Wigan man opens up about drinking problems

It’s that time of year when we’re all looking ahead to January and making a fresh start - “new year, new me” as the tired phrase goes.

For many, after a month (at least) or over-indulgence, that includes eating healthier, exercising more and, as is becoming increasingly popular thanks to Dry January - cutting back on the booze.

But one Wigan man, who wishes to remain anonymous, has made a headstart on his pledge to stop drinking, and is on course to live completely alcohol-free for the first time in decades.

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At its peak, his drinking was costing him around £9,490 a year, and he was consuming more than 1,600 calories per day from alcohol alone.

Amazingly, cutting down on drinking has already seen his outgoings plummet to an average of £1,265 in just a matter of months.

“It is strange thing to be looking forward to, especially this time of year. By mid-December I will be alcohol free for the first time in my adult life,” he says.

“I am still drinking at the moment. Last night was my ‘step-down’ night, where I drank two double gin and ‘slimline’ tonics starting at 11pm.”

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This would equate to around 28 units of alcohol per week, still double the 14 units per week maximum that is recommended by the UK Chief Medical Officer (CMO).

Our prospective teetotaller goes on: “That is a maximum of six pints of beer or a bottle and a half of red wine a week. The Chief Medical Office goes further and states that this should be drank over the seven days with alcohol free days in between.

“Even at the seemingly impossible drinking level recommended by the CMO, this is still regarded as low risk for all sorts of terrible outcomes such as cancer of the mouth, oesophagus, Type 2 diabetes etc.

“Three months ago, in September, 14 units of alcohol per week did seem like an impossible goal for me, it’s still a reach.

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“I had got myself in to the habit of drinking at home, a habit I’d built up over 10 years.

“Part of my repeated behaviour was buying a bottle of gin, 12 tins of slimline tonic and a lime every night at the supermarket.

“This had become normalised in my mind, going so far as self-induced panic if we only had three quarter of a litre bottle of gin left.

“In September this year, my fiancé and I booked a great hotel in York to celebrate her birthday and I found myself unable to get around. To the extent that I’d walk 20 paces then I’d have to stop with a feeling that my world was closing in and I was about to ‘go-over’, after 10 seconds or so I’d get my equilibrium back and do the next 20 paces. This was before I’d started drinking on those days.

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“I had had symptoms like this before sporadically, but they’d come and gone, so I ignored them and carried on with my 750ml of gin per night or 30 units every evening of the week drinking habit.

“My time in York though triggered me to take action and I promised my fiancé out loud that I would book an appointment at the doctors on our return and quietly promised myself the same thing with full disclosure of my bad habits.

“The doctor had something to say about my drinking. Being Wigan, what he actually said was ‘Jesus, that’s shedloads’. I told him about my 25 a day smoking habit too but he felt we should get drinking out of the way first.

“The doctor advised that I check myself in at Addaction in Wigan, so I rang them and made an appointment and following an induction session I was given an appointment with a nice lady who gave me an alcohol measure and advised a drop down to 500ml a night, which I did.

“Dropping 250ml a night (70 units a week) was difficult.

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“For the first time in 10 years I had to decide to go to sleep rather than being taken to oblivion by alcohol. I was resentful and angry. Some of that anger was at myself for getting into this position but mostly I wanted more drink.

“What I’ve done though is carry on and every week since then I’ve dropped 14 units per week (the recommend CMO advice for maximum low risk total consumption) out of my weekly alcohol intake.

“I still have a weekly mental thing about dropping this amount. Every Thursday I have a feeling of resentment at losing 14 units of the thing on which I have relied for the last 10 years but by Friday or Saturday evening this has gone away and my new weekly routine is established.

“For the last month or so I’ve been able to get around without having the feeling my world is closing in. As a result of my drinking I do have a fatty liver, which is the cause of my dazed state in York, and I have high blood pressure.

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“I have joined a gym though and my new targets are to make my fatty liver go away and get my BP back to a healthy normal. I will stop drinking by mid-December and have a Merry Christmas. Stopping smoking being project 2020.”

Figures released early this year revealed that the number of people from Wigan receiving specialist treatment for drinking problems was on the rise - 893 people received treatment at alcohol misuse services in Wigan in 2017-18, roughly three in every 1,000 people.

The British Liver Trust charity said the figures were “sadly not surprising”, while another campaign group warned of barriers to treatment and support for problem drinkers.

A wide range of support options can be found at wigan.gov.uk

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