A study by the Global Drug Survey found that over 15% of Australians feel that they simply can’t stop drinking.
Not only that, but Aussies regularly suffer from alcohol-related guilt (15% of respondents to the survey confessed to that) and more than 10% are concerned with alcohol-related issues like memory loss and blacking out because of drinking. Almost a quarter of those taking part in the survey believe that they hurt themselves or others because of drinking.
But the news isn’t all bad. Some 42% of respondents claimed that they want to drink less.
But with just over 13% claiming that they need help to cut down on their drinking, Nadine Ezard, clinical director of St Vincent Sydney’s alcohol and drug service has called for more communication about alcohol dependence.
“We also need to get the message out there that it’s OK to ask for help, because there is a lot of stigma still around asking for help for drinking,” she told The Guardian. “We would really be happy this election if the political parties would be brave enough to take on measures to protect the public from promotion of alcohol and from excessive drinking.”
