Pressures around Social Drinking
Social drinking is a cultural norm within the UK. You might have commonly heard the phrase “Have a drink don’t be boring!”. It is important to practice safe drinking methods and to remove the social pressure around social drinking.
Social & Emotional Drinking
Social Drinking
Social drinking is extremely common in the UK, and it involves drinking in social situations. This includes events such as: work outings, parties, family, and friend gatherings. Social drinkers often consume a moderate amount of alcohol and are generally within their safe drinking limits (1). It’s important to note that social drinking habits vary from situation to situation and culture to culture.
Emotional Drinking
Emotional drinkers tend to drink to suppress feelings and emotion. When they pick up a drink it is more likely driven by emotions (2). Emotional drinkers can be triggered by nerves, loneliness, boredom, low self-esteem, and anxiety. Drinking to manage emotions and social anxiety can lead to alcohol dependency and the pressure to drink in social situations.
COVID 19 & Drinking
The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic recession have negatively affected many people’s mental health. There has been a 30% increase in people reporting feeling of anxiety or depression since the pandemic began in late 2019 (3). People with anxiety and depression are more likely to report an increase in drinking during the pandemic (3). In fact, there has been a 59% increase in alcohol consumption since the beginning of the pandemic, in the UK (4).
Make it stand out
Many people choose not to drink. Therefore, awareness is needed regarding the reasons people choose not to drink.
1. Religious reasons – many people refrain from drinking alcohol due to religious reasons.
2. Health reasons – it has been established that drinking too much alcohol can lead to many health issues like alcoholic liver disease.
3. History of alcohol abuse in the family – this makes individuals wary of drinking alcohol altogether.
4. Some people do not like the taste of alcohol.
Others simply don’t enjoy the effects of alcohol and choose not to drink!
But why is there a lot of pressure around drinking anyway?
1. Social norms and popularity.
2. Peer pressure - Research indicates that a third (35%) of UK drinkers drink more than they intended because they were encouraged by others (5).
3. The easy accessibility to alcoholic drinks.
4. High rates of social anxiety - Many rely on alcohol for confidence or to 'loosen up'.
Our Advice
If you don’t drink…
- Don't be afraid to say NO.
- If you’re about to succumb to pressure- remember your reasons and beliefs towards not drinking.
- Remove yourself from the situation if you are uncomfortable.
- Ask for a non-alcoholic drink if you feel like you need to hold a drink.
If you do drink…
- Make good alcohol choices
Eat before you drink to prevent passing out or alcohol poisoning.
- Practice drinking mindfully
- Aiming to “drink less” is too broad. Being mindful and conscious of how much and what you’re drinking is the best attitude to have.
- Alternate drinks with non-alcoholic ones to slow down the speed of your drinking.
Resources:
· https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-support/calculating-alcohol-units/
· https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-support/
· DRINKLINE – Call: 0300 123 1110
· Alcoholics anonymous – Call 0800 9177 650 or live chat at www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk.
· Al-Anon – Call 0800 0086 811
References: