Big life events linked to work like switching jobs, juggling parenting and carer responsibilities with a busy role, being unemployed for a length of time, returning to work or retiring, can also feel monumental – and sometimes cause us to drink more than we'd like.
Now Kent County Council (KCC) is backing this year’s Alcohol Awareness Week.
It starts on Monday (7 July) and aims to raise awareness of this link between drinking and work stress …and how we can break it.
Around 10 million Brits regularly drink alcohol in ways that can harm health and wellbeing.
In Kent, 1 in 5 people drink more than the recommended 14 units of alcohol a week.
The good news is there are lots of free things you can do to start making changes.
Get back in control by:
- taking this simple online quiz to ‘Know Your Score’ and see how much you drink, how it might be affecting your life and ways to cut down
- visiting www.kent.gov.uk/lowermydrinking for local support services and www.kent.gov.uk/everymindmatters for practical ways to manage work stress
- using the Drink Free Days app to help you make choices that are better for your health and wellbeing and stay within the recommended limits
However, for some it is not simply a case of cutting back.
Early signs you or a loved one may need specialised treatment for alcohol misuse include heightened anxiety when not drinking, all-day 'sessions' and blackouts.
Sam’s parents both suffered severe alcohol use disorder.
“...you will find you are not alone. I finally understood that when hearing other people’s journeys in recovery groups”
Sam said: “Alcohol was all I knew as a child. My first drink, I acted different to everybody else who was drinking, it affected me more. I didn't see it then, but now looking back I could see from the first drink I picked up it was a problem.
“I am now actively in recovery, have been sober for three years and am taking a day at a time. My relationship with my children has gone strength to strength. The thing that's helped me change the most is to realise that it's an illness. It isn't because I'm not a nice person and I'm not a good mum, it's that I'm ill.
“Don't feel ashamed to reach out for support because addiction has no barriers – anyone can be affected. It's also true when they say ‘it's okay not to be okay’. Listen to your inner voice that is telling you that you have a problem. Trust it and act on it and you will find you are not alone. I finally understood that when hearing other people’s journeys in recovery groups."
If you are worried about your drinking, or someone else’s, KCC commissions Forward Trust , who helped Sam, to run the East Kent Community Drug and Alcohol Service and Change Grow Live to run the West Kent Drug and Alcohol Wellbeing Service.
- visit www.kent.gov.uk/drugsandalcohol for more information
- watch Sam tell her story
“...rather than being a helping hand, drinking fuels stress, tiredness and anxiety. In turn this can create problems at work and with our relationships, finances and more. If this is a situation you recognise, be kind to yourself and please seek help from our services”
Diane Morton, KCC Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, said: “Balancing work and caring responsibilities is just one of the many pressures that can push people into misusing alcohol to cope.
“But rather than being a helping hand, drinking fuels stress, tiredness and anxiety. In turn this can create problems at work and with our relationships, finances and more. If this is a situation you recognise, be kind to yourself and please seek help from our services.”
Over 17 million working days in the UK are lost every year because of alcohol-related sickness, costing the UK economy over £7 billion.
“...use this Alcohol Awareness Week to check in on your drinking”
Kent County Council Director of Public Health, Dr Anjan Ghosh, said: “Noticing how much we drink is the first step to making changes because the amount can creep up, particularly as we get older.
“So whatever place you are at in life, use this Alcohol Awareness Week to check in on your drinking. Cutting back leads to sounder sleep, healthier weight, lower blood pressure and reduced risk of some cancers.
“If you’re an employer, support staff who might feel uncomfortable for drinking less or not drinking. Simple things like offering non-alcoholic choices at work events can help tackle sober shaming, keep staff safe and productive – and ensure everyone has a good time.”
