Jezebel: Alcoholism

I Was a Mouthwash Drunkard

vicki hogarth — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST

Despite having alcoholism in my family history, I only found out that I had my own issues with addiction when I became a journalist. It never crossed my mind to drink before sunset when I was in university, but when I landed my first position as an editor, it suddenly became normal to drink champagne at 11am, and I liked it. A lot. More »

Did Alcoholism Kill Joan Didion's Daughter?

Jenna Sauers — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 18:00:00 EST

Readers of Didion's recent memoir of grieving her daughter, Blue Nights, may be forgiven for remaining somewhat unclear, even upon finishing the book, as to what exactly killed Quintana Roo Dunne Michaels. Quintana, whom Didion often calls Q, was in 2005 a recently married New York-based photo editor in apparent good health. She fell into an extended illness and died at the age of 39. More »

Drinking Turns Women Into Sad Insomniacs

Erin Gloria Ryan — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 18:40:00 EST

We've long known that alcohol kills brain cells and that long term alcohol abuse can interfere with mental health. Now, new research has found that while heavy drinking affects both men and women's ability to produce an important mood-controlling neurotransmitter, it affects ladybrains three times faster than it affects men's. The end result is that heavy drinking may cause women to quickly turn into sleepless sad sacks. More »

The Recession Will Make Lushes Of Us All

Anna North — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 10:30:00 EDT

A new study shows, perhaps unsurprisingly, that people are more likely to drink to excess during recessions. And the most educated, richest people are most likely to overindulge. More »

Facebook Knows If You're An Alcoholic

Anna North — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 13:25:00 EDT

A new study shows that undergraduates' Facebook accounts may reveal whether they suffer from alcoholism. The shocking clue to problem drinking: lots of posts about getting wasted. More »

Women Today Are More Drunk Than Ever

Anna North — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 11:45:00 EDT

New research shows that women born after World War II are more likely to binge-drink than those born in previous decades. Why are ladies getting drunker than they used to? More »

Where Do You Draw The Line Between Alcoholism And Partying?

Tracie Egan Morrissey — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 14:20:00 EDT

Last night's Intervention featured a 24-year-old woman named Brittney, whose family believes she's an alcoholic. But whether or not she actually had a problem was murky, at least as far as her portrayal on the show was concerned. It was mentioned that she drinks every day, but that she binge drinks three times a week. The cameras never caught any untoward or alcoholic behavior, which might be a first for the series. The only time she's even shown drinking was when she was toasting with her sisters—the ones who orchestrated the intervention—over some glasses of wine. She was never drunk on film. The only thing that came close was when her mother used a home video camera to film one of Brittney's hangovers, in which Brittney just seemed really cranky. More »

Another Perspective On Women And Addiction

Erin Gloria Ryan — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 15:20:00 EST

The very public struggles with substance abuse of the rich and famous make addiction seem like a problem of excess suffered by the affluent. But what if the woman struggling with substance abuse is right in front of you? More »

Clarence Thomas Was An Intellectually Lazy Binge Drinker

Anna North — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 12:18:00 EDT

Clarence Thomas's ex Lillian McEwen appeared on Larry King last night to talk about Thomas's alcoholism and "weird" obsessions — and whether the man she knew was qualified to serve on the Supreme Court. More »

Mad Men: From Here To Modernity

Tracie Egan Morrissey — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 14:25:12 EDT

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Between budget cuts, broken homes, retro-future interior design, AA, and Swedish dating habits on last night's episode, it's clear that "old fashioned" is for the birds and "mod" is the cooler way to be. More »

Mom's Alcoholism Hurts Daughters Most

Margaret Hartmann — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 11:45:00 EDT

Though all children of alcoholics are more at risk for developing psychiatric problems as adults, a new study found daughters of alcoholic mothers are most susceptible. Among the other combinations of parent and child, gender wasn't as significant. More »

Intervention: 8 Bottles Of Wine A Day Is Not Casual

Tracie Egan Morrissey — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 18:00:00 EST

