Can We Drink Without Consequences?

During a recent community event our founder @scottwoolley_ was frequently asked “How do I know if my drinking is a problem”, so here is his take.

“The easiest way to size up an alcohol problem is pretty simple – can we enjoy a drink without facing consequences?

In today's world we often only label alcohol as a problem if we’re addicted to it, but negative consequences can be tied to all levels of drinking. Whether it's binge drinking on weekends, sticking to the recommended limits, or having just one drink each evening. The negative impact for me ranged from losing track of fitness goals, being mentally absent, ditching plans, losing focus and feeling anxious.

The only audit tool I used when I quit drinking was - How will having this drink impact me, and always looking at the bigger picture. I avoided getting caught up in guidelines, grey areas and other people’s perceptions or definitions of what an alcohol problem is and stripped it down to basics. This meant I was accountable and could never move the goal posts.

Every time I turned down a drink my confidence got a boost, it became easier to say no and here I am today, over 8 years alcohol-free.

The most important learning curve for me was realising that the only definition of an alcohol issue that truly mattered was the one I believed in.”