If you’ve decided it’s time to change your relationship with alcohol , here’s what you need to know about dependency and withdrawal If your drinking is having a negative effect on your life, it’s hardly surprising if it’s taken some time for you to decide to do anything about it. “Alcohol is a social lubricant and is embedded in our society,” says Sally Marlow, a professor of practice in the public understanding of mental health research at King’s College, London. “Many people have some of the best times of their lives when they are consuming alcohol.
But in order to accept this we also need to be aware of the harms it can cause. Dependence is when your alcohol intake becomes so normalised that your body can’t function without it.” For those who’ve decided it’s time to quit, there are rising numbers making that same decision.
Here is how to do it safely. Understanding alcohol dependence The most affected group for alcohol dependence is people in their 40s, 50s and 60s who have had several decades of drinking to build tolerance and dependence. How to tell if you might be alcohol dependent: You find it difficult to stop drinking temporarily.
“If you’re asking yourself, have I got a problem with alcohol? The answer is probably yes,” says Prof Marlow. You need to consume more or stronger drinks to achieve the same effects. The problems created by your consumption outweigh any social benefits that you get from alcohol.
You are unable to do your job .
