I love statistics, but not these. Today we are shockingly told that 1,000 binge drinkers are hospitalised in Britain every day.
This is a subject which is often on my mind since losing my friend Sue to drink, as well as Celia, who was found to be four times over the limit one morning when stopped by police.
I found myself at Christmas thinking of how sad the bereaved family of former Labour MP Fiona Jones must be feeling, her two boys the same age as my sons, now without a mum.
This weekend I am going to a friend’s party, an ex Fleet Street hack who only has a third of his liver left, but has thankfully heeded doctors warnings to give up the bottle for good – else he would be joining my friends through the pearly gates.
Last weekend I read this brave and tragic story of young Cambridge woman Lucy Petitt (pic left) who successfully fought her demons – and won – recognising that she would otherwise end up facing an early death like her alcoholic father.
I’m amazed at how frequently I come across similar stories. This morning I’ve had a SKY engineer round to upgrade us to Sky Plus, and he told me about his family’s drink problems. His mother is a serious binge drinker, his aunt and uncle are both alcoholics, and all his cousins are heavy drinkers too. He is so scared by what he has seen that he has gone totally to the other extreme and is teetotal. I know others who drink to dangerous levels too.
I told him I could help his family, that he must tell them that I know the perfect person who can help – Veronica Callanan, (pic right) who has been there herself and is now helping others professionally. Please seek medical help.
The Sky guy told me the causes of his family’s heavy drinking were bad nerves, as well as stress. He believes it is hereditary and won’t touch a drop. I think we need to see much more education and raising awareness based on the dangerous health impacts of binge drinking, of drinking to destruction. We need shock tactics to make people realise this could happen to them unless they stop. The challenges are huge because it means dealing with so many psychological related issues.
And at the end of the day, they have to want to do it themselves.
Ellee, it’s so sad to hear of your friends dying in this way, you have my sympathy.
In the case of the MP I don’t think anyone can blame being an MP for being an alcoholic. Ok, the drink was on tap 24 hours a day, but so is the drink you buy at Tesco on tap 24/7 in your home.
An individual with an addictive personality can blame their addiction on anything, from having a high pressured job to being without a job or homeless. From having too many responsibilities to having none. Drink is just one drug of choice for some of us.
I am an alcoholic, recovering now thankfully. I blamed anything and everything but basically it took hold of me before I knew how evil and dangerous it could be and by then it was too late, I wasted 20 years to it.
You’re right, education is needed to show youngsters how bad it can get, although I dare say they wouldn’t believe how bad it can really get, physically, emotionally or morally, but we’ve got to try.
I’ve had nearly 5 years of sobriety now and realistically, for me anyway, it’s not all sweetness and light, as some of us live with a tremendous amount of guilt for the things we’ve done, not to ourselves, but those we love the most.
If anyone is reading this and is in trouble with an addiction I’m always willing to talk and try to help even if just with a listening ear.
Life can be shit!
Another sad story Ellee, and as you Know my family know what destruction drink can bring to peoples lives… Hopefully my boys will have learnt a very hard lesson after loosing their Dad just 6 months ago ……The thought of them drinking worries me to death 🙁
Did you say you’d given up for January? How’s it going?
Zenfrog, Thank you for sharing your personal experiences on this. I do admire your strength, I wish Sue and Celia had managed to do the same. I hope you continue to stay well and on top of it all.
Sally, Yes, I know you can take or leave a drink, but what about your boys, have they been put off for good by losing their father?
WW, Not total success, about 80% reduction, and I feel much better for it.
Luckily I can take or leave drink. I do go on six pint binges now and then but end up merry and not oikish as I used to for some reason in my mid thirties. I’m ashamed of those times and that worked to make me moderate my drinking – besides, I no longer have the ishews that were making me sour at that time and strict policies and testing at work keep me on the wagon.
Sadly my cousin was burried last week aged 38 (two young childrend 4 and 6 left behind) Pancreatic cancer. She was predeceased by her father who died intoxicated six months earlier (aged 65) and her mother from drink induced mouth cancer three years ago (aged 59)
I used to love them but those people actually ‘died’ 20 years ago which was the last time I could recognise them.
Kevin, another heartbreaking waste of life.
WW, just to reply further to your question about my New Year detox plan as I had to rush out on the school run, I have bought a juicer which I have yet to use. I only drink 1 tea and coffee a day and really don’t seem to miss the caffeine. I love water and drink lots of cranberry juice, as well as fruit teas. I don’t know how successful I will be in totally abstaining from alcohol as I do enjoy a social drink, but in many ways I would rather not have any at all. I love feeling healthy and my skin is glowing nicely too. I love waking up bright and alert and not sluggish.
I remember Veronica defined an alcoholic to me as someone who often thinks about when they are going to have their next drink, this made sense to me.
So sad to hear of this waste.
So sad and you have said it all in your last sentence, Ellee. People who have never had an addiction, or who have never lived with someone who has one, are so very lucky.
Well I for one dont find the solutions to problems like these in prohibition.
I think there are few people who have not been touched by alcoholism and your commenters have stories to share on the subject. I have not been touched by alcoholism personally thank goodness but when I worked in the hospital we had the same people brought in over and over as they slowly drank themselves into ill health, were patched up only to return over and over again, worse each time.
Try rooibos, caffeine free South African leaf made into a tea. I have been drinking it now for some years. Google it.
Thanks JMP, I certainly do know of rooibos tea and have drunk it.
I’ve had quite a lot to do with addiction and yes you’re quite right – someone has to really want to give up. It certainly isnt easy.
Your header says it all, Ellee. With you on this.
Interesting statistic Ellee. Where did it come from. Does it mean people admitted to hospital?
Richard, the source was admissions to hospital’s A&E departments and patients seeing consultants in this story included in one of the links in the post:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=507504&in_page_id=1770
The figures were uncovered by Tory health spokesman Andrew Lansley in parliamentary questions to Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo.
Ellee: My sincere condolences on the passing of your friends Sue and Celia. Alcoholism is a despicable disease that runs in families. At a high school reunion, my best friend from childhood remains bitter at his late father who did make his way to AA. I told my friend that back then, we had no Betty Ford Clinics and people did the best with the information they had, however scant. I am glad you posted about this tragic but necessary topic!
Elle I don’t read it the same way.
“Hospitals are treating more than a thousand cases of serious alcohol-related conditions every day of the year, it was revealed last night.
Rates of admissions to accident and emergency for problem drinking and the number of patients seen by consultants for alcohol-related illnesses have both doubled in seven years.”
It doesn’t say there are more than 1,000 admissions each day, although I agree that’s what the DM’s article would have us believe. Then again they have an agenda. It says they are ‘treating’. Subtle but different I would contend.
Having said that I’m not for one second doubting we have a problem.
My point is that it’s symptomatic of our statistics culture. There are so many of them floating about that no one knows the truth any more.
Richard, I take your point, but this number is being treated in hospitals according to the stats, and this is what concerned me, it’s such a high number.
Brilliant my wise and erudite friend. My mother died of alcoholism, and I am, of course, an addictions counsellor and this year the Community Drug Strategy Committee is concentrating its focus on abuse of drink.
Otherwise, I have given you an award, and well deserved it is. Please check my blog.