Alcohol

Alcohol is only a problem when you feel unable to lead a normal life or feel unable to cope without it.  This may mean that you have an uncontrollable desire for alcohol, this can be extremely difficult for a person to recognise and accept.    This can cause issues in your relationships, employment and can also affect you financially.

There are many reasons why you may be alcohol dependent and this can include family members and friends and the fact that alcohol is so readily available and socially acceptable, genetic factors can also play a role and this can be a learned behaviour. 

It is difficult for people who do not suffer from alcohol dependancy to understand how you are unable to just stop, the dependency on the alcohol makes the individual feel that the need to have the alcohol is more important than food and water.  Sometimes this can just be events that have happened in your life that make you feel that you need to forget and you find that the alcohol can help you to escape for a short period but this is a costly, short fix.

When you are not in control of your life and are relying on alcohol you may also experience feelings of guilt, shame and sorrow and find it hard to control it on your own.  You may be drinking to avoid issues in your life or just because you can but with excessive drinking it can affect your sleeping pattern and although you may initially fall to sleep you may be waking up  in the night unable to get back to sleep and when morning comes you will probably feel groggy and not as alert and ready to face the day as you could be.

It is not only the units of alcohol - wine, beer and cocktails are all high in calories and drinking alcohol regularly is bad for your health, skin, waistline, mood and your energy levels.

Most people can drink alcohol from time to time without it becoming an issue and the individual relying on it.  The Government guidelines can be seen at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-alcohol-guidelines-show-increased-risk-of-cancer


There are many health issues relating to exorbitant amounts of alcohol include:-
 

• heart failure
• anxiety
• damage to your brain and nervous system
• depression
• liver cirrhosis

Symptoms of alcohol abuse

• persistent drinking
• a craving to drink
  
• mood changes
  
• loss of control
• lack of concentration
• loss of memory
• being able to drink more without effect
• losing interest in hobbies and day to day life
• physical symptoms include sweating, anxiety, shaking and nausea

You may need to see your GP to obtain prescribed medication to help you with the withdrawal symptoms and you should consult your GP to discuss this further. 

Solution Focused Hypnotherapy focuses on the positives in your life and not the negatives and can be useful in the treatment of the dependency and enable you to find a different and more positive attitude towards alcohol and with Amanda's help she will work with you to move forward more positively.