My position is that you need flexibility and an assortment of other strategies, preferably healthier strategies, to help you to relax.

Drinking is often more stressful if you are drinking in noisy environments, which itself causes stress, with people who are getting you to drink up, etc. You must also factor in the damage from the toxins, the stress on your liver, body, mind, etc.

The best option, if you have a lot of stress in your life, is to deal with it as soon as you can. Delaying relaxing can create serious health problems.

What can you do instead of drinking? The tried and true remedies are often the best: meditation, yoga, deep breathing exercises,reading, going for walks in the park, spending time in silence,with your family, massages etc….