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Last night's episode focused on Jackie, who drinks eight bottles of wine every day, due to grief over a miscarriage she suffered years ago. Despite the consequences—divorce, DUI, losing custody of her daughter—she insists she's not an alcoholic. More »

Under The Duvet, Marian Keyes Is Battling Depression

LatoyaPeterson — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 13:30:00 EST

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Marian Keyes, the internationally best selling novelist, posted a January 2010 update to her website explaining she has been "laid low with crippling depression." She then apologized to her fans for not being there. More »

Intervention: When Your Family Blames You For Your Rape, Wishes You'd Die Already

Tracie Egan Morrissey — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST

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On last night's episode, Amy—a twentysomething anorexic/self-mutilator/alcoholic—was having difficulty dealing with her family. They're "fed up" with her "attention seeking"—her sister thinks Amy's date rape was her own fault, and her father secretly wishes she'd kill herself. More »

Intervention: When Pipe Dreams Are Worse Than Meth Pipes

Tracie Egan Morrissey — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 11:00:00 EST

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On last night's episode, Rob-a 35-year-old meth-addicted alcoholic-never gave up his dream of becoming a rock star, even though he never really did anything to achieve it and, according to his family, he kinda sucks at music. More »

"You Know They Mean 'Fat':" Lara Stone, Crystal Renn, And Body Diversity

Jenna Sauers — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:40:00 EST

Consider the cruel plight of model Lara Stone. Although she wears, at most, a U.S. size 4, the fact that she has breasts means that — well, nobody in fashion calls her 'fat' exactly, but... More »

Intervention: The Difference Between Binge Drinking And Alcoholism

Tracie Egan Morrissey — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 11:00:00 EST

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Last night on Intervention, the show's subject, a college student named Jennifer, explained that college kids who get wasted aren't necessarily alcoholics. The 22-year-old then went on to reveal that she drinks her own vomit if there's booze in it. More »

Lebanese Singer Sued For Racist Lyrics • Crowd Boos Sarah Palin At Book Signing

Katy Kelleher — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:20:00 EST

• Haifa Wehbe, a famous Lebanese pop singer, has come under fire for singing a song with racist lyrics. The song is from a children's album, and includes the line: "Where is my teddy bear and my Nubian monkey?" • More »

Diane Schuler's Story Is One Of Isolation, Denial, And Rage

Anna North — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:20:00 EST

One of the saddest news stories of the summer just got sadder — the husband of Diane Schuler, whose wrong-way drunk-driving crash killed her and seven others, tells New York Magazine he still believes his wife was essentially perfect. More »

When Is It Okay To Write About Your Family?

Anna North — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:40:00 EDT

Julie Myerson wrote what she thought was an illuminating story of her son Jake's drug addiction, but Jake calls the book "obscene." When is a family member's pain fair game for memoir? More »

Woman Insists Her Alcoholism Is Cultural, Seasonal

Tracie Egan Morrissey — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:20:00 EDT

On last night's Intervention, Gloria said she doesn't believe she is an alcoholic. Instead, she says that she drinks heavily when the weather is nice, and because, as a black woman, "it's cultural." Her family, thankfully, vehemently disagrees. More »

Alcoholics Less Sensitive To Others' Emotions — But Is This A Result Of Drinking Or A Cause?

Anna North — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:20:00 EDT

More and more moms are coming out of the woodwork to confess their alcoholism, a trend made all the more disturbing by new research that shows alcoholics have trouble reading others' emotions — even after they stop drinking. More »

Why They Drank: After Accident, Other Alcoholic Moms Tell Their Stories

Anna North — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 18:00:00 EDT

Authors Susan Cheever and Rachael Brownell remind us that Diane Schuler, whose wrong-way drunk-driving crash killed her daughter and nieces, wasn't the only mom to suffer from alcohol problems. More »

22-Year-Old Alcoholic Denied Transplant; Dies.

Sadie Stein — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:30:00 EDT

Gary Reinbach was only 22 when he died Monday in England of liver failure. And now people are pointing fingers at his parents for not curbing his alcoholism. More »

Should Young Children Be Involved In A Parent's Intervention?

