An over-reliance on wine to relieve anxiety can lead to health and well-being issues.
Her love of wine quickly became an addiction. “On my way home from work it would cross my mind and I’d start looking forward to my wine,” she remembers. “And that’s where the addiction starts to come in.” Within a year, Janna was drinking during the daytime every day, making the switch to canned margaritas. “Any drink would do,” she says.
she says. “It was controlling my life. And once it was gone, it was a relief, no longer having control over me.” Janna’s been sober for seven years now, and finds her peace in tending to her horses, enjoying every moment with her two kids, and quiet
moments on their now-finished ranch home in Penngrove. “Every time alcohol is around, I have this flash of my kids’ faces
“Moms need a way to get out of the house just like everyone else.” —Olivia Wallach
Things came to a head when her family noticed she was drinking and driving on a regular basis. “My husband and
in front of me,” she says tearfully. “They say you have to stop for you, but that wasn’t the case for me. I stopped for my kids. To give them the best life and have the best life with them.” The self-proclaimed wine mom When Martina R of Santa Rosa was raising her three kids 20 years ago, wine wasn’t just part of her career, it was part of her routine. Working in media relations and adjacent to the wine industry, she found wine to be easily accessible. “I have numerous friends who are vintners, wine publicists and sommeliers,” she explains. “Wine was always available, either free or seriously discounted.” For Martina, her wine connections came in handy when managing her responsibilities between work and home.
family came to me and said—it’s not just you anymore. You’re putting your kids’ lives in danger daily,” she shares. Janna’s family lovingly supported her through the next steps of detox. “I was detoxing in every way—fever, chills—all of it.” Very soon after, Janna was introduced to Alcoholics Anonymous, committing to 90 for 90—90 meetings in 90 days. Her husband alongside her for each meeting, Janna’s support grew and so did her confidence in fighting the disease of addiction. “My husband refused to leave me when I begged him to. I told him to let me be alone and drunk.” Nonetheless, he never left her side. “Once I gave alcohol up, it was like a bright light—a relief,”
42 NorthBaybiz
March 2024
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