserve a life without alcohol. You deserve support and mothers who are behind you whether you drink or not. This is why I (@sobermomcoach) created the 60 Day Alcohol-Free Challenge so that 39 other mothers and I can support you every step of the way. Registration closes in a few days, so join us before it's too late!

Click here to register!