Is your doctor hitting the bottle – new research

A nationwide study of British employees has revealed as many as 86 percent of doctors feel pressure to get drunk, due to a “workplace drinking culture”.

Railway workers came second (82 percent), and IT workers a close third (81 percent).

 

Who is drinking more units than is good for their health?

Overall, almost a third of the employed Britons who took part in the study, believe they would be at a disadvantage at work if they didn’t drink alcohol, despite many wanting to cut down or stop completely.

The research revealed the extent to which employees feel they would be seen as an outcast if they didn’t drink, with almost HALF (47 percent) saying they feel real pressure to keep up with the booze culture at work.

In fact, the extent to which work based “beer pressure” is impacting our lives was revealed in the study, with 32 percent of those polled saying there is a culture of excessive drinking at their workplace.

A further 43 percent claim they actively avoid “work dos” because they know the pressure to overindulge with booze will be too much to withstand.

But one in ten Brits have stopped drinking solely to improve their work performance, and seven percent because it was having a negative impact on their ability to do their job.

The study found that a staggering 59 percent of Brits felt they had a problematic relationship with alcohol, with four in ten having felt at times that they were out of control in relation to their drinking.

Yet the pressure to drink is huge, with 43 percent of the 2,000 working Brits polled claiming they had been coerced into drinking booze on a night out by friends and colleagues, despite not wanting to indulge.

And 70 percent of people who have tried to give up booze admit they have been made to feel awkward by others if they say they are abstaining. Shockingly, the same number claim that this pressure has actually caused them to hit the bottle again.

Said Ruari Fairbairns of One Year, No Beer: “It goes without saying that the UK has a strong drinking culture and with that, peer pressure is equally strong and alive. It’s shocking that the nation’s doctors, managers and workers in big business are feeling immense pressure to drink alcohol because of the company culture. At One Year No Beer, we help companies introduce a culture change to help employees handle all occasions, whether it’s after work drinks with colleagues, or business meetings. There are always going to be obstacles when setting yourself the challenge of giving up alcohol, but it’s when you overcome these obstacles that it builds self worth, and that’s far more gratifying than having a drink.”

The average Brit thinks about giving up alcohol 25 times every year, yet only half (49 percent) have ever tried to quit.

The main reasons for going teetotal for Brits is because of worries it was affecting their health (26 percent), followed by wanting to see if they could go alcohol-free (23 percent).

One in five people tried to quit because they have had too many bad drinking experiences, and the same number because they felt they had started drinking too heavily.

And more than one in ten (13 percent) had not wanted their children to see them intoxicated.

The survey also revealed that one in ten Brits know they drink too much and yet feel completely unable to cut down. And a quarter of people (25 percent) say that they believe people in Britain drink too much.

Interestingly, the problem seems to be generational as 60 percent of 16-29-year-olds feel pressured into drinking by their work culture, compared to just 40 percent of 45-60-year-olds.

PROFESSIONS WHO FEEL THE MOST PRESSURE TO DRINK:

Doctors – 86 percent
Railway workers – 82 percent
IT workers – 81 percent
Musicians – 75 percent
Banker/ City workers – 69 percent
Scientist/ researchers – 65 percent
Actors – 64 percent
Pharmacists – 57 percent
Accountants – 52 percent
Designers – 51 percent

Free guide to identifying alcohol abuse

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London: A valuable guide, designed to help identify substance abuse in loved ones, is now available. ‘Beginning RecoveryÂ’ is the title of the new guide, published by Winthrop Hall – the UKÂ’s only purpose built drug and alcohol treatment centre.

Coping with the stresses and strains of modern living can be a test for the toughest of resolves. Some find themselves unable to cope with work pressures, financial problems or family difficulties, and find themselves pushed over the edge, forced to seek solace in alcohol and other substances. You can get the leaflet free from Winthrop Hall

Research carried out by the Greater London Alcohol and Drug Alliance* found that 21% of adult Londoners are harmful users of alcohol, and 1% of LondonÂ’s 7.5 million population are problematic drug users. According to Alcohol Concern*, between 58-60% of 11-15 year olds drink alcohol, with the mean consumption for those who drink doubling from 5 units a week in the early 1990s to 10 units in 2004. By the age of 13, the proportion of those who drink exceeds the proportion of teenagers who do not drink.

This yearÂ’s Statistics on Drug Misuse* reports that men are more likely to take illicit drugs than women – 13.7% took drugs in the last year compared with 7.4% of women. Alarmingly, during 2005/06 181,390 people were in contact with structured drug treatment services. This is a 13% increase on figures during 2004/05, where the number was 160,453 and more than twice the number in 1998/99.

For many, the problem is not obvious. However, there may be a number of noticeable changes that are out-of-character.

Symptoms to look out for:
1. Changes in behaviour or routine – missing appointments, coming home late, going out at odd times
2. Evasiveness and vagueness
3. Mood swings – irritability, aggression, depression or euphoria
4. Taking less pride in appearance, poor skin or a weight loss problem
5. Hand tremors and regular sweats
6. Increased secretiveness or lack of openness, even lying
7. Changes in finances, running out of money or money going missing

All of these symptoms can point to a crisis. ItÂ’s not always easy for the user to admit they have a problem, and trying to help can often lead to confrontation. People sometimes think they can resolve the problem themselves without proper treatment, but if self-help with the support of friends and family has not worked, then professional help is the answer.

