‘Be aware – it’s a slippery slope’

Dr Christian says,

“It’s perfectly understandable that people are turning to alcohol, because we don’t have a lot to do and it’s a default stress relief for us as a nation. But the healthy limits are the same as ever – we should only be having 14 units a week.

“If you normally have a cut-off time, that’s probably slipping and you may be starting to drink earlier, or you’re drinking on days on which you wouldn’t normally because people’s timetables have gone out the window.

“There’s a real danger you could be drinking a lot more than usual without really thinking about it. If, before, you had your first drink at 7pm when you got home, now you might reaching for it at 5pm – that means you’re drinking for two hours more, and will probably mean more volume too. You don’t want to be creating a habit because, without realising it, you could be getting used to a certain way of life with more alcohol.

“We all think we’re strong and it won’t become a problem for us, but it could be hard to revert back to how you were before – it’s a slippery slope. If you carry on upping your drinking for months, in lockdown or otherwise, then of course there is more risk of accidents and injuries, to having arguments with your partner, to overeating – and if it continues into the long-term, liver damage and other horrible outcomes. For instance, cancer risk increases with heavy drinking.

“If you’re concerned, keeping a basic diary, or sticking a red sticker on the fridge every time you have a drink will keep you aware of what you’re doing. This visual reminder can be enough to help you check yourself.

“If you’re worried about somebody else in your household drinking too much, say something even if there’s a risk of annoying them – you will make them think. Maybe you can come up with a plan together to limit drinking. If they aren’t ready to listen, you can’t change that, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try.

“If you’re worried about yourself or your partner’s drinking, contact your GP or go look for help and information at the following charities – Wearewithyou.org.uk, Mind.org.uk, and Alcoholchange.org.uk.”