The world has certainly changed. The events of 2020 (Covid 19) have certainly changed our lives in many ways. Through periods of lockdown, working from home, under employment, no employment, even having to home school the children, restrictive travel for holidays or to see our loved ones, has had a huge impact on most of our lives. It gave time for many to reflect on what is important to us but for many it induced enormous stress and anxiety, loneliness and increased our bad habits and behaviours and self-limiting beliefs.

How we’re drinking alcohol now

In Australia recent statistics (2020) from the Foundation of Alcohol and Research Education (FARE) show that 70% of the respondents they surveyed are drinking more than they did before the Covid 19 pandemic became part of our lives; 34% said they are now drinking everyday and 20% are starting earlier in the day, 30% drinking more to cope with emotional distress (working from home, home schooling, anxiety, loneliness).

Worryingly, nearly one in five (18%) daily drinkers have further increased the amount of alcohol they consume since the lockdowns.  In my clinic a couple of bottles of wine or a bottle of vodka a day is quite ‘usual’. 

This is not healthy and way beyond Australian guidelines to reduce risk of harm to health. 

Australian Alcohol Guidelines

The recommended levels in Australia are:

No more than 10 standard drinks per week and no more than 4 standard drinks in any one day.  If you’re a wine drinker 1 x 100ml glass of wine is 1 standard drink or 7.5 standard drinks per bottle.   A normal serve in a restaurant or bar is around 140mls and if you’re drinking at home how much in that glass!

Do we get what we truly need from alcohol?

Unfortunately, whilst alcohol seems to give us all those things we ‘need’ e.g. to relax or a brief feeling of euphoria, the effects are short-lived and the long-term negative consequences of over using alcohol can be harmful.

The times of uncertainty continue with the Cost of Living Crisis, housing affordability and volatile world economic events.

For some alcohol seems to help through these uncertain times but is an expensive habit to break for many and the pressure on the finances can lead to more stress and anxiety and feelings of reduced self worth.

This does not have to be a permanent state.  Congratulations to those who have had the courage and strength to contact me to start their journey back to a healthier longer life with a Hypnotherapy for Alcohol program utilising a combination of hypnosis and NLP to retrain their brain and get the outcome they want.

There are some psychological and physiological difference between men and women in the context of alcohol drinking behaviour. Each program at Diane Kirkham Hypnotherapy is specifically tailored to your needs to achieve the outcome that you want.