Carmie01

Al Anon exists and there are local meetings in villages, towns and cities but I can't honestly say I know anyone who has ever attended. Having said that there must be people who are desperate and seek out help aka myself for my AH that go.

Here is something that I have found astonishing. My AH husband had a heart attack just over 2 years ago and has had to go and see our GP for regular heart checks. Our Doctor knows he has a 'drink problem' because the Doctor has discussed it with him. Of course my AH hasn't told him how much he does drink and has skirted round the issue and told him he drinks maybe 1/2 of much than he really does, which is still a very high amount of 6 pints a night to 1 1/2 bottles of wine (which in reality is double that) The GP did say he needed counselling but told my husband "he is not an alcoholic" Now he has heard these magic words by the Doctor, my AH uses them as a defense mechanism against seeking help "See I don't need help, the Doctor said I'm not an Alcoholic!"

Also my next door neighbour is a GP and she knows about my AH and she regularly pops round to see if I am ok. She told me on Sunday that when GP's do 'liver blood tests' to check levels to see damage etc they only routinely do ''3' tests. She said there is a '4th' blood test which you have to 'ask' for which gives a truer reading of how an Alcoholic's liver is functioning! Can you believe that! Why aren't they doing the '4'th test? My GP friend said possibly because of cost!

So I think there maybe a problem with local Doctors recognising Alcoholism and using all their resources in detecting it and taking it to another level for treatment. Has anybody else here from the UK had a similar situation?

Carmie01

Also wanted to add Newbie. I am not sure on the law over here whether or not the courts send people with drinking problems to Al Anon, I presume they do? So I wonder as well if anyone one on here could answer that.

The Al Anon meetings that I have looked up are 1 to 2 hourly meetings a week in the local village Church Hall and nothing like what you describe over in the States.

john44

I don't see how any court could send anyone to Al Anon since that is a support group for family/friends of the alcoholic.

caboblanco

ironically. I think the less restrictions, age limits, etc. that are put on drinking in a given society, the less amount off abuse. An example of this would be Italy where binge drinking among teenagers and twenty somethings is much lower then the UK or the states. I think the legal age is 16 and parents generally let their children drink moderately at a very young age.

ReadyAndAble

It may be genetic rather than social. There are studies showing inverse correlations between alcoholism rates and the amount of time a particular ethnicity/culture has been drinking. People of Italian and Jewish descent have extremely low rates; they've been drinking a couple thousand years longer than people from western Europe. Among Native Americans, who were introduced to alcohol within the past few hundred years, rates are extremely high.

It makes sense from a Darwinian perspective. Given enough time, those individuals in a society with a propensity for alcoholism drink themselves into extinction...

Carmie01

Oh okay! I'm waiting to see the local Al Anon and wasn't aware that it was only for family and friends. So there must be some form of support for Alcoholics in the UK to help them with their addiction.

I'm new to all of this!

TrixMixer

Hi ReadyA,

I was just about to post something similar to your post. I worry about the young people in the UK, since there is a genetic component in alcoholism, so it seems this just is passed down generation after generation.

Very good post! kinda say's it all.

TRIX

TrixMixer

It sounds like it is a no win situation there and it is not getting any better. Everyone just turns a blind eye to drinking , how very sad and difficult it must be for those of you who have quit, or those wanting to quit.

There is virtually NO support system to turn to. I have a much deeper respect for those of you in the UK who have been brave enough to get sober--it takes a special person to do this when the world around you is mad!

A big Shout Out to all of you and Congratulation (doesn't even sound like it's enough)

Do you see a change in attitude on drinking and alcoholism in the near future?
Is there an agency that will advocate for change ?

Carmie01

Recently the governement decided to tackle the problem with the drinking culture in the UK here is a link to a BBC news article regarding it

BBC News - Minimum price plan to end cheap alcohol sales.

