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Problem Drinking

Drinking is so endemic in Ireland that it is regarded by many people worldwide as being part of Irish culture. However, our national pastime has become a national problem.

Binge drinking has now become the norm, with many Irish people regularly exceeding their recommended weekly limit of alcohol on one night. As a result there are a significant number of us with alcohol dependency problems, alcoholism and alcohol-related illnesses.

The sad fact is that many Irish people don’t realise how harmful a drug alcohol can be. Alcoholism is a chronic, progressive, degenerative disease. One of the most important questions someone who drinks regularly can ask herself is whether or not they have crossed the line between social drinking and addiction.

What is social drinking?

For most people, the idea of having a few drinks with friends is a harmless way of relaxing and adding a certain element of spontaneity to an entertaining night out. The warning lights should flash, however, if you cannot imagine meeting up with friends or having a night out without drinking.

While it is difficult to set a hard and fast rule as to exactly what point a person becomes an alcoholic, people who feel they may be crossing the line should take a truthful look at their drinking patterns.

What are the signs of crossing the line?

If you think you are developing alcoholic behaviours, ask yourself the following questions, and in answering them be rigorously honest. While there is no strict equation that will determine for certain whether you are an alcoholic, if you answer yes to several questions, consider how frequent the behaviour occurs. For many of the questions, more than once is too much.

  • Do you regularly drink more than you meant to?
  • Are you able to stop after one or two drinks?
  • Do you “self-medicate” by using alcohol to help you deal with painful situations?
  • Are friends or loved ones suggesting that you drink too much?
  • Do you increasingly have to apologise for embarrassing behaviour while you were drunk?  
  • Are you embarrassed to admit how much you drink?
  • Have you lied about or hid evidence that you were drinking?
  • Do you have to defend your drinking to friends or loved ones?
  • Are you spending more than 10% of your disposable income on alcohol?  Have you noticed that you now have a high tolerance to alcohol?
  • Can you “out-drink” most of your friends?
  • Are you having regular cravings for a drink?
  • Do you drink more than the recommended limit of alcohol - 14 units per week for women and 21 units for men? (A pint is two units, a spirit is one and a half units and a small glass of wine is one unit.)
  • Is it common for you to have more than six drinks on a single night out?
  • Have you been unable to do something that was normally expected of you because you were drunk or hung-over?
  • Have you woken up and poured yourself a “cure” (a drink) after a night of heavy drinking?
  • Do you drink during the day?
  • Are you drinking despite the fact that you told yourself you would not?
  • Are you unable to remember something you have done while you were drunk?
  • Are you taking risks when you drink, for example, driving drunk, looking after children or operating heavy machinery?

What to do if you think you need help

While you may not yet be an alcoholic, if you answered yes to several of the questions above, you probably have a pre-alcoholic condition or alcoholic dependence. If you think you are drinking too much, the best thing to do is reach out for help.

Express your concerns to your GP. He or she will be able to run tests to determine the effect alcohol is having on your physical health. You also can contact the local office of the Health Services Executive for information on alcohol addiction and recovery services.

If you would rather not admit to your GP or anyone else that you believe you have a drinking problem, try contacting an addiction support group. Contact information for them is easily found within a phone directory. Some, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, allow people to attend regular meetings without requiring any financial dues or requesting excessive personal information.

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