Many people will think about quitting booze as October begins.
Even though reducing your alcohol consumption won’t harm your health, one expert said that it is a terrible idea to banish alcohol completely.
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Central Recorder, an alcohol coach Sandra BarkerIt’s not a good health trend, unfortunately.
She stated: “You may as well call it Deluded October, instead of Stoptober because that’s what you’re really doing when you join up, you’re deluded.”
Sandra said that Sandra’s first reason for doing this is because it’s a’surface-level approach’ which focuses on the problem – alcohol consumption.
She stated that this is a complete disregard for the root reason why you need to reduce.
“Put simply Stoptober doesn’t deal with the reason you want alcohol in the first place.
“So, if you just remove alcohol, the thoughts and emotions that you were numbing to come rushing to your surface.
“This feels very uncomfortable. It reinforces the belief that life is miserable without alcohol, you will feel deprived and either give in and drink, or slog it out to the bitter end, summoning superhuman levels of willpower, rejoicing when the month is over and embrace ‘can’t remember November’ to compensate. “
She continued, “The cycle continues time after time.”
If you don’t address the root causes of your drinking, you will keep going down this path.
“Stoptober does not work for the same reason crash diets don’t work.
“Evidence has proven people on crash diet have a blowout before starting, stick with it until their willpower runs out and then break the diet with another blowout ending up heavier and more disillusioned as a result,”She added.
Sandra explained that despite Stoptober’s popularity, Dry January, Miserable February, and other month-long challenges to quit drinking, there is very little evidence of long-term benefits.
She recommended that instead of Stoptober you have at least two days without alcohol each week throughout the year, and not just a month.
Sandra advised that you think about your motivations before you take a break if you are serious about making long-term changes to your lifestyle.
You can make it more attractive by requiring yourself to quit drinking for a whole month. It almost becomes a forbidden treat.
If you are suffering from an alcohol problem, where can you get help?
It is possible to have a problem with alcohol if you are concerned.
If you are prone to drinking problems or feel the need to drink frequently, you might find this is the case.
Your GP is a good place for you to start if you have been warned about drinking and that it is causing you harm.
You have other options:
She explained that if you have ever felt deprived or struggled with drinking, you aren’t alone. There is a solution.
“Reflect on the root cause of your dependence on alcohol, and what emotions are you trying to avoid or create.
“For example, are you drinking to quit worrying about your job and your relationship or to lower your social anxiety so you can feel confident on a night out?”
“Fighting the underlying problem can be difficult, but it is possible to stop a dependency on alcohol.
“Getting to the place where you no longer need alcohol to numb out and can enjoy yourself without it is not easy and you may need the support of an expert but it might just transform your life,”She said.
What are the advantages of Stoptober
Although Sandra believes Stoptober is a bad idea it has been shown to be good for your health.
Research has shown that a one-month cut from alcohol can reduce blood pressure, improve liver function, and lower the risk of developing liver disease or diabetes.
Experts Help4AddictionIt can also help you sleep.
However, there are other benefits to alcohol. Alcohol has high calories, which can be cut down for a period of time and help you lose weight.
You can also eliminate toxic substances from your diet, such as those found in favourite drinks, and reduce the amount of sugar in mixers.
A break can also be beneficial for your liver.
Southampton University liver specialist Dr Nick Sheron stated that regular drinking can cause certain enzymes to be activated in the liver, which metabolize alcohol.
“If you drink heavily, over weeks or months, levels of these enzymes will increase and your tolerance builds”.
“If you stop drinking completely, the enzyme levels go back down, this allows your liver a chance to repair itself and replace any damaged cells which may have been caused by alcohol.”
Mark Shelton is an Optometrist, Clinical Development Coach and Optometrist.Bayfields Opticians and Audiologists, said: “A temporary problem associated with alcohol consumption is blurred or double vision, but this should wear off once the person sobers up.
“Drinkers may also find they experience bloodshot, puffy or dry eyes for a day or two after drinking, caused mainly by dehydration or a change in blood pressure.”
He added that some studies suggest that having more than three alcoholic drinks a day can have more longer-term consequences on a person’s vision, increasing your risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which can cause the individual to lose focus in their central field of vision.