Are you a secret drinker? Has it become an addiction?

Kevin drank his first glass of rum with schoolmates when he was 15 and felt like a big man. It soon became a habit. He’d drink at parties, in friend’s houses. Money was not a problem. His parents were rich and let him have what he liked. He began by drinking once a month. But then it turned into frequent drinking. He was drinking rum, whisky, vodka and it was “just for kicks”.
Kevin just scraped through his exams. Later, driving drunk, he crashed his father’s car. Years went by and his habit worsened. His parent’s were concerned and his friends advised him to stop.
Does this story seem familiar? Do you know of someone who has not been able to say “NO” to alcohol?

Let’s look out for signs

• Gets into physical fights while drunk but can’t remember anything sober.
• Breath smells and so to cover it up they may chew gum or paan.
• They may need more money, so money may go missing at home or they may be debt.
• They may come home late and sneak off into bed and might find it hard to get up in the morning.
• Their personality will change, of someone being aggressive and inconsistent.
• Their academic performance may go down or may not perform well even at work.

Getting into the drinking habit isn’t good for anybody, least of all if you are in your teens or twenties, when you’re most vulnerable to  habit formation.

Here are a few pointers.

1. Ask, can I do without it?
2. If you’re going to a party or an outing, plan and decide about the party. Details like where and for how long. Do it under the supervision of an elder.
3. Be accountable to your parents or trusted friends about where and what you are doing.
4. If the situation gets uncomfortable, simply leave.
5. If you think drinking can make you look “cool” or “in” you’re wrong.  Choose to do the right thing.
6. Drinking to relieve stress is just an excuse.

SAY NO

When anybody asks you to drink just because everyone else is doing it, look at him or her straight in the eye and say “NO”.
How did it end for Kevin? Well, Kevin’s mother finally took him to the AA meetings. At first he thought it was terrible to go there because he never considered himself an alcoholic, but the more meetings he attended he was convinced that this is what he needs. The road to becoming sober wasn’t easy. During that time he realized that he was wasting time and money and he decided to stop. Now all Kevin has to say is that life is better without drinking.

Asking for help doesn’t mean your weak but its a sign of strength.