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Dana Leigh Lyons's avatar

I was nodding along so hard to your responses, Samantha. Thank you so much for sharing with us - and for the important, much-needed work you’re doing in the world.

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Samantha Perkins's avatar

Thank you for this opportunity and the work that you do as well. If we all keep doing our part I feel that we can make a change.

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Jerry Waxler's avatar

Not just for mommies!! Culture needs to hear more of these sober messages. And yet when i think of sharing it in a non-sober environment, I feel awkward - there is so much pushback from people who feel they are being shamed for their innocent attempt at "self care." How to promote sobriety and at the same time bypass the implied "insult" - it's complicated!

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Samantha Perkins's avatar

Agreed! Thanks for reading. It is definitely not the most fun conversation. I've had a lot of success using the term "sober allies" with people who may still want to drink but they can also stop sharing/spreading the harmful messages.

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Liz Mackie's avatar

Could relate to a lot of things you said especially when you said " I can't do this " so we tell ourselves we cannot before we have even tried, so then we feel we need alcohol to help us with what we cannot deal with...eventually we use it as a coping companion for almost everything that we think " could be difficult " The mummy wine myth I can really relate to as I used to do this thinking it would destress me later on at night and I would do this every night like other mums...I get that alcohol is socially acceptable even though it's dangerous in every way, and a lot of drinkers don't believe you when you tell them this, they just think your putting a bad label on it because " you " yourself cannot drink or cope normally with it ...and they see themselves and drink as ok .

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Samantha Perkins's avatar

Thanks for reading. It's definitely complicated to talk about but I like to think that by sharing I might help free someone from what they already know, that their alcohol use is unhealthy.

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Leigh Cornthwaite's avatar

I have been through the same journey and feelings. After 35 years of drinking every day and binging in weekends and holidays, I have been sober now for nearly 3 years. I have just come to realise in recent months, that not everybody drank like me. I felt everybody did. It is a strange feeling to find out that what we perceive as normal is not normal.

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Samantha Perkins's avatar

Congratulations on your sober journey! And yes, I realized that same thing at times.

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Kimberly Kearns's avatar

Thank you, Samantha! So much good stuff in here that I’m sure many moms can relate to. 🩷

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Samantha Perkins's avatar

Thanks for reading!

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Josh Woll's avatar

That paragraph with This Naked Mind was the shift for me as well. Wonderful to share this sobriety journey with you Samantha! 🙏🏻

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Samantha Perkins's avatar

Thank you!

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Bruce L. Nelson's avatar

Thanks for sharing. I hope orher "wine moms" get the message. It is truly sad when parents are too blurry-eyed in the morning to experience a new day through the unbridled enthusiasm of their children.

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Samantha Perkins's avatar

Thanks for reading!

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Amy Meredith's avatar

So grateful for you and all of this truth telling. Thank you for continuing to share your journey.

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Samantha Perkins's avatar

Thanks for reading and being on this journey with me.

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