Tracie Egan Morrissey — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EDT

Last night's Intervention was perhaps the most intense of the series. Two children took part in the intervention of their alcoholic father, who was not receptive to their pleas. What went down seemed incredibly emotionally damaging — and dangerous. More »

Mentally Ill Often Stereotyped According To Gender

Margaret Hartmann — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 09:30:00 EST

According to a new study, the mentally ill receive less sympathy when suffering from a disorder considered "typical" to their gender, such as alcoholism (men) or depression (women). More »

Gay Man Blames Alcoholism On Lack Of Legal Marriage

Tracie Egan Morrissey — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 14:00:00 EST

On last night's Intervention, 33-year-old Chris said he drinks excessively to deal with the pain caused by the fact that his 15-year-long relationship is not recognized as legitimate by his family or society. More »

Intervention: Addict Is A "Lady Of Leisure"

Tracie Egan Morrissey — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:00:00 EST

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The middle-aged, alcoholic sex addict on last night's Intervention is demonstrative of why some people's "drunk slut" phases should eventually come to an end. More »

Writer Susan Cheever Wonders Where All The Drunks Went

Jessica G. — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 09:30:00 EST

Novelist and reformed alcoholic Susan Cheever is sad her friends don't get publicly shitcanned anymore, because now she can't feel superior to them. More »

Woman Alive: The American Family In Trouble

Tracie Egan Morrissey — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 17:00:00 EDT

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I'm starting to believe that these Woman Alive books weren't written for women at all, but for aliens who want to familiarize themselves with the human race. Seriously, it's like "People 101." The latest volume we're looking at is Family in Trouble, which features a lot of staged photos of people looking uncomfortable, and lots and lots of info about drug and alcohol abuse. So unbutton your high-wasted bell bottoms, because you're about to be stuffed with some '70s dramz. More »

Intervention: The Matchmaker & The Mafia

Tracie Egan Morrissey — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:00:00 EDT

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Last night I watched one of the best Intervention episodes I have ever seen. I think it comes second only to the chronicle of Cristy. It featured Marie, an Italian-American woman who started a successful matchmaking business, only to give it all up to make her fourth husband, Bora, happy. Bora introduced her to "sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll" only to die of complications from alcoholism. Marie couldn't pick the pieces back up after his death, and turned into a severe alcoholic herself. Her children Clorinda, Vincenzina, and Sal organized an intervention for her, but admit that it's hard for them to do, since they are taught to "stick together" and, as their grandmother explains, "not turn anybody in, no matter what." Clip above. More »

A new study out shows that children whose...

Megan Carpentier — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:40:00 EDT

A new study out shows that children whose mothers drink "to escape" think alcohol is a terrible smell. In a study of 145 children between 5 and 8, the 35 whose mothers were classified as "escape" drinkers liked the smell of pyridine (rotten eggs) and cigarette smoke better to that of beer. To be classified as escapist drinkers, their mothers had to cite 2 or more of the following reasons for drinking: "helps to relax, need when tense and nervous, helps to cheer up when in a bad mood, helps to forget worries, and helps to forget everything." Researchers also found that escape drinkers drink more than non-escape drinkers. Julie Mennella, one of the authors of the study, says, ""Our findings show that children are also processing the smell of alcohol with the emotional reasons their mothers, and perhaps fathers, drink." This is why I drink alone, people — there's no one to smell your sadness then. [Science Daily] More »

Dangerous Cocktail

Sadie Stein — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 16:30:00 EDT

The Hindustan Times reports that drinking is on the rise amongst India's single women. Addiction centers report dramatic jumps in the number of women seeking treatment, and AA opened its first women's group in Pune last year. As more and more women move to urban centers to pursue independent careers, they're falling prey to demons that were previously more the purview of Indian men. "The loneliness of living as a paying guest in a new city got to me." says one 19-year-old. "People seem to hang out with you only when you are drinking, and I started shaping my social life entirely around alcohol." The number of ever-younger girls falling prey to alcoholism, however - some as young as 15 - and the rise in rural alcohism numbers, hint at a potentially larger problem. Awesome, however, that there's no culture of shame surrounding recovery? I don't know many 19-year-olds who'd voluntarily dry out... [Hindustan Times] More »

