I beat the booze to be a BETTER MUM

Justine Whitchurch, 48, Gold Coast, Qld

Sobbing, I sipped my beer and crawled into bed.

At 19 years old, I was broken-hearted after splitting from my boyfriend.

I kept drinking the beer until I fell asleep.

I’d tried alcohol before, but this was the first time I’d used it to medicate my emotions. Instead of facing my feelings, from then on, through my 20s, I’d crack open a bottle whenever I was feeling low.

Experiencing anxiety, drinking alcohol helped me deal