Mid-Life and Merlot with Debbie Harbec, Coach for Women in Mid-LifeMid-Life and Merlot with Debbie Harbec, Coach for Women in Mid-Life
Recovery Recharged with Ellen Stewart Pushy Broad from the Bronx
Are Mid-Life women the fastest growing group of addicts and alcoholics? What emotional situations are they facing and how can they cope effectively? I talk to Debbie Harbec, Coach for Women in Mid-Life. She will shed some light on how...
25:58•12 Jun 2024
Midlife, Merlot and Menopause: When Wine Stops Being Just a Treat
Episode Overview
- Perimenopause can last five to ten years and comes with numerous physical and emotional symptoms, often before periods become irregular.
- Women aged 45–60 are identified as a rapidly growing group for alcohol use, with wine commonly used to manage stress and hormonal upheaval.
- Regularly drinking more than six or seven drinks per week is described as a sign of misuse or potential addiction, especially when used to cope.
- Building awareness of why and how often you drink is presented as the first step, followed by learning to sit with difficult emotions instead of numbing them.
- Improving sleep, movement, nutrition and stress management, alongside professional support, is suggested as a practical way to feel better in midlife.
“"Between 45 and 60, we are the fastest growing demographic when it comes to alcohol consumption, and females in particular."”
What can we learn from those who have battled addiction? This conversation between host Ellen Stewart and coach Debbie Harbec zooms in on midlife women, hormones, and how a "glass of wine to take the edge off" can quietly slide into something far more worrying. Debbie, a certified life coach from Montreal, works with women over 40 on perimenopause and menopause.
She explains that perimenopause can stretch five to ten years before menopause, with symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, joint pain, migraines, anxiety, brain fog and “about three dozen different symptoms.” Ellen shares her own experience of intense anger and emotional swings, including literally throwing plates, to show just how chaotic this phase can feel. The episode squarely addresses alcohol use in this context.
Debbie notes that women aged 45–60 are "the fastest growing demographic when it comes to alcohol consumption" and highlights how memes and social norms often glamorise wine as a coping tool. Ellen adds that more than six or seven drinks per week typically signals a problem, especially if alcohol is being used to manage hormonal distress. Rather than judging, the discussion focuses on awareness and practical help.
Debbie encourages women to be "honest with themselves" about over-drinking, to learn to sit with difficult emotions instead of numbing them, and to experiment with other ways of feeling better, like movement, better sleep, calming activities, and seeking professional support. She underlines that stress and chronic overwhelm are common, but they’re not something you have to handle alone.
If you’re in midlife, questioning your relationship with alcohol, or trying to understand what a partner is going through, this episode offers straight-talking validation and concrete starting points. Could this be the nudge you need to look at your habits and put your wellbeing first?
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