Why "Am I an alcoholic" could be the wrong question.

Send us Fan Mail You can look “fine” and still be struggling with alcohol. If you’ve ever held it together on the outside while quietly worrying about sleep, anxiety, confidence, or how often you’re thinking about that next drink, I’m speaking straight to you. I’m Meg, and I’m opening this podcast with a topic that keeps people stuck for years: the stigma around the word “alcoholic”. I share why I don’t use that label for my own experience, what Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) actually means, and why the all-or-nothing idea of “either you’re an alcoholic or you’re fine” doesn’t match real life. We talk about the grey area so many people live in: setting rules, promising “just one”, waking at 3am with a racing heart, and still convincing yourself it can’t be a problem because you’re high functioning. I also break down the science in plain language: how alcohol affects GABA, dopamine, and stress hormones like cortisol, why it can feel like instant relief, and why that relief comes with a rebound effect that feeds anxiety and cravings. Most importantly, we shift from shame to curiosity with better questions: Is alcohol helping me become the person I want to be? What is it costing me? How would my life feel without it? If you’ve been wondering whether your drinking is bad enough to change, take this as your permission to stop waiting. Follow the podcast, leave a review, share it with someone who’s been quietly wondering too, and reach out if you’d like a free 30 minute chat via the link in the show notes or at meganwebb.com.au. https://auditscreen.org/ https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/understanding-alcohol-use-disorder https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/3909-alcoholism https://www.nmhealth.com.au/health-wellbeing/helpful-articles-resources/how-alcohol-works/ Contact Meg: Website: https://www.meganwebb.com.au/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579436511475 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/meganwebbcoaching/ Link to FREE discovery call with Meg: https://calendly.com/glassfulfilled Email Meg here: [email protected]