THE UK is a nation of boozers.
In fact, Brits took third spot among the world’s most prolific binge drinkers, in a recent survey.
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And as the Christmas holidays approach, it’s all too easy to justify that extra glass of red as a part of “the festive spirit”.
But there is a point after which a few drinks after work or a night out becomes harmful to your health, especially if you begin to become dependent on alcohol.
Alcoholism – medically known as alcohol addiction, misuse or dependence – is characterised by the strong, often uncomfortable urge to drink, despite suffering negative consequences from the habit.
These could have negative effects on your health, according to alcohol support charity Drinkaware, or you could experience ramifications to your personal, social and work relationships.
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all definition of what an alcoholic is and how someone suffering from an addiction to booze behaves.
A Panorama report that aired last night (Nov 25) might make you think twice about your drinking habits, as journalist Hazel Martin investigates why cases of alcohol-related liver disease are spiking in women under 40.
Hazel is one of a growing number of young women who have experienced alcohol-related liver disease, despite not considering herself as someone with an alcohol problem.
According to the US-based Desert Hope Treatment Center, alcoholism is a complex disease and there are five different types of alcoholics.
These include:
1. Chronic severe alcoholic
People who are chronic severe alcoholics “are generally middle-aged men who started drinking young” and have problems, the treatment centre says.
This subtype is “likely what people think of when they think of alcohol addiction”, experts from the centre said.
“People battling chronic severe alcoholism likely have difficulties functioning in everyday life, are often unable to hold down jobs, may lose their homes and families, suffer from multiple health issues, and have many behavioural, interpersonal, and social issues related to alcohol abuse.”
They might also have a family history of alcohol abuse and at the same time be suffering problems with their mental health, such as depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder and abuse of other substances.
2. Functioning alcoholic
It’s also possible to be addicted to alcohol while keeping up appearances that your life is in order and not suffering the same overt consequences as the above subtype.
A functioning alcoholic is someone who is dependent on alcohol but is still able to function relatively effectively in their daily life.
They can hold down a job, play a role within a family and to most people, appear to be coping.
But there are a few red flags that they may have a growing problem with alcohol, including:
- Having cravings for alcohol
- Drinking instead of eating
- Displaying uncharacteristic actions and behaviours while drinking
- Suffering blackouts
- Becoming unable to control the frequency and duration of drinking episodes
- Having a doctor tell them to stop or cut back on drinking
- Spending an exorbitant amount of money at bars or or pubs
- Hiding bottles of alcohol in the car, around the house, or at the office
- Doing few activities that don’t involve alcohol or sneaking alcohol into them
3. Young adult alcoholic
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Young adult alcoholics are people who are around the age of 24 who have battling alcohol addiction since the age of 20.
“This subtype may not drink as often as the other subtypes of alcoholics; however, when they do drink, they consume alcohol in a binge pattern,” Desert Hope experts said.
The NHS defines binge drinking as “drinking heavily over a short space of time”, though you can also think about it as ‘drinking to get drunk’.
This is the type of alcoholism Hazel was suffering from – and she is far from alone.
A report from the World Health Organisation (WHO) reveals that the number of British binge drinkers has risen by 13 per cent.
But while the number of men binge drinking has remained relatively stable, there has been a 57 per cent increase in the number of female heavy drinkers between 2016 and 2019.
The practice can be dangerous, putting you at risk of accidents, alcohol poisoning and other short- and long-term health issues.
Drinkaware says drinking more than eight units of alcohol in a single session is a binge for men, while for women that’s six.
Young bingers rarely have a family history of addiction and don’t usually suffer from mental health issues at the same time, Desert Hope experts said – they also rarely seek help for alcohol abuse.
4. Young antisocial alcoholic
These individuals are typically in their mid-20s and might have begun struggling with addiction earlier than other alcoholism types.
“About half have a family history of alcoholism, and about three-quarters also smoke cigarettes and abuse marijuana,” Desert Hope experts said.
They also claimed that half of young antisocial alcoholics also suffer from antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), which regularly co-occurs with alcohol abuse and addiction, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
ASPD is characterised by impulsive, irresponsible and often criminal behaviour, NHS guidance states.
Someone with antisocial personality disorder will typically be manipulative, deceitful and reckless, and will not care for other people’s feelings, it added.
5. Intermediate family alcoholic
While they often begin drinking when nearing young adulthood, intermediate familial alcoholics typically won’t struggle with alcohol-related issues until their mid-30s.
They often have a familial link to alcoholism.
How to cut back on drinking
If you’re concerned about your drinking, a good first step is to see a GP
They’ll be able to give advice and support on how to manage your drinking habits and cut back safely.
This might involve counselling, medicines or detox services.
Being dependent on alcohol means you feel you’re not able to function without it and means stopping drinking can causes physical withdrawal symptoms like shaking, sweating or nausea.
If you have these symptoms when you don’t drink, it could be dangerous to stop drinking too quickly without proper support.
There are many charities and support groups you can join or speak to, as well as helplines:
Tips to quit
When you’re ready to stop, the following tips and techniques can make it that little bit easier.
- Tell family and friends that you’re aiming to stop drinking alcohol and explain why – reminding yourself and the people close to you why you want to stop drinking can help keep you on track, and may even encourage someone else to give up or cut down with you.
- Identify triggers avoid avoid situations where you may be tempted to drink, at least in the early stages – from after work pub quizzes to boozy dinners.
- Keep busy in the times you’d usually drink by trying something new – get active or meet a friend at the cinema.
- Reward yourself as you make progress and don’t be too hard on yourself if you slip up every once in a while – it can be helpful to give yourself short-term goals.
- Notice how your body feels without booze – you might find that you have more energy, are sleeping better or have lost weight.
Source: Drinkaware
3 RED FLAGS YOU MUST NOT IGNORE
It can sometimes be tricky to know you’re addicted to alcohol.
According to Drinkaware, doctors will often look out for three keys signs.
One is that you have impaired control over alcohol use. This means you might not be able to control how long a drinking session is, how much booze you down and how frequently you drink.
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You might also be unable to stop drinking once you start drinking at inappropriate occasions or places.
Giving increased priority to booze is a second red flag.
This means you might give precedence to drinking over other daily activities and responsibilities.
It might also mean that drinking is more important to you than looking after your health, or you carry on drinking despite negative consequences for your health or life.
Finally, experiencing unwanted effects on your physical or mental health from drinking is a key sign you might be suffering from alcohol addiction.
For example, you might notice you need to drink more to feel the effects of alcohol or you’re experiencing withdrawal symptoms.
You might also catch yourself sneaking a drink to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
Adele recently revealed she was a ‘borderline alcoholic’ for a lot of her twenties.
Signs you might have a drinking problem
It can be tricky to spot the signs of alcohol dependence.
Doctors often tend to look for these specific signs:
- Impaired control over alcohol use – not being able to control how long a drinking session is, how much alcohol you consume when you do drink, how frequently you drink, being unable to stop drinking once you start, or drinking on inappropriate occasions or at inappropriate places.
- Giving increasing priority to alcohol – giving precedence to drinking over other daily activities and responsibilities, drinking is becoming more important to you than looking after your health, or carrying on drinking despite negative consequences for your health or life.
- Unwanted physical or mental effects from drinking – showing signs of increased tolerance to alcohol (having to drink more for the same effect), experiencing withdrawal symptoms, or using alcohol to prevent or alleviate withdrawal symptoms.
If you think you may be drinking too much, or that your drinking is beginning to have a damaging effect on your life, Drinkaware also has a quick online test that can tell you if you should be concerned.
Source: Drinkaware
