203 SelfWork: 'It's 5:00 Somewhere": Deciding Whether Drinking or Denial Is The Problem
The SelfWork Podcast
Margaret Robinson Rutherford PhD
4.8 • 1.3K Ratings
🗓️ 13 November 2020
⏱️ 27 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
I’ve been surprised over the years about the things people believe about alcohol use that’s very old-school. For example, that for the use of alcohol to be a problem, you’ve got to be lying in a ditch somewhere, having lost your job and friends. Or if you can go a long time without drinking, then you don’t have an issue.
Statistics show that one out of every eight people in the US fit criteria for alcohol use disorder, as it’s called now. It can cause all kinds of pain for both the drinker and those that love them. Especially curiously for those who are high-functioning drinkers – people whose lives look quite intact socially and/or professionally, who can be quite successful and engaged in their own right. Yet they drink. A lot. Whether it’s a part of family gatherings, the music you listen to, gameday celebrations – if you drink to celebrate and drink to grieve – it can be detrimental to just about everything about you.
And what remains astounding is how easy it is to stay in denial about it. So that's the topic for today on SelfWork, with this episode again sponsored by BetterHelp.
The listener emails was from someone who was letting me know that my writing had been disappointing to her. And so I listened and responded.
Important Links:
BetterHelp, the #1 online therapy provider, has a special offer for you now!
Top Ten Country Drinking Songs
Discussion of criteria for Alcohol Use Disorder
What's happening with alcohol use with the pandemic
One Year No Beer Sobriety Article
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.
You can hear more about mental health and many other topics by listening to my podcast, SelfWork with Dr. Margaret Rutherford. Subscribe to my website and receive one weekly newsletter including my weekly blog post and podcast! If you’d like to join my FaceBook closed group, then click here and answer the membership questions! Welcome!
My new book entitled Perfectly Hidden Depression has arrived and you can order here! Its message is specifically for those with a struggle with strong perfectionism which acts to mask underlying emotional pain. But the many self-help techniques described can be used by everyone who chooses to begin to address emotions long hidden away that are clouding and sabotaging your current life.
And there’s a new way to send me a message! You can record by clicking below and ask your question or make a comment. You’ll have 90 seconds to do so and that time goes quickly. By recording, you’re giving SelfWork (and me) permission to use your voice on the podcast. I’ll look forward to hearing from you!
Our Sponsors: * Check out BetterHelp and use my code betterhelp.com for a great deal: https://www.betterhelp.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | This is self-work and I'm Dr. Margaret Rutherford. |
| 0:13.0 | At self-work, we'll discuss psychological and emotional issues common in today's world and what to do about them. |
| 0:20.0 | I'm Dr. Margaret and self-work is a podcast dedicated to you taking just a few minutes today for your own self work |
| 0:29.3 | Hello and welcome or welcome back to self work. I'm Dr. Margaret Rutherford and we're back. |
| 0:36.5 | I'm so glad to be back with you today and we're going to hit the ground running. I have new |
| 0:41.2 | equipment and new ideas that we're going to slowly roll out. Not all of them |
| 0:45.0 | may stick around but I'm not going to change the traditional format. Just you and me talking |
| 0:49.7 | about a particular subject. I've got lots of emails from you that as one |
| 0:53.6 | listener told me last week when I go out for just a few minutes to get my head on |
| 0:57.5 | straight I very often got you in my ear that's so amazing to me and I'm very |
| 1:02.4 | honored so as so many of you who've been listening know I want to reach three groups of you those of you who are very comfortable with psychological and emotional issues maybe you're already in therapy yourself. |
| 1:14.5 | To those of you who've just been diagnosed, you're looking for answers. |
| 1:18.6 | But also to some of you who might never think you would darken a therapist door, but you're just curious enough to listen to self-work. |
| 1:25.8 | With all that said, the interviews with John Mo and Terry Cheney were very well received, |
| 1:31.0 | so I'm going to continue to look for a really special guest to feature. |
| 1:35.3 | I want only the best for you, and speakers who have something to offer you that I may not have. |
| 1:40.8 | I also want to take this moment to thank the now almost 850 people who've |
| 1:46.7 | rated a reviewed self-work on Apple Podcasts and the nearly 125 that reviewed my book Perfectly Hidden Depression on Amazon. |
| 1:55.0 | As I've said, you are my best marketing team. |
| 1:58.0 | So I ask you as we approach this winter and the challenges it will bring |
| 2:02.0 | that you tell a friend about self-work. |
| 2:05.5 | We all need support right now and I'd love to be a part of that for you and yours as best I can. So onward to the day. I've been surprised over the years |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Margaret Robinson Rutherford PhD, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Margaret Robinson Rutherford PhD and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.