Also the best place to get help is through your GP (Doctor) here is a link from the NHS over here in the UK

Where to find alcohol support - Live Well - NHS Choices

friday13

I would definitely agree drinking is a huge part of British culture and binge drinking often isn't even considered bingeing. As others have said nobody blinks if you throw up from drinking, injure yourself or can't remember the previous night. People look at you like there is something wrong with you if you choose not to drink. Every event involves alcohol. After work drinks, birthdays, house warmings, Tuesday... there's always an excuse. As a young sober person I find I spend a huge amount of time on my own because there is nowhere to go on a Friday or Saturday night if you don't want to get drunk.

At 14 I was drinking cheap cider in parks and throwing up. It was ridiculously dangerous but also completely normal for teens. As an 18 year old female I revelled in the fact I could drink 10 pints and still be standing. Even my boyfriend would almost boast that I could drink him (and pretty much all our friends) under the table.

I don't think alcoholism is really accepted as an illness and many people believe alcoholics could just moderate their drinking. There is stereotype of an alcoholic (street drinker, unkempt etc) and if someone doesn't fit the stereotype people often don't believe they can have a problem. I'm a 23 year old female and I've found a lot of people (even some residents in rehab) don't believe someone so young can be an alcoholic.

Finally, I found this on the British Council website. How to order a round in a pub: How to order a round in a pub | LearnEnglish | British Council

regeneration

Lots of AA meetings in London, you can go to several a day. There are also SMART meetings as well, but not as many. Other towns, not lots in place.

I don't think they do mandate through the courts to AA in the UK, judges can recommend people for treatment though. I don't think we'll ever have mandated attendance in the UK (to AA).

It is hard at times to be surrounded with the drinking culture but I also find there is lots to do, I've just had to stop hanging around with big drinkers all the time.

When I grew up in my home town up north it was acceptable to drink cider at the local youth club from the age of 13, I started going in pubs from that age and went clubbing regularly from the age of 14. I'd like to think things have changed but I'm not so sure they have for everyone.

I go to the pub sometimes, but it tends to be pubs for food. I have about 10 pubs within a 10 minute radius of my house. One of them (the closest) is really awful, people getting leary/drunk so it's always a reminder to me of why I'm sober.

I don't mind being sober in this culture now.. I'm in my early 40s so maybe it's harder if younger. When I hear people talking about booze I don't get the feeling that most of them enjoy it. It's just what's expected. I do feel a bit strange not drinking at times but now I am sober I realise there are others who don't really drink... and not just alcoholics.. I just didn't notice before.

[EDIT] Meant to add, on reflection, being in your teens/20s in UK and being sober.. kudos to you. I'd have found it hard as it was v. easy to mask my problems, as it's all around... lots of binge-drinking goes on in the UK right into your 30s and beyond. Even for normal drinkers.

MrTumble

Im British but actually now live in the south of spain. Spain is interesting in regard to alcohol, the spanish might often be seen having a liquer in the morning with coffee, beer and wine at lunch, evening beers and large glasses of spirits. In the day you see many many men hanging out, talking with a can of beer in their hand, its like beer has replaced soda or water.

I think drink driving here is also quite common.

But I suspect there are very few spanish alkies... Well, there are probably hundreds of thousands, but I think culturally that its OK to drink quite a lot.

But you never see the same bad behaviour that characterises the British drunk. No violence, abusiveness, antisocial behaviour, etc...

Italy is also interesting, you're as likely to see a group of men enjoying an ice cream at 11pm as you are to see them drinking booze. The Italians appear to have a well balanced approach from what I've seen, but the spanish drink way too much, yet somehow don't appear to have the problems we have in the uk.

Excuse typos please, I'm on mbl.

FeelingGreat

Mr Tumble when I was staying in Central Rome and there was a big soccer match on at a bar next door there was a lot of noise and messing up when it was over at 11pm. But when I stuck my head out to see, it turned out to be the UK contingent! Not knocking your countrymen in particular; it would have been the same if they were Aussies.