More women want help to stop boozing
Dry January can be a problem for addicts
MORE women are seeking help for “problem drinking” in Ireland, a leading addiction service has revealed.
Alcoholics Anonymous said it usually sees a rise in those seeking help in January, but this year it has been significant.
The group said it is seeing more women seeking support and attending AA meetings.
It comes as a GP who specialises in addiction warned that Dry January – when people give up alcohol for the first month of the year – can pose difficulties for problem drinkers.
Dr Hugh Gallagher also revealed how colleagues in hospitals are increasingly seeing more women, including younger women presenting with significant health problems associated with alcohol, including psoriasis of the liver.
“The simple fact is that women are more susceptible to the ill effects of alcohol, and they are going to be impacted by it and their organs will be more affected.” he said.
BENEFITS
Dr Gallagher added that while he could see the benefits of Dry January for many people, for some it can pose risks.
“For alcohol dependent people it is important that they are aware that stopping drinking suddenly is going to be very difficult to sustain and it can be potentially dangerous,” he added.
“So, it’s important they go see their doctor and seek professional support and avail of support to help stop.”
Jo-hanna Ivers, associate professor in addiction at Trinity College Dublin, says she has similar concerns.
She said: “If someone is binge drinking frequently and drinking in a problematic way, they need for their health to taper that down and something like Dry January, jumping on from the start of the month to the end does not always do that. It can be problematic.”
She added these campaigns can be helpful for a community, but adds that “when people try and fail, they result in a lot of stigma”.
Paula Leonard, chief executive of Alcohol Forum Ireland, said for women, it is rarely just an alcohol problem “on its own”.
“There is usually something else quite complicated that needs to be dealt with in a
THERAPY
Women often use alcohol for self-medicating and for dealing with trauma PAULA LEONARD CHIEF OF ALCOHOL FORUM IRELAND
therapeutic setting,” she said.
She believes services need to become more “trauma informed” in relation to the issues around women’s presentations. “Women often use alcohol for self-medicating and for dealing with trauma. There are more complex reasons for women in relation to alcohol.
“We are seeing a lot of work in relation to that but there is still some way to go,” she said.
Ms Leonard believes “heavy drinking” has been normalised in Ireland.
She said: “All of our celebrations revolve around alcohol, and we have heavy advertising and marketing that supports that.
“We have a culture that supports that. So, it can be difficult for people firstly to know they have an issue and secondly to take that brave step and say, ‘I need some support’”.
For information and support visit drinkaware.ie or alcoholicsanonymous.ie