Drinking Too much Alcohol
In Australia, drinking alcohol has become a common habit in our society, and reasons for drinking a various and ubiquitous. Alcohol is deeply woven into our lives, from celebrations to times of sadness, and it's easy to find reasons to drink almost any day of the week. Alcohol's charm is strong, making it a key part of our social fabric. Whether it's toasting during celebrations or seeking comfort during tough times, alcohol finds its way into our lives, often making moderation hard to maintain.
What might start as a simple beer on a Friday night can turn into a regular habit, blurring the line between a social drink and a daily necessity. Over time, reaching for a drink can become almost automatic. And during COVID we saw many people drinking to levels which they had never consumed alcohol before. For some people, it’s been challenging to cut back - and please know you’re not alone.
Interestingly, even sleep becomes intertwined with alcohol's influence. Some believe alcohol helps with sleep, but it actually disrupts the body's natural sleep cycle, preventing proper rest and recovery. It's ironic that something meant to bring rest can actually harm the quality of sleep. Alcohol's influence on the rapid eye movement (REM) phase of sleep disrupts the body's natural restorative processes, rendering true recovery elusive while intoxicated. The irony lies in how the very act meant to usher in rest can, over time, sabotage the quality of rest itself.
For those who started drinking at a young age, breaking free from alcohol's grip is a huge challenge. Alcohol becomes a part of their identity, making it hard to imagine life without it. Overcoming this requires changing habits and mindset, which can be very tough.
Statistics show that people struggling with alcohol often battle it for around 18 years before finding freedom. This long struggle reveals how complex the challenge is. Escaping alcohol's hold requires resilience, self-discovery, and finding healthier ways to cope.
Australia's culture embraces alcohol as a social and emotional crutch, which can be both a reflection of norms and a danger. Going from occasional drinking to a daily habit can happen subtly, and the mistaken belief that alcohol helps sleep adds to its appeal. Breaking free from alcohol's grasp takes commitment, especially for those who have had a lifetime relationship with it.
Am I Drinking Too much?
Wondering if you're drinking too much is an important step for your wellbeing. It's not just about the amount you drink, but how often and how it affects you. Think about why and when you drink, and how it impacts your body and mind. This self-reflection helps you see if your alcohol habits are healthy. While society and culture play a role, this self-questioning helps you make positive changes. By recognising signs of excess and knowing your limits, you can make better choices for a healthier life. Take this 5-Minute Quiz to see if you’re drinking too much. OR Here are some indicators to consider:
Increased Tolerance: Needing more alcohol to achieve the desired effect. One or two beers have turned into five or six to give you the same feeling.
Frequent Cravings: Strong urges or cravings for alcohol. These could happen at any time of the day, cravings may be triggered by a place, people or for no tangible reason at all. For some people, cravings come first thing in the morning or around 3-5pm.
Neglected Responsibilities: Missing work, school, or other important commitments due to drinking. You’d like to stay home and drink or you’ve missed an event because you were intoxicated or hungover
Social Isolation: Pulling away from friends and activities you used to enjoy.
Legal Issues: Getting into trouble with the law due to alcohol-related incidents.
Attempts to Cut Down: Trying to reduce alcohol is a struggle. It takes MANY attempts to limit or cease drinking before someone finds sobriety. Research suggests that it’s around 4 to 7 serious attempts at quitting before achieving a sustained period of sobriety.
Health Problems: Experiencing physical or mental health issues related to alcohol. This could be anything from anxiety, depression, liver problems to cancer.
Blackouts: Memory lapses or not remembering events that happened while drinking. Have you ever woken up with hangxiety wondering what you did or said the night before?
Relationship Struggles: Conflicts with family and friends due to alcohol use. Maybe an argument while drinking or people trying to have well-meaning but hurtful conversations about your drinking. People often care about you, hence they may try and approach you about your drinking, but maybe you weren’t at the stage of wanting to converse about your use.
Increased Risky Behavior: Engaging in dangerous activities while under the influence. This could be risky sexual partners/activities, drink driving, illegal activities or engaging in behaviour that puts you or someone else at risk.
Drinking Alone: Frequently drinking by yourself instead of with others.
Dependence: Feeling like you can't function without alcohol.
Wellbeing Coaching
If you’ve read through our story and identified with some aspects and maybe you’ve been considering changing your relationship with alcohol (or other drugs), we encourage you to reach out to us. Our Wellbeing Coaches can help guide you through your recovery journey with areas such as: Support Network, Skill-Building, Goal Setting, Education, Connecting with Resources and more.
Here's how a Wellbeing Coach can help you:
Personalised Guidance: Our Wellbeing Coaches tailor their approach to your specific needs, challenges, and goals. We create a customised plan that takes into account factors like triggers, past experiences, and personal strengths. We used a strengths-based approach to work in collaboration with you, without judgement.
Accountability: We provide a consistent source of accountability, should you be open to this type of approach - we will be guided by you. This could look like regular check-ins, meetings, and discussions to help you stay on track with your goals
Coping Strategies: Challenging habits often requires learning new coping mechanisms (switching from maladaptive to healthy) to replace the role alcohol used to play. Our coaches will help you to develop healthy ways to manage stress, anxiety, and other emotions without reaching to alcohol.
Relapse Prevention: We will work with you in identifying triggers and high-risk situations that could lead to relapse ( let’s plan an approach for that Christmas party!). We work collaboratively to create strategies for navigating these challenges and maintaining the way of living you choose to.
Positive Reinforcement: Celebrating milestones, achievements, and moments of personal growth is essential. Let’s celebrate them by acknowledging and reinforcing progress. While boosting motivation and self-confidence.
Long-Term Support: Recovery is an ongoing process. Wellbeing Coaches can provide support beyond the initial phases, helping you to navigate challenges and maintain sobriety in the long term.