Cutting Down or Giving Up Drinking
Do you need to give up drinking completely if you have a problem with alcohol? There are conflicting opinions on this. The AA approach says that abstinence is the only way that works for sure. But...
View ArticleIs Your Drinking Just a Habit?
Although it may seem like ‘just a habit’, you are making a choice to have a drink each and every time. That choice involves many components – your beliefs about alcohol and yourself, your thoughts...
View ArticleSelf criticism causes depression
We all make mistakes from time to time, it’s inevitable. But how you react to them can make a big difference to your self esteem. What do you tend to say to yourself when you make a mistake? If you...
View ArticleAlcohol Consumption as Stress Management
A lot of people consume alcohol as a way to manage stress. How often this is effective as a coping strategy probably decreases as the amount you drink increases. But although alcohol doesn’t really...
View ArticleDo you need willpower to quit drinking?
“I wish I could quit drinking so much, but I just don’t have enough willpower”. As a therapist, I hear this quite often, but perhaps we need to explore what willpower really means in order to find a...
View ArticleIs Social Anxiety making you drink?
Social anxiety is a common problem, characterised by being apprehensive and nervous about potential rejection or humiliation by other people. If you find yourself getting worried about upcoming social...
View ArticleSocial Anxiety
There are several factors which contribute to social anxiety, and each of them needs to be addressed for the whole problem to be dealt with. Lets look at them in turn – firstly there is your belief...
View ArticleWhat causes depression?
There is often some misunderstanding of what it really is, so we should perhaps briefly describe what the medically agreed symptoms of depression are: low mood most days (feeling sad or empty) lack of...
View ArticleHow to stop worrying
Worry is a normal human activity – we all do it from time to time. But for some people, it dominates their life. So how can you stop worrying? The initial answer is that it’s unlikely you’ll be able to...
View ArticleHow Mindfulness can help with your alcohol problems
There’s been a lot of media attention on Mindfulness lately, but not so much on how useful it is for dealing with an alcohol problem. So how does mindfulness help us deal with mental health problems...
View ArticleHarmful Drinking in the over 50s
Research just published in the journal BMJ Open, studied the alcohol consumption levels of UK residents over the age of 50. Overall, levels of drinking in this age group are increasing, the report...
View ArticleAre you ashamed of drinking?
Unfortunately, drinking too much alcohol can make people feel ashamed, especially if you believe that drinking excessively suggests there is something defective about you. Or you believe it is...
View ArticleCBT for Alcoholism
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is an effective, practical solution backed by extensive research. It can be used for any number of mental health problems or behavioural issues, including of course,...
View ArticleAmbivalence about Drinking
For many people, the decision to change their drinking habits is not clear-cut. The pros and cons of your drinking might seem quite evenly balanced; occasionally the negative consequences might...
View ArticleAre you a ‘functioning alcoholic’?
Most of the clients I talk to are not at 'rock bottom', to use the AA phrase. Their drinking is not causing many crises in their lives. Sure, there are consequences from their alcohol consumption, but...
View ArticleMental health problems are not a weakness
I often hear people refer to their alcohol problem as 'a weakness', or a sign that they are weak people. But I don't think this is a helpful view, as it labels the person negatively and discourages...
View ArticleBBC Documentary – Drinkers Like Me
There's a brilliant documentary on the BBC about people who drink too much, but don't think of themselves as alcoholics. Adrian Chiles explores his own heavy drinking and concludes that many of us have...
View ArticleDrink Free Days
Public Health England are today launching their 'Drink Free Days' campaign to encourage people to reduce their alcohol intake. It's sometimes easier to have occasional sober days than trying to cut...
View ArticleTreatment of Depression
Treating depression takes a long time, as it requires various long-standing patterns to be changed. Lets begin at the level of your moment-to-moment thoughts; a vicious circle often develops, where as...
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