Alcohol consumption is spiralling out of control – we need to seriously address addiction

I’m a doctor and, with my team, I help a lot of very unwell people recover from illness, often saving their lives.

Covid-19 has heightened their needs and the demand for our help has rocketed, meaning that many people go without support or face long waits.

But compassion for my patients is often on the thin side. And there's little sympathy for the many unable to access support.

My patients suffer from addiction, many have a problematic relationship with alcohol or other drugs.

While the stigma around mental health disorders is thankfully waning, the same cannot be said for people with an alcohol use disorder. The question of “fault” looms strongly over individuals. 

People with an addiction are made to feel ashamed and treated as if they simply can’t be bothered to stop. Current attitudes mean that pledging to improve their services is not a vote winner and those struggling to cope are forgotten.

Since the pandemic hit earlier in the year, I’ve been really concerned about the rise in alcohol consumption.  The only positive from this is that I hope the shared experience of lockdown and the previously unthinkable overnight changes in lifestyle finally provides a wakeup call for people.

Just as no one chose to be cooped up at home for months in stressful environments, and to have unprecedented levels of money worries and work-related stress or to feel isolated like never before, no one chooses addiction. It is not their fault.

Did you enjoy a few gins during the sunny period of early lockdown? When you can’t leave the house and there’s no commute the next day, many people thought “why not?”. As the monotonous days of lockdown have turned into months, the slide from treat to habit for many has gone unnoticed.

The past few months have been like no other. Many of us have suffered traumatic jolts, from unexpected job loss to bereavements in the most difficult, often lonely circumstances. With limited options to spend time with loved ones for support, who would blame someone for pouring themselves a comforting drink? With daily routines dissolved and support structures eroded, reliance on alcohol builds more easily.

Looking ahead to a long winter set to be riddled with anxieties and uncertainty from the pandemic and looming second wave, job losses, and boredom from limited social interaction, empathy towards people suffering from addiction is desperately needed.

Stereotypes of my patients allow them to be dismissed, neglected, and they help to build a stigma, which prevents many from seeking help. People with addictions live with an illness, alongside us and deserve to access treatment and support.

Properly-funded and structured addiction services give people the chance to recover, improve their quality of life and provide socio-economic benefits for their communities, and create financial relief on the healthcare system. A £374 million investment is needed into adult drug and alcohol services to bolster them after years of funding cuts and so they can cope with the increased need for treatment.

The government must use the upcoming comprehensive spending review to reverse the erosion of these services and allow the people affected to rebuild their lives.

Professor Julia Sinclair is chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists addiction faculty