ItÂ’s important to remember that help is always at hand – but itÂ’s getting the right help that counts. A copy of the ‘Beginning RecoveryÂ’ guide, offering practical advice on recognising symptoms plus information for getting treatment for substance abuse, is available by calling Winthrop Hall on + 44 (0)1580 894334.

Other support organisations include:
The National Alcohol Helpline: 0800 917 8282
Alcoholics Anonymous: 0845 769 7555
FRANK: The National Drug Helpline: 0800 776600

* source:
Greater London Alcohol and Drug Alliance – London: The Highs and the Lows 2 (January 2007)
Alcohol Concern – Young People’s Drinking, Factsheet
Statistics on Drug Misuse, England 2007 – The Information Centre www.ic.nhs.uk

For more details on Winthrop Hall, call 01580 894334.

1 in 5 thinks their partner drinks too much

London: One in five of those in relationships in the UK (1) thinks their partner drinks too much, according to new research exploring whether alcohol has more of an impact on relationships than couples might think.

The ICM survey of 1000 people (2) was commissioned for the GovernmentÂ’s new Know Your Limits campaign, which launched in October to encourage responsible drinking.

Sadly alcohol and arguments do seem to mix, with one in four (25%) admitting to having rows when they drink. This is particularly the case with 18 to 24 year olds: half of them (49%) admitted that they row with their partner after drinking alcohol. This is also true for one third (37%) of 35 to 44 year olds.

What are the arguments about?

1. ‘Anything and everything’- 35%
2. The behaviour of either partner – 31%
3. Money – 14%
4. The children – 12%
5. Domestic chores – 11%
6. The fact that your partner is drinking – 10%
7. The in-laws – 5%

More than a third of 18 to 24 year olds (37%) say that their partnersÂ’ behaviour is the biggest cause for their arguments when drinking. This is also true for 35 to 44 year olds (29%). However, amongst the older age groups the likes of children and domestic chores rise up the agenda.

Making up

Most couples resolve arguments and move on – at least until another one brews the next time they start drinking. However, 10% said that they never resolve the arguments; and 11% let the argument escalate and just ignore each other – but eventually make up.

For those that did resolve them quickly, there were two popular options:

Take a step back, calm down and look for a compromise

Agree that alcohol is blurring the issue and drop it until the next day

Commenting on the results, Srabani Sen of Alcohol Concern said:

“Too much alcohol can affect people who might otherwise think things were fine, with either their or their partner’s drinking. We’re beginning to realise though that alcohol misuse not only causes physical harm, but can also blight relationships. People need to be able to recognise the negative impact alcohol might be having on their lives and try to cut down to safer levels.”

Relate counsellor Denise Knowles said:

“Couples should be able to openly discuss their feelings about their partners’ drinking habits if they feel it’s ever a cause for concern. Learning how to discuss issues effectively is a key element of a healthy relationship.”

Know Your Limits is a joint Department of Health and Home Office campaign which encourages people to drink responsibly and get to know their limits. Men should not regularly drink more than 3 to 4 units a day, and women should not regularly drink more than 2 to 3 units a day. Consistently drinking 4 or more units for men (and 3 or more for women) is not advised because of the progressive health risk it carries.

In addition, women who are trying to conceive, or who are at any stage of pregnancy, should not drink more than 1 to 2 units once or twice a week and should avoid getting drunk. Know Your Limits recognises that drinking can be enjoyable, but also emphasises the undesirable consequences of drinking too much, such as arguments with loved ones, getting into fights or being in a vulnerable situation on a night out.

The research backs up the popular perception that men drink more alcohol than women. More than half of the women (56%) drink less than their partner, and half of the men (51%) admitted they drink more than their partner. In fact, 28% of the men confessed that their partner tells them as much. However, 9% of couples feel their partnerÂ’s drinking is a subject they couldnÂ’t easily talk about.

1 Taken from the survey base where people were both in a relationship, and their partner drinks alcohol

2 ICM interviewed a random sample of 1000 adults aged 18 plus by telephone across the UK between 17th–19th November 2006. ICM is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. Further information at www.icmresearch.co.uk

Alcohol facts

Alcohol is a major cause of disease and injury: it accounts for 9.2% of years of life lost/lived with disabilities.

Alcohol misuse costs the NHS around ÂŁ1.6 billion every year, mainly in the acute sector.

The estimated annual NHS spend on specialist alcohol treatment is ÂŁ217 million with 65,000 people receiving treatment.

17% of victims of sexual assault surveyed in the British Crime Survey Interpersonal Violence Module 2001 said that the offence took place when they were incapable of consent due to alcohol.

Regular visitors to pubs and bars are twice as likely to be victims of assault
Half of all violent crimes are linked to alcohol

An agreement was made in June 2006 between the Government, Drinks Industry and health stakeholders to set up the Drinkaware Trust. This new charitable Trust will be funded by the drinks industry and is aimed at positively changing the UKÂ’s drinking culture and tackling alcohol-related harm.

For further information see www.knowyourlimits.gov.uk

About Relate

Relate is working to promote health, respect and justice in couple and family relationships

RelateÂ’s services extend beyond couple counselling to family counselling, counselling for young people, online counselling, sex therapy and relationship skills workshops

Relate works in schools, primary care settings, prisons, and with local authorities on homelessness prevention services
Relate supports 150,000 people each year in over 600 locations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

This year Couple Counselling Scotland changed its name to Relate Scotland which remains a separate charity yet operates with shared standards and in close partnership with Relate

For more information and advice visit: www.relate.org.uk