Mommy Juice: Pick Me Up or Problem?

Happy hour play dates. Mimosas at morning play groups. Drinking wine on the park bench as their kids climb on playgroup equipment. These days, it’s not surprising to see moms having a drink or two to take the edge off.

In this culture where women often deal with multiple stresses of work, motherhood, caregiving, managing the home, etc, more and more report feeling they deserve a little “mommy juice” --- a daily ritual that’s often glamorized on TV. Any fan of the TV show The Good Wife sees main character Alicia Florrick, a high-powered lawyer and mom of two teenage kids, pour a goblet of red wine as soon as she gets home from work. Gulping, not sipping, she drinks alone to ease the stresses of the day ---- to self medicate.

How rampant is this drinking mom trend? In a TODAY.com survey, almost 40% of respondents said drinking helps them cope with the stress of being a parent. More than 720,000 women follow “Moms Who Need Wine” on Facebook. And nearly 140,000 follow “OMG I Need a Glass of Wine or I’m Going to Sell My Kids.”

Overall, the number of women drinkers is on the rise. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that more American women are drinking more heavily than ever before: one in eight women binge drink -- defined as four drinks or more in one sitting -- about three times a month.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that arrests for women driving while drunk are on the rise, by about 30% from 1998 to 2007. And according to the CDC, white, college-educated woman ages 18 to 24 with $75,000 or more annual household income were more likely to binge drink than women of other races, ages, and socioeconomic categories.

So, how do you know if you or a friend or relative is just taking the edge off ---- or has a drinking problem? The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) suggests asking these questions:

· Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking?

· Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?

· Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking?

· Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover?

Answering “yes” just once suggests a possible alcohol problem. Responding “yes” to more than one question, suggests a problem is likely.

Even if you answered “no” to all of the above questions, the NIAA cautions that if you’re having drinking-related problems with your job, relationships, health, or with the law, you should seek treatment. And if you’re not sure, don’t hesitate to reach out and consult with a substance abuse professional.

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David Bohl is Executive Director of Kiva Recovery, the trusted resource in addiction treatment. Focusing on the individual and the strengths within each of us, Kiva’s treatment approach aims to replace addiction with solution-focused, growth-oriented strategies focusing on Lifelong Recovery through Holistic Health, Positive Character Building through Continuous Character Growth, and Life Satisfaction through Contentment. The Kiva Recovery treatment center is located in Vernon Hills. To learn more, please visit www.KivaRecovery.com.