Blogger came clean about addiction

Dear Annie: I want to share a personal story that I decided to be very public about: I’m a recovering alcoholic. The irony of my situation is that I made a successful career out of writing about using alcohol to cope with the stresses of parenthood in books and in my Web column.

Then one morning I woke up with the hangover from hell (I actually ended up in the emergency room), and that was literally the turning point: I got the message loud and clear that my life was a mess, and alcohol was making it that way. I remember when I “ ’fessed up” to the readers of my blog, “Baby on Bored.” I was terrified that they’d think I was this enormous hypocrite. Instead, I got countless responses from women thanking me and recounting their own stories about their secret drinking.

April 5, 2012, is National Alcohol Screening Day. Thousands of colleges, community-based organizations and military installations participate in NASD. One element of the day that people should know about is the free and anonymous screenings available online. The screenings help individuals assess whether they should visit a clinician or take a similar course of action to get a handle on their drinking. The screenings can be accessed anytime at howdoyouscore.org.

Alcohol is a problem for more people than one might think – including the “cocktail moms” I’ve written about. It’s a health issue that’s treatable, but it needs to be brought out into the open. National Alcohol Screening Day plays a big part in doing this. Sincerely – Stefanie Wilder-Taylor

Dear Stefanie Wilder-Taylor: Thank you for sharing your story and underscoring the importance of screening for alcoholism. Our readers have told us in heartbreaking letters how alcohol has destroyed their lives and those of their loved ones. Once again, those who wish to be screened can do so at howdoyouscore.org.