Taking a break for your health

Mirjam was hit by corona during the first wave. Like a turtle she lay in bed for over a week. The virus hacked into it. And she still experiences the effects of corona every day. That is why she decided to take an alcohol break in September 2020.

“Because I work in healthcare, I was tested for corona during that first wave. And I tested positive. So I know for sure that I have had corona. I was quite sick of it. Fortunately, I was spared a hospital admission, but the after-effects are still palpable. I sometimes have cotton wool in my head for days in a row, I am very tired and can't handle stimuli well. When I've asked too much of myself one day, I pay the bill the next day. I wake up with a hangover. As if I had slumped a lot the night before.

Because we moved into a new house in the summer of 2020 - and I couldn't contribute much to the move due to my complaints - friends came to help us. Every day there were some beers and wine drunk at the end of the day. I had a nice drink, because I couldn't do anything else about moving and the alcohol dampened the complaints somewhat. I didn't think too much about the fact that the alcohol secretly hit me harder than in the time before I became ill. Until I -I remember well- suddenly thought on September 27: what am I doing to my body? My body is working hard to get better and I'm pouring poison into it. Then I decided not to drink anymore.

Last December I had a drink because of the holiday season. After that, no more. I'm not saying I'll never drink again, but I won't drink anyway until I'm completely better. And if I ever drink again, it has to be on my terms. In moderation and with full attention.”