Quitting alcohol: how Greg ditched the drink

Greg Stegman has always liked a drink. But a few years ago, when life got particularly stressful, his alcohol intake increased dramatically.

“Our house flooded while we were overseas, and we didn’t have any flood insurance,” says Greg, 75. “We had to pay a lot of money out of our savings. I was running my own business so had to work extra hours. I was working seven days a week, often 15 hours a day.”

Having a drink once it hit 6pm was just part of his routine.

“Alcohol had been part of my life for so long, it was just what I did,” he says. “But it increased. It went from being a bottle of wine every night, to 3 bottles a night.”

Greg had a history of depression and had traditionally relied on alcohol to get him through tough times.

“In 2013, I told my doctor that I thought I was depressed and drinking too much. He told me I just had to handle it. I was desperate to stop drinking, but I didn’t know how.”

Greg believes the culture of alcohol in Australia meant people didn’t really take him seriously. Around 1 in 3 Australian adults who drink exceed the recommended alcohol guidelines.¹

“I never drank during the day, and I’ve always exercised and been body healthy but not mind healthy, so people didn’t really see a problem,” he says. “Men tend to joke about drinking. It’s very hard to have a heart-to-heart conversation if you’re struggling.”

The more stress he was under, the more Greg’s mental health suffered, and the more alcohol he drank.

“I’d wake up feeling awful, and say to myself, ‘please God stop me from drinking’. I felt terrible and I was desperate to get to some sort of clear minded state. Then at about 3pm I’d start feel better, and say to myself, ‘it’s only 2 hours before I can open a bottle of wine.’”

Over the years, Greg had seen programs that claimed to help people stop drinking but was always sceptical.

“So many of them cost thousands of dollars and are overseas,” he says. “I didn’t think they would help me when I got home and was in my own environment again.”

Then, one day, he spotted an advert for an at home alcohol detox program. His health insurance meant he wasn’t out of pocket for any costs, reducing any further financial stress.

“I was given a nurse who guided me through the whole process,” he says. “We had daily video calls to start with. We talked about the reasons why I was drinking. It wasn’t a quick fix, but day by day I cut down on the alcohol. I was excited to do a week without drinking, then by week 2 I knew I wanted to do a month. It just went on from there.”

Greg has been sober for 18 months and has never felt better. “I feel different,” he says. “I don’t overreact to things anymore, and I can control my temperament.

“I’m able to examine situations before acting in a forceful way. I know I’m a strong person now, I don’t need a crutch to get through tough times. The lows aren’t as low, and the highs aren’t as high. I’m on more of an even keel all the time.”

He is proud he’s showing his family and close friends how to take control of their lives. “I was worried about what they were seeing,” he says. “I feel like I’m setting them a good example now, and they are witnessing who I want to be.”

“Don’t be afraid to ask for help,” he says. “I still have flashes of imagining having a glass of wine at night, because I did it for so long. But it’s about relearning habits. You just have to keep going one day at a time.”

Clean Slate Clinic offers a range of treatments for dependence on alcohol, stimulants, cannabis and other drugs.

Alcoholics Anonymous offers free recovery programs around Australia.