‘What if I just didn’t drink this’: the question that changed everything | Diane Young

Jamie

is part of a growing number of Australians rethinking their relationship with alcohol.

For her, drinking wasn’t just a habit, it was a coping mechanism although she was the last one to realise this.

Alcohol addiction is often less about the substance itself, and more about what it helps a person avoid.

In group therapy with professional guidance, Jamie started to see how she had numbed her emotions and buried the difficulties she had experienced.

In a culture where numbing is easy, choosing to feel can feel too hard.

It's important to take at least one quiet moment a day to ask yourself: What am I feeling? You might be surprised by the answer.

In Australia , support is available at Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 , Lifeline on 13 11 14 and MensLine on 1300 789 978 .