The Christmas season can be a stressful time, when we are more affected by problems in our family, personal or professional life or financial problems. During this period, there is often an increase in alcohol consumption, whether due to the greater number of parties at this time or as a momentary escape from the problems that weigh us down. It is not only during this period that it can happen that our drinking starts to "grow over our heads". But how do you know that drinking alcohol is becoming a problem that needs to be addressed? How do you know if you personally or someone close to you is losing control of your drinking and whether it is appropriate to consult a specialist about the problem?
It is important to remember that addiction is a mental illness, the essence of which is changes in the brain that lead to changes in behavior. The current model of addiction looks at addiction from the perspective of biology, psychology, society and spirituality, where all of these components contribute to some extent to the formation and maintenance of addiction. One of the main characteristics of alcohol addiction is an uncontrollable desire for alcohol and the inability to stop drinking once one has started. Such a person seeks out opportunities to drink alcohol or, during regular shopping, will not pass by the alcohol section without buying a bottle. The amount of alcohol that an addict can tolerate in the early stages of addiction increases, and the addict needs to drink more alcohol to achieve the desired effect. In more advanced stages of addiction, the addict needs to drink first thing in the morning to get in shape after excessive drinking the previous day, and after finishing one bottle of alcohol, he thinks about the next opportunity to go to the store to buy another bottle.
As a result of drinking, people begin to neglect normal activities that they used to do, stop completing their tasks on time, do not pay rent, and their interpersonal relationships often suffer (their marriages, long-term relationships break up, they argue with their families). An addicted person becomes upset if someone close to them (friends, family, partner) criticizes them for drinking excessively or recommends that they cut back on their drinking.
Other ways to estimate the level of alcohol problems include these four questions:
If a person answers yes to more than one question, it is advisable to consider consulting a specialist.
If you are interested in a consultation in our office, you can make an appointment in the Contacts section.
You can test your alcohol consumption, get a comparison with your peers, and get information about the health impacts of excessive drinking here: http://www.nudz-snasa.cz/
I have been working in the field of addiction counselling for more than 10 years. I hold a bachelor’s degree in Addictology from the First Faculty of Medicine and a degree in General Medicine from the Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University. In my research, I focus on preventive medicine and epidemiology.
In my work with clients, I combine evidence-based knowledge with a holistic approach to mental health. My medical background enables me to understand the broader clinical context and to better support each client’s individual needs.
