January and September last year were the months with the highest pressure on support lines, shows the latest annual report from the alcohol helpline.
It's a reflection of when we drink the most. Maybe it has to do with the fact that it's more normalized to drink more during the summer and that one doesn't really recognize that one might be drinking too much, but which then becomes clearer around September, says Sara Wallhed Finn.
Can become problematic
For most people, it's easy to cut down on alcohol when the vacation is over and routines are back. But for others, it can become a problem.
One might feel that one has no control. That it repeatedly goes over the limit and that one wants to drink less but still doesn't succeed with it. Maybe one gets hints from family and friends that something isn't right, says Sven Andreasson, professor at the Karolinska Institute and who has researched a lot on alcohol.
There is professional help to get, but also different tricks one can use oneself. The first step is to think about why one wants to cut down – what drives and benefits there are to quitting drinking.
Motivation is the foundation of all types of behavioral change, says Sara Wallhed Finn.
She also means that it's good to have a goal that describes how one wants one's own drinking to look like, for example, how much one wants to drink and when.
Dare to seek support
Sven Andreasson says that one should make a clear picture of one's drinking and start keeping a diary.
Set a clear limit for yourself how many glasses you allow per week or per drinking occasion and then note day by day how much you actually have drunk. It's simple measures that work well for many, says he.
Even seeking support from relatives and daring to tell that one has a problem is important, despite the fact that there may be a stigma around it.
My opinion is that the fear of how friends and acquaintances will take it, often is much greater than how it actually becomes, says Sara Wallhed Finn.
Another advice is not to buy alcohol at home since it becomes harder to resist when it's more accessible.
Examples of things that can help to change one's habits oneself.
The alcohol helpline is a support line where you can turn to get help. There is the possibility to remain anonymous.
Source: 1177
