After-work Drinks Was My Killer

Joyce, 50, Dunedin. (Themes drawn from actual experiences, adapted for privacy)

After-work drinks nearly killed my career and my relationship with my husband.

I had a great life. I had a loving husband and I was a senior manager at a large company managing a team of 30. At times the job proved to be high stress with a lot of pressure, but I enjoyed it.

After-work drinks started off as a casual thing and seemed innocuous enough. I’d stop at the liquor store on my way home and pick up a bottle of wine maybe three times a week, particularly if I’d had a stressful day.

I enjoyed the wine, it would take the edge off and I saw it as my reward for the hard work I’d put into the day. But then I realised that three nights a week had turned into seven. Still I convinced myself that this was okay and I deserved it.

Work pressure started to hone in on me and I found that I needed something to steady my nerve at lunchtimes too. That’s how my drinking escalated, and it was fast. Things were getting bad at home, too. I had low moods and a short temper. I could tell my husband wasn’t happy, but even this guilt didn’t make me check my drinking.

A few months later the CEO of the company had reports of me smelling like alcohol. He called me into his office and asked if I had a problem. I burst into tears as I realised what things had come to. My boss insisted that I get some help and suggested The Salvation Army.

I spoke to someone at The Salvation Army Bridge, and for the first time I truly felt understood. I knew that it was going to be a long journey, but for the first time in a long while life didn’t look so bad and I had a positive outlook on the future.

For more information on The Salvation Army Bridge and the services available click here or call 0800 50 00 00.