Functioning alcoholism – it is not a badge of honour

The corporate world encourages a few drinks with colleagues after a productive day in the office - to de-stress, socialise or celebrate bagging a new client.

Although unwinding with colleagues and getting to know them outside the office is healthy, the concern lies within the blurring lines of drinking too much and using alcohol to cope with stress.

Are we cultivating a culture of drinking?

You might ask what the big deal is to have a few drinks with your co-workers or even your boss since people have been doing this for years.

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The problem is that alcohol has become the conduit for networking and brainstorming, to increase one’s likability in the office and perhaps secure a promotion. Office parties with alcohol served freely and generously, or happy-hour Thursdays at the company bar are offered (unnecessary) as bonding experiences to build camaraderie and unified teams, excluding those co-workers who do not drink.

After-work drinks also last for at least 2 hours, adding to an already long day in the office, leaving workers foggy, exhausted, and less productive the next day. The chances are also greater to have a few more nightcaps at home after spending a couple of hours in the bar, just to wind down after the long day, resulting in perhaps calling in sick the next day.

The typical worker misses?three work weeks?(15 days) annually for illness, injury or reasons other than vacation and holidays. However, workers with substance use disorders,?miss two more weeks annually than their peers, averaging nearly five weeks (24.6 days) a year.

The neutral territory of sharing a few drinks outside of the office can create situations where employees act in an irresponsible manner, be offensive, say things they would later regret, or place themselves in compromising situations from where there is no return. ?

If you consume more than you should, even if it is labeled as socialising at work, it can develop into dependence or addiction.

WATCH: HOW TO MANAGE YOUR CONSUMPTION

?So what? It’s only a few drinks every night

Most people have a stereotypical idea of what or who an alcoholic is. Such as “Alcoholics drink every day and start early in the morning, they are unable to hold a job let alone excel at work, they are usually older men, their personal lives are falling apart, and they have poor work attendance.”

It is these very stereotypes that increase the denial of the reality of one’s relationships with alcohol, preventing many from seeking help.

Functioning alcoholics challenge these stereotypes by believing that they do not fit the image of a “typical” alcoholic. They seem to have their lives together, performing at their work, succeeding, and achieving. And it is because they maintain their lives so well, that they, their colleagues, and family can easily be in denial and overlook their drinking.

The problem though is that no one can drink heavily over a period of time and be immune to it catching up to them at some point.

And the scary part is that it does not have to be that heavy either.

Females who consume more than three units of alcohol on any given day, or more than 7 units a week, and males who consume more than four units on any given day, or more than 14 units per week, are at risk of becoming (functioning) alcoholics.

If you are drinking more than the daily or weekly limit, you are most probably battling an addiction to alcohol.

Functioning alcoholics seem to have their lives in control when in reality they don’t.

The reality of alcohol is that it:

-??????interrupts sleep

-??????impacts memory and concentration

-??????weakens your immune system

-??????damages your central nervous system and heart health

-??????causes inflammation

-??????lowers your libido

-??????spikes blood sugar levels

-??????affects your thoughts, feelings, moods, and actions

-??????promotes anger, violence, aggression, anxiety, and depression

-??????increases tension and conflict in relationships

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Changing the culture

Organisations and individuals are equally responsible in tackling the over-consumption of alcohol. Here’s how:

Don’t involve alcohol as part of team building. Apart from the fact that not everyone drinks, don’t promote a culture of drinking in order to bond as a team. Find social activities away from the bar such as quiz nights, volunteering together at the SPCA, or starting a pot-luck club where everyone on the team, once a month, brings a meal for all to share.

Leadership: Managers should set an example and restrict after-work drinks and participation in social activities that involve alcohol with colleagues. If the local bar or happy hour in the office is not the place to be when networking or bonding, then employees won’t be compelled to drink so much.

Be honest. Keep a record of your daily consumption, including how you feel the next day and your quality of sleep. Without a clear picture of your consumption, you will not be able to understand your relationship with, reliance on, or addiction to alcohol.

Stop drinking during the week. Make your weeknights alcohol-free and rather play a sport, enjoy a non-alcoholic drink, learn a new skill, or go to bed early. I must warn though that this does not give you permission to binge drink over the weekend. Rather come to realise that you do not need alcohol to function, cope with stress or have a good time.

Say no. You don’t have to drink alcohol in order to bond with colleagues at a social gathering. If you know that one will lead to another and that you are easily swayed into staying later than usual, rather have a non-alcoholic drink and still have some fun with your team without having to face the consequences of a foggy head, tiredness or worse, feeling embarrassment the next day.

Ask for help. If you struggle to let go of alcohol and drink because of stress or anxiety, seek therapy to understand the underlying reasons for using alcohol as a crutch and find healthier coping mechanisms. Alcohol is not an effective way in dealing with the pressures of work and personal stress and can never replace finding the root cause of your anxiety, stress, or depression.

Reach out to Alcoholics Anonymous National Helpline: 0861 HELP AA (435-722) for guidance and a judgment-free discussion.