Depressed Dudes More Likely To Drown Sorrows In Drink

Jessica G. — Mon, 12 May 2008 16:30:00 EDT

Women! We loooove talking about our feelings when we're sad, according to a new study out of the Yale School of Medicine. But men, on the other hand, are more likely to avoid expressing their anxiety and instead just bury it with beer. Yale researchers exposed 54 "social drinkers" (27 men, 27 women) to three fake scrips categorized as "stressful, alcohol-related, and neutral/relaxing," respectively. Then the subjects' feelings, behaviors, cardiovascular arousal and self-reported alcohol cravings were measured. According to study author Tara M. Chaplin, "After listening to the stressful story, women reported more sadness and anxiety than men, as well as greater behavioral arousal. But, for the men ... emotional arousal was linked to increases in alcohol craving. In other words, when men are upset, they are more likely to want alcohol." More »

When It Comes To Alcoholism, Women Are Closing The Gender Gap

Jessica G. — Mon, 05 May 2008 09:30:00 EDT

Though women are still lagging behind men when it comes to salary, ladies are gaining on dudes in at least one respect: alcoholism. According to a new and comprehensive cross-sectional study of existing data, there has been a substantial increase in general drinking and alcohol dependence among women, particularly Hispanic women, starting with those born after WWII. (Alcohol use and abuse among men has remained consistent over the years.) Experts attribute this increase to a number of factors. Richard A. Grucza, a Washington University School of Medicine epidemiologist and co-author of the data analysis used an "immigration" analogy to explain the up tick in alcohol abuse among women. Grucza tells Science Daily, "We can think of U.S. culture as having been traditionally dominated by white men. As women have 'immigrated' into this culture, they have become 'acculturated' with regard to alcohol use." More »

Sexually-Inexperienced Seal Tries To Bone Penguin • UK Reports 50% More Female Drunks

maria — Fri, 02 May 2008 17:20:00 EDT

A "frustrated, sexually inexperienced" young male seal tries to have sex with a penguin.• Older Japanese singles are trying out that whole online dating thing. • A 51-year-old man admits to using voodoo to seduce teen girls. • Two women make history, win second-"highest" medical prize. • PETA asks Hollywood insiders to whistleblow on animal cruelty on sets. • The houseboat from Sleepless in Seattle is on the market for $2.5 million! • British police report the number of female drunks being arrested has gone up 50% over the past five years. • Ancient androgynous pharaoh, Akhenaten, may have had genetic mutation that made him look feminine. • Colleges are allowing coed dorm rooms. • Men's activists complain about Bad Dads ambush reality TV show. More »

Red Wine Mouth: When Your Lips Get As Ugly As Your Issues With Alcohol

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 17:30:00 EST

Anyone remember Heather? Our guest blogger from July with the iPhone and Red Sox-obsessed boyfriend? Well, she's still alive and kicking... and drinking her sorrows away as her beau continues to tap away at his favorite gadget and follow the off-season administrations of his favorite team. Below, she checks in to tell us how her winter is shaping up. Or, rather, passing out.

Amy Winehouse: Life's Too Short Not To Drink Your Insecurities Away

Tracie Egan Morrissey — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 18:00:00 EDT

In an interview on her concert DVD I Told You I Was Trouble, out November 13, Amy Winehouse says: "I'm quite an insecure person. I'm very insecure about the way I look. The more insecure I felt, the more I'd drink...The more insecure I feel, the bigger my hair has to be." Her honesty is appreciated, but not necessarily "refreshing" since her admission is kinda sad. It's interesting, though, that two of the things that have helped catapult her to worldwide stardom — her beehive and her substance abuse — stem from her insecurities. After all, if it weren't for her drinking, she wouldn't have written most of the songs on Back to Black, and the hair certainly didn't hurt in getting attention. So could it be that our insecurities are responsible for much of our success in life? More »