Let's talk about... Alcohol misuse/abuse.

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❌🍻 It's October!

Let's get Sober! 🍻❌

What is Alcohol misuse or abuse?

Alcohol misuse or abuse refers to the excessive and harmful consumption of alcohol. It encompasses a range of behaviours where an individual drinks alcohol in a way that leads to negative consequences for their health, social life, work, or relationships. This can include binge drinking, heavy drinking, or chronic alcohol dependence.

What can cause you to misuse alcohol?

The causes of alcohol misuse or abuse are multifactorial and can vary from person to person. We give you here some common contributing factors:

🥛 Genetics: A family history of alcoholism (one or multiple people in your family misusing alcohol) can increase your risk.

🥛 Psychological factors such as stress, depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues can lead to self-medication with alcohol.

🥛 Social and environmental factors like peer pressure, cultural norms, and easy access to alcohol can play a role. For the latter, jobs such as bartender or working in an alcohol factory can put you at risk.

🥛 Early exposure to alcohol, i.e starting to drink at a young age increases the risk of misuse.

🥛 Trauma or life events: Traumatic experiences or significant life changes can lead to increased alcohol consumption.

🥛 Lack of coping skills: An inability to deal with life's challenges healthily may lead to alcohol misuse.

What are the symptoms of alcohol misuse?

The symptoms of alcohol misuse or abuse can vary in severity but may include:

💧 Increased tolerance: This is when you need more alcohol to achieve the desired effect.

💧 Withdrawal symptoms: This is when you experience physical and psychological discomfort when not drinking for a period of time which can vary from person to person. Examples include visual hallucinations, tremors/body shaking, agitation, and sweats.

💧 Loss of control: This is the inability to limit alcohol intake or stop drinking once started.

💧 Isolation: This is when you withdraw from or do not find interest anymore in social activities and hobbies.

💧 Denial: This is when you minimise or do not recognise the problem.

What are the consequences of alcohol misuse?

These are dreadful and include the following:

⚠️ Physical health issues: Liver disease, cardiovascular problems including hypertension, cancer, and more.

⚠️ Mental health disorders include an increased risk of depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment (reduced ability to think appropriately).

⚠️ Accident: A higher likelihood of injuries due to impaired (altered) judgements and coordination.

⚠️ Social and relationship problems: Alcohol misuse can cause you to neglect responsibilities, fail in meeting work, school or family obligations, thus creating - conflicts with friends and family, isolation, and breakdown of relationships both professional and personal.

⚠️ Legal issues such as DUIs (Driving under the influence) offences also called drunk driving and other alcohol-related legal problems.

⚠️ Risky behaviour such as engaging in unprotected sex.

⚠️ Work and financial problems: The breakdown of professional relationships can subsequently cause you to lose your job, leading to financial instability and decreased productivity.

⚠️ Loss of self-esteem and self-worth: This can show in the form of feeling guilty or ashamed of alcohol use.

🫂 How and where can you get help? 🫂

If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol misuse or abuse, seeking help is crucial. Here are some of the steps we suggest you/they take:

✔️ Acknowledge the problem: This is recognising the fact that there is an issue with alcohol use.

✔️ Talk to someone: Reach out to a trusted friend, family member, or a therapist.

✔️ Consult a healthcare professional: A doctor can discuss with you in all confidentiality, provide medical advice and treatment options.

✔️ Support groups: Joining Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or similar groups in your area can provide a support network.

✔️ Therapy: Consider individual or group therapy to address the underlying issues.

✔️ Medication: Some medications can assist with alcohol dependence treatment, but you must have committed first to the process of quitting alcohol.

✔️ Inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation: Depending on the severity of the problem, rehabilitation programmes may be necessary.

✔️ Community resources: Local organisations and hotlines can offer guidance and assistance. Search for one around your area.

A call to action

🦋 Remember that recovery from alcohol misuse or abuse is possible with the right support and treatment.

🦋 It's important you seek help as early as possible to minimise the negative consequences of alcohol misuse.

🦋 We are now two (2) weeks into October and if you have not yet done so, I would like to invite you to take on this challenge - solo or as a group! Let's get Sober this October!

Look after yourself and see you soon!

Dr Vee 💋