my mom trys to hide it too. i opened up the ferness door and there was 40 oz. sittin here from weeks ago she had forgot that she hid from me and my dad. shell get one and tell me not to tell my dad or she would tell him somethin of a secret told her. it really sucks, shes in denial, so is my mom. they think they re older and wiser but really they have problem and want to blame you so they can get out of the blame.

Okay, comming from a teenage daughter of an alcoholic i could tell you all the signs. my mom has a drinking problem for sure, she refuses to admit it, she says she doesnt. then shell blame me and my dad for it. her mom was the exact same and so is her sister. hereditary maybe? who knows. but my point is, if you are a mother that likes too drink too much, please stop for your childs sake! ive been growing up for 17 years not telling my mom any of my secrets i should be able to share with her, i have to tell dad. do you know how uncomfortable that is to a certain extent? my mom is skinnyer than me weighing only 100 lbs. shes like a walking skeliton its so bad. she has a cup of water in the morning then some beer until she passes out. she comes home yelling at everyone nd blamig everyone or the most smallest things. he stoped taking her anti depresants and uses the beer. when she would mix the two she wouldnt even be human, it was like a monster in the house. she has no desire to ever eat anymore. she forgets everything and oesnt remember what i told her 5 min before she took another sip. she says that im crazy and psycho and to leave cause she aint changen or goin anywhere. we constantly fight to the point that im never ever home, ill come home when shes asleep and leave before she can wake up EVERYDAY. ive tried talking to her in a calm manner about it. begging her. crying my eyes out, to full out fist fights with her. shes really out of control. and heres nothing i can do but watch my mother drink herself into her death bed. girls when you see ur mom waken up to the sweats and really shakey hands and coughing and "hot flash feeling, and u know hey drink, its bc they need the alcohol bc their bodys are so ammune to it that it forgot what it was like to be sober. my home is a wreck my family and all, ladies please dnt do this to your home its not worth it. if ur child thinks u have problem get out of the "DENIAL STAGE" and stop blamming them. its your own fault. dont let ur family and friends down and choose the alcohol over them, believe me....its not the right choice, ever. -ashley, 16, KY.

I go in and out of phases all the time, where I will have 1 or two and some times 3 glasses of wine a night. If it goes on for more than a couple of months I start to worry but I go just as often through months without any interest in alcohol whatsoever. I think it probably varies from person how much is too much and the most important part is staying grounded and self aware so that you are able to recognize when you're off, whether it's about alcohol, food, boundaries etc... it all falls into that same self destructive place if you close your eyes. http://www.theladyslounge.com

This is a great topic and I am coming to terms with the fact that I drink too much and need to stop. I had two babies in two years and my life has drastically changed since then. Drinking like I used to (to get drunk) just doesn't work well with two kids and every time I get drunk I spend the next day hating myself and thinking what an awful mother I am. My mom is a recovering alcoholic so I know the warning signs and it's my time to quit. Thanks for being honest, Stefanie. Are you going to AA meetings? What's your secret to 'just stopping'?

Like so much in life, self awareness and common sense is the key. With alcohol as with many things you know when there is a problem if you are paying attention. If you can handle drinking in a casual social way then go for it. If not then take a step back and if you need to, get help.

I will say this: I drink from time to time, but my days of drinking a lot are long gone. I can actually finish a bottle of wine myself, but I generally don't. To people who are saying that a drink or two at the end of the day to "wind down" or cope with some stress, I would like to gently suggest they try a different approach. For one or two whole weeks, take the time you would have spent having a drink or two and use it to just vegetate in some other way. Find a way to confront or blow off the stressful situation that does not require alcohol. If you can do that, then go back to interspersing the non-alcohol methods with the once or twice a week drink-treat method. I am really only comfortable with alcohol as a way to relax and unwind when you're not SUPER stressed out. I guess I worry too much that if we use a chemical to help us calm down or de-stress, it's too easy to come to rely on it. If you're really having that much trouble dealing with the everyday stuff in your life that is stressing you out, you may want to see if you can be prescribed something that can help you cope all the time. I am okay with drinking socially and keeping it moderate. "Using" alcohol, though, especially when alone, opens doors I am not willing to open. Plus, drinking in the evening before bed can actually mess with the body's ability to sleep efficiently. More often than not, what people need is enough sleep, consistently each night. Maybe I'm just really laid back and have a fairly stress-free life.

Sorry everyone...I am one who says NO at all times! I am not passing judgement or my values on anyone else. I don't see enough of a reason to drink alcohol ever personally, just all the reasons and statistics why NOT to drink. Yes, my religion I choose to follow asks us not to drink, but also I have seen too much negative that comes from drinking. The most devastating example is my wonderful mom who was an elementary school teacher and was hit by a drunk driver and lost her career, THANKFULLY not her LIFE! I think there might be others ways to relax after a long hard day. If your children know/see you drink, would you advocate it for them or worry that they might experiment a little too early in life? If you choose to drink, hopefully it would be socially and more importantly WISELY! DO NOT EVER DRINK and DRIVE! Designate one person to suffer for the night without their alcohol to save MANY lives! JUST my OPINION! (Oh, and first time responder. Go easy on me please if our going to rip me apart!)

Al-Anon Family Groups---->Hope for Family & Friends of Alcoholics. http://www.al-anon.alateen.org/ Alcoholism is a disease; it's diagnosable, it's treatable, & it's fatal if left untreated. http://www.aa.org/ Questions developed by World Health Organization http://www.aa-uk.org.uk/publications/areyou.htm It's not about when or how much someone drinks, it's about what happens when the alcohol is taken away. i.e. It's never a problem until one runs out.