DEAR HARRIETTE: My husband and I have been living it up since we have been quarantined, and I think it’s getting out of control. Starting early in the morning, he sits around sipping a beer and eating junk food. Just about every day I join him for a couple -- or more -- drinks. It’s not smart. I can see that we have gained weight, but more than that, it’s awful to be filling our bodies with so much bad stuff. It’s like party central for us, even though I’m still working. My husband got laid off, and he seems to have let himself go.
I am worried about us. If we are home too much longer, who knows what’s going to happen to us? I feel like we really have to stop. How can we break this habit? It has become a routine. -- Cold Turkey
DEAR COLD TURKEY: Invite your husband to quit drinking and eating poorly with you. Point out the patterns that you two have been falling into over the past few weeks. Tell him you are worried about your health and well-being. Ask him to join you in cleaning up your act.
Regardless of whether or not he joins you, you can decide to stop drinking and make smarter choices. And you don’t have to do it alone; Alcoholics Anonymous offers free online meetings for people who want support as they get sober. To find a meeting, go to aa-intergroup.org.
(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)