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Alcohol Concern. Why a drink problem is everyone’s problem. (16 Feb 2012)

External website: http://www.alcoholconcern.org.uk/alcohol-concern-i...

A new report from Alcohol Concern in Wales, challenges the idea that alcohol problems can simply be blamed on a small group of so-called 'problem drinkers'. It calls for an end to the stigma around admitting a drink problem and seeking treatment for it.

Alcohol Concern Cymru Manager Andrew Misell said:

"It's very easy for us to think of alcohol problems as someone else's problem. When we asked people what they thought of as an alcohol problem, nearly half said it meant drinking every day, and many others referred to extreme examples such as when someone was too drunk to walk, or got into fights.

"These comments show how keen many us are to put some distance between our own drinking habits and those we see as having a drink problem. In reality, the line between sensible drinking and alcohol misuse is not always clear, and many of us cross it from time to time."

The report also argues that the way alcohol is marketed and glamorised by the drinks industry reinforces the idea that people with a drink problem are somehow unlike normal drinkers.

 

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