“I thought it was just me.”

- colleagues, pts, coaching clients and friends about something they struggled with alone

When we realize the thing we are struggling with is not unique to us, the relief is palpable.

What is something you thought was just you? I’ll go first:

- Burnout
- Parenting neurodiverse kids
- Marriage trouble
- #Graydrinking
- #ImpostorSyndrome

The list of things I’ve heard from others basically boils down to anything that creates shame, loneliness, or a sense of failure.

Thank you @gbosslet for sharing your story about #graydrinking.

There are so many folks escaping the life they worked so hard for with alcohol.

If you have ever quietly worried about your relationship with alcohol, my DMs are open.

https://www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/second-opinions/101832

Since I started publicly talking about my decision to quit drinking, I have received hundreds of messages from high functioning successful folks (especially health care workers) who are secretly worried about their drinking.

People are terrified and ashamed.

Y’all, alcohol was helping.
Now it’s not.
And that’s ok.

Listen to the part of you that keeps nudging you toward sobriety. What is the thing you are most afraid of?

Message me any time.

#graydrinking
#sobriety

When people don’t feel good, they find ways to feel better.

I muted feelings with the cycle of overworking and alcohol for years.

Until I’d had enough. Enough is a decision - not an amount.

Here is the story of how I quit drinking a year ago as part of building a life that I did not have to escape from.

https://www.kevinmd.com/2022/11/the-story-of-a-physician-after-a-year-sober.html

#graydrinking #sobriety #physicianburnout #burnout

Listing some of my favorite things so folks can find me and connect:

#primarycare #telemedicine #telehealth #coaching #physiciancoaching #yoga #hiking #physicianwellness #burnout #burnoutprevention #wellness #burnoutrecovery #perfectionism #impostorsyndrome #westie #ballet #internalmedicine #eatingdisorder #eatingdisordercare #dpc #systemchange #momsofmastodon #graydrinking #sobriety

I didn’t quit drinking because I had a problem.

I quit because I didn’t want to have a problem.

Like when someone
- exercises to protect their heart
- takes calcium to protect their bones
- vaccinated to prevent disease

I am high risk for alcohol use disorder and I didn’t want chemical addiction, breast/colon/pancreatic/throat/liver cancer, dementia, neuropathy, cirrhosis, cardiomyopathy, etc to be the reason I quit.

There is no nutritional or medical benefit to alcohol.

#graydrinking

#GrayDrinking

90% percent of alcohol overusers do not meet criteria for substance use disorder, but they may not like the impact of alcohol in their life.

Gray drinking is the zone between tee-totalling and substance use disorder characterized by the persistent worry about one’s alcohol overuse.

It increases one’s likelihood of substance use disorder.

A toot thread 🧵