It is not a surprise, unfortunately, to say that Ireland and some other countries are in the grip of alcohol and drug addictions. Although drug misuse gets major headlines, quite rightly, it is the ongoing alcohol misuse that is ruining individuals and families.

Alcohol action Ireland state; ”Over half of all Irish drinkers have a harmful pattern of drinking, that’s 4 in 10 women and 7 in 10 men who drink, which amounts to an estimated 1,453,250 adults “. If you are not shocked and worried by that statistic maybe you should be.

Drinking, and increasingly, drug use, is becoming the norm. Periodically TV programmes and newspapers will highlight this problem. Despite all the research and scholarly papers, things are getting worse. The use and abuse is, from my experience, down to ‘self-medication’ to try and manage stress, pressure and boredom. We use these drugs (including alcohol) as an avoidance strategy and a coping mechanism to help us get through the day and night.