Brits worried how drinking alcohol is affecting their lives, survey finds

As thousands pledge to stop drinking alcohol for the duration of October through the Sober October initiative, new research from private rehab clinic, Delamere reveals that one in seven Brits say they are concerned with a friend of a family member’s drinking during the pandemic.

The survey reveals that;

22% of adults in the UK increased their alcohol intake over the past year
One in ten people (10%) felt that their alcohol use is putting a strain on their health
7% said that drugs and alcohol are leading to financial hardship
The addiction experts at Delamere have surveyed 2,000 adults living in the UK on their alcohol and drug consumption over the last year.

According to the survey, men are almost three times (32%) more likely to be worried about how drinking or substance abuse is affecting their lives, compared to women where 24% said the same.

When considering how substance use is impacting people around them, a third of those we surveyed are concerned about a loved one’s drinking or drug use.

The biggest worry was alcohol, with one in seven saying that in the last year they have been concerned with a friend or family member’s drinking.

One finding that stood out was that almost two thirds (60%) of UK residents drink alone occasionally, and 5% only ever drink alone. Men were 13% more likely to drink on their own, and Sheffield is home to the most solo drinkers.

While men were more likely to drink alone, women have a different relationship with alcohol. We found that more women rely on alcohol to give them extra confidence, with a fifth (20%) saying they regularly do this.

Even though pubs, bars and clubs were closed for around 31 weeks in 2020, Covid brought many changes to the nation’s drinking habits. The survey found that one in four (22%) of adults had increased their alcohol consumption in the last year.

Martin Preston, Founder & Chief Executive at Delamere said:

“During a guest’s admission at Delamere and throughout their stay, we work with them to identify what has been underpinning their struggle with addiction.

“Trauma is so often part of the picture. Sometimes it’s what we might call ‘big T’ trauma which might be post-traumatic stress, a significant loss, an adverse childhood experience. Sometimes it’s so-called ‘little T’ trauma which is no less detrimental and includes relational troubles, divorce, financial stress.

“Increasingly and certainly over the last 12 months, it hasn’t been uncommon that the pandemic has been cited by guests as part of what they have struggled with. Many guests have relayed that they were drinking heavily but just about functioning and then lockdown hit and working from home or struggling with covid related anxiety for instance meant they started drinking more than usual.

“We’ve also worked with several guests who had been actively sober for many years and resumed drinking during a lockdown. The Covid pandemic has taken its toll certainly and the fallout is likely to be with us for several years.”