CAN YOU CONTROL HOW MUCH YOU DRINK?

Are you worried that you cannot control how much alcohol you drink? That you cannot resist ‘just one’ and that you always end up drinking more than you intend to?

If your attempts to moderate your alcohol consumption keep falling short, here’s why

Alcohol is an addictive substance. It’s legal, easily accessible, deeply embedded in Western culture, and highly addictive. If you are worried that you cannot regulate your drinking, this is a very common concern Please keep reading

Of course, not everyone who drinks alcohol develops a problem or addiction. Many people can ‘enjoy responsibly’ as per the advertisers’ advice.

But I do speak from experience when I say that alcoholism is a progressive disease and that a bad habit left unchecked can easily become an addiction I began binge drinking at a young age and first realised that I had a serious alcohol abuse problem at the age of nineteen. I became aware that I could not drink alcohol ‘normally’ in that I could not control when, or how much, I drank Before that, drinking was fun I was blissfully unaware that alcohol was significantly altering my young brain’s chemistry and functioning during my years of heavy drinking as a teenager.

Every time we consume alcohol our brains release dopamine and endorphins which are responsible for making us feel pleasure, and for reducing pain and stress

Essentially our brains are rewarding us for drinking alcohol by making us feel better Regular drinking progressively alters the reward and pleasure centre in our brains, leading us to crave more alcohol

The chemicals in alcohol that make it addictive are so powerful that with long-term use, our brains learn to prioritise alcohol consumption over essential survival functions such as sleeping, eating, having sex, and human connection These significant neurological changes are the reason why you cannot resist alcohol, even when you really try! Now you know, you can stop berating yourself for struggling to curb your drinking. By the age of nineteen my drinking had intensified, and I became both psychologically and physically addicted to alcohol. It was terrifying.

I told no-one Through sheer willpower I managed to gradually reduce my intake and sober up Despite this experience I did not quit drinking I convinced myself that I had my drinking under control and could be a social drinker. Most weekends in my twenties I drank heavily in spite of my previous experience of alcoholism. There were times when I was petrified that my drinking would descend into addiction again, followed by periods of reduced alcohol consumption

Looking back, I can see that my alcohol addiction was quietly gaining strength with every drink I had By my early thirties I once again became consumed by alcohol addiction I needed serious help and finally got sober after undergoing a medically assisted detox in hospital. Let my story empower you. If you are concerned about how much you are drinking, please speak to someone you trust If you have a feeling that you may have a problematic relationship with alcohol, you are probably right You might compare your level of drinking to mine and think yours is not that bad. You may well be right. Your drinking is not that bad - yet. Alcohol is addictive and addiction is a progressive disease. Don’t wait for the catastrophe like I did. Seek professional help It is scary but you will never regret taking steps to seriously cut back, or cut out, your alcohol intake It was the best thing I ever did, and I am healthier, happier, and free to be me because of it.

Kate Davidson