F. Scott Fitzgerald once wrote: ‘First the man has a drink. Then the drink has a drink. Then the drink has the man’. I suppose alcoholism can not be summed up any better than that.
As I’m sure we’ve all seen in various TV shows, films, and all other forms of pop culture in an AA meeting the first step to recovery is admitting you are entirely powerless over alcohol, reports indy100.
But just how do you come to terms with admission?
Dr. Brad McKay, famous for his appearances on Embarrassing Bodies Down Under, has listed four important questions which if you answer yes to you may want to have a think about your relationship with alcohol.
1)
Have you ever been criticised for your drinking habits?
It might have been a friendly reminder you’re going out a bit too much or it could’ve been far firmer and stronger.
Do you ever find yourself drinking alone to avoid the ridicule? If so, then you might want to think about your drinking habits…
2)
Do you recover from a hangover with more drink?
Despite being infamous across the globe, actually having a ‘hair of the dog’ the morning after is pretty uncommon. If you ease the pain of a hangover with more alcohol regularly then you should definitely try and cut down.
Alcoholism aside, curing a hangover with more alcohol can even lead to fits due to a chemical imbalance in the body.
3)
Do you ever feel guilty about drinking?
If relatively frequently you can be found telling yourself you shouldn’t be drinking so much, and I’m not just talking about when you’ve got a hangover, I mean when you’re clearheaded too – then you should definitely consider taking a break from alcohol.
4)
Have you ever considered cutting down?
Finally – do you ever realise half way through a night out you say to yourself you’ve had enough before making your way through numerous more beverages?
Not to worry, but if you notice you’re doing this more and more often then alarm bells should certainly start ringing.
If you want to talk to someone about your drinking habits contact Alcoholics Anonymous on 0800 9177 650 or email them at help@alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk.
