Discernment on drinking

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Hello.
So my mother has a non-alcoholic problem with her liver (very rare). I myself have started to drink, for joy and to help me relax. I know drinking not a sin, but is drinking bad since my mom has liver issues? I don’t believe it’s hereditary since a rare and random disease, she has other issues with it I believe. I have a few beers a week l, along with a few strong drinks (like rum or whiskey). I think I may be overthinking it. Tonight I wanted to relax with a meal and beer at a restaurant, even though I said I would wait to see if it was hereditary and thought maybe I shouldn’t drink so much (lol i don’t think I really drink that much anyways), but I still did and is this sin? I basically said to myself, “eh, I really want one and need to relax, I was overthinking”. But was I really?
 
Drinking in moderation is not a sin. Personally, I’d never want to even try drinking. Anything that kills your brain cells is something to steer clear from if you ask me.
 
If you think you were a tad irresponsible, then maybe confess it if it really bothers you. If it’s Venial it is forgiven during the penitentiary rite at Mass.

Drinking in moderation is fine.
But, you say it is not caused by drinking. If drinking is bad for it, then you may need to exercise more caution, similar to if it is hereditary.
 
This won't be a popular response. "need to relax". Watch out for the slippery slope.
 
Perhaps you can go for liver testing. Your enzyme counts would be a good place to start. You would probably get blood tests done first. I think you should be very careful with your liver. You only get one liver. And it’s better to have a problem with your lover than with your liver.
 
Do you get physical examinations? I would talk about this with my doctor at my yearly exam. If you are being truthful that you only have one drink a day or less I think you are ok - also it is very important to consume alcohol with food - same time. Food acts as a filter, reducing the absorption of alcohol by the body, thereby reducing the negative effects of alcohol on your body. Moderate drinking is associated with health benefits, according to many studies. And moderate drinking, especially beer and wine with an evening meal, is a longstanding tradition in many cultures - for thousands of years. This kind of drinking has nothing to do with liver failure, alcoholism. I think Germanic cultures have a different attitude toward drinking than Latin ones. And America is Germanic in this sense. We have a sort of alcohol-phobia; we push abstinence but also suffer from binging, horrible excessive drinking for entertainment, self-medicating. You need to properly understand where you fit into this spectrum.
 
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Well, i talked with my mother. She said i shouldnt be too worried, just careful, From what she told me its actually not non alcoholic cherosis, but rather a thyroid issue that caused the cherosis, so i think im good. The problem however, is that i tend to overthink things due to a scrupulous conscience and have therefore thought to myself when having a few beers and other drinks within a week “Oh you need to slow down, thats too much.” And then the next few days i go “oh i was overthinking it, its fine” I have a drink and then feel all guilty cause i didn’t “live up to being responsible”. I have spoken with my priest about this, he basically said not to worry and that it was ok due to the fact that i am just enjoying it and not abusing it, also because i use it to de-stress. So should i just dismiss all this worry? Its annoying. I then feel guilty because i really enjoy drinking (though i dont have to honestly) but then i feel like im attached all because i actually got worried and annoyed that i might not be allowed to enjoy it because it was wrong. This tends to happen with other things i enjoy in life, i get tired of making myself think somethings wrong and then guilt tripping myself all because it upset me, there fore supposedly showing im “addicted or attached”. PAX
 
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Hi JR,

Do you find that you “feel, really feel” like you need a drink when you’re stressed, anxious, or when you have uncomfortable feelings? Like you need to escape them? And alcohol would relieve your discomfort?
 
No. It’s not necessarily like that. It isn’t a matter of me getting stressed and then going “oh I need a drink”. It’s rather a drink sometimes helps me to relax every now and then. Mostly I just drink for enjoyment honestly. The stress part is just me seeing it as some help along with me enjoying life again, as I stifled that with my scrupulosity. I can say honestly no, I do not use it to escape reality. Thank the Lord. Its rather part of the practice of enjoyment again
 
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Usually for discomfort I pray or just try to let my mind clear. I don’t use alcohol as relief against sudden problems if that’s what your asking, I’ve been careful not to use it as cop out. Though yesterday I did have some anxieties and a headache and decided a meal and a beer would do me good
 
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JR,

Glad to know this! I myself am a recovered alcoholic (31 years Christmas Eve, thank God!). I was just concerned.

Stuart
 
Thank you very much for your concern. I know we all have had addictions… Jesus is a Healer! 🙂 Praise Him for releasing you. God bless.
 
Sounds like you don’t have a drinking problem, to me. Moderate drinking has been a nice perk in my life, and that’s speaking as a person whose life was dramatically damaged by a drunk driver.
 
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