Battle against the bottle

ACTOR Kevin Kennedy, who plays Coronation Street's Curly Watts, has brought the dangers of alcohol into the spotlight with his very public real-life booze battle.

And this week Caroline Aherne, the woman behind the blue-rinsed granny everybody loves to hate, Mrs Merton, has just returned home after a month in a London drying out clinic.

But in East Lancashire thousands of ordinary people are suffering the lonely fight against alcoholism.

Booze is everywhere these days - we just can't escape it. How many of us have headed to the pub after a bad day, or toasted a happy occasion with a few drinks?

Consequently 89 per cent of East Lancashire's adult population drink alcohol, and more and more people are beginning to suffer its devastating effects.

East Lancashire Health Authority guidelines recommend a benchmark of three to four units of alcohol per day for men, and two to three units per day for women.

But 36,600 men and 18,600 women in East Lancashire have alcohol related problems and drink more than the sensible levels.

Last year more than 1,000 people asked for help from Blackburn's Community Alcohol Team - more than ever before.

Social worker Richard Gidlow has seen alcoholics from all walks of life - from people in their early teenage years right up to the very elderly. He said: "People use drink as a crutch. Some turn to alcohol after a bereavement, or because they've lost their job, or because of a more deep-rooted problem that they find difficult to cope with. But it is not just the drinker who suffers. Every member of his or her family will suffer. I've seen people who have lost their home, job, relationships and their self-respect all through drink.

"Alcoholism is a lonely and selfish disease which causes the drinker to be alienated from family, friends and workmates, lose control of his or her life and lose all self-esteem."

Heavy drinkers also run the risk of developing liver disease, stomach ulcers, weight problems, insomnia and psychological problems.

But health bosses find it difficult to quantify how many people are suffering as a result of alcohol abuse because there are so many different consequences.

For example, somebody who goes to hospital with injuries from a fight may be just as much a victim of alcohol as somebody who needs treatment for cirrhosis of the liver. Richard Gidlow said: "If somebody feels that they have a problem with alcohol they must ask for help.

"We offer counselling and support from trained workers to help people identify the reasons why they are drinking and help them to make the major changes needed to overcome their problems.

"The initial stage is the drying out" period to get the drinker physically stabilised. People think that this is all that is needed but that isn't true. Sometimes it can be a long-haul to recovery - there is no quick fix."

Blackburn Community Alcohol Team is based at Strawberry Bank. The team offers a confidential service and can be contacted on: 01254 677773.

Here are some common booze myths.

Beer is weaker than spirits - false: There are substances in beer that slow down absorption and hence drunkenness. One standard measure of beer has the same amount of alcohol as one standard measure of spirit.

Alcohol is a stimulant - false: The initial effects of drinking is mild relaxation.

Drinking black coffee, having a cold shower or getting fresh air sobers you up - false: The only thing that does this is time, You can drown your sorrows - false: Alcohol depresses the brain's activity.

More often than not drinking will increase feelings of unhappiness and depression.

And here are some tips about safe drinking:

1. Try to plan in advance how much you will drink and stick to it.

2. Always dilute your drink if you can. Top up spirits with plenty of mixers and drink slowly.

3. Choose small measures such as half pints rather than pints, or alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

4. To avoid temptation do not keep alcohol in the house.

5. Try not to drink every day, aim to have two or three alcohol free days each week.

6. Never drink alone.

7. Drinking costs a lot of money. Work out how much you are spending. When you have cut down assess the saving and then reward yourself with something you have always wanted.

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