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Politicians
often associate the term 'binge drinking' with yobs, criminals and
anti-social behaviour.
The
governments also appear to concentrate more on drinking laws like
extending pub licensing and creating minimum prices for alcohol
rather than the reasons behind why people are drinking more today.
According to the charity Alcohol Concern almost one in three men
and nearly one in five women are consuming too much alcohol and
this includes a growing percentage of young professionals and university
graduates.
Young people decide to go to university on the promise that at the
end of four years of arduous labour, there is a pot of honey offering
a salary of eighteen thousand plus with a reputable company where
their new skills and knowledge can be put into practise.
Disillusionment
However,
the reality is much to the contrary.
Increasing numbers of graduates all over the country are returning
home simply to resume their original lives.
They are living back in the parental home because first time buying
has been made virtually impossible by rocketing house prices, and
stuck in low-salary administrative positions due to a lack of jobs
in the UK.
I heard my graduate friends saying
"I was SO drunk last night" on no less than four consecutive
mornings.
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| Nicola
Earby |
One
of the effects of the disillusionment of young graduates is an increase
in their alcohol consumption as a method of enjoyment and escape
from everyday dissatisfaction and banality.
What starts off as a regular Saturday night out becomes a drink
after work every day and a big drinking session at least three times
a week.
After all, Monday is student night in Cheltenham, Wednesday is student
night in Gloucester and Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday night
are perfect opportunities to socialise with friends and forget that
yet another Friday is disappearing and Monday is on its way.
Drinking
sessions
According
to Alcohol Concern 'binge drinking' is drinking until you are drunk.
Only this week I heard several of my graduate friends saying "I
was SO drunk last night" on no less than four consecutive mornings.
The health issues are obvious. Daily drinking means that the body
gets accustomed to alcohol and needs more and more in order to reach
that drunken level.
Not to mention the fact that the Department of Health advises people
to avoid drink for 48 hours after an episode of drunkeness, to give
their bodies time to convalesce.
The issue of graduates becoming increasingly involved in binge drinking
culture is something that needs to be recognised by today's politicians
and the media.
People need to realise that drinking excessively should not be stereotyped
and just linked to aggressive or anti-social behaviour.
Many graduates and professionals consider drinking an effective
everyday means of unwinding. However, many now seem to be worryingly
dependant upon it.
By
Nicola Earby
This
article contains user-generated content (i.e. external contribution)
expressing a personal opinion, not the views of ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Gloucestershire.
If
you would like to comment on this story get in touch at gloucestershire@bbc.co.uk
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Binge
drinking is often associated with a stereotypical 'yob' image. But
Nicola Earby thinks that many of her fellow graduates are using alcohol
to help them cope with career blues.
