Bottling it up: Why wine is no stress-buster
With all the recent focus on underage and binge drinking, it is easy to overlook the widespread practice of middle class professionals drinking in the home.
A UK government survey carried out last year found that 51pc of 25-44-year-olds drank due to stress -- more than any other age group.
A separate survey by Netmums, the UK parenting website, found that 49pc of mothers drank at home at least three or four nights a week.
A worrying 81pc of those drinking over the recommended guidelines cited their main reason as 'winding down after a stressful day'.
The findings were backed up by a comprehensive study of 13,000 households that showed 37pc of adults regularly exceeded the guideline amounts.
It seems that the trend is being mirrored here in Ireland. Colin O'Driscoll, Principal Psychologist and Centre Manager at Forest Healthcare in Co Wicklow, says that they are seeing the same worrying development.
"It does tend to be wine," he observes. "There has been a change in the last 10 years regarding how we drink wine. It seems to have evolved from how many glasses to how many bottles one drinks.
"We also tend to drink wine a lot faster than our wine-producing neighbours on the continent. They gave us this wonderful gift, yet never told us how to use it. Traditional French wine is very rarely enjoyed without food.
"When the meal is finished, the bottles are re-corked."
The Department of Health and Children in Ireland advises that up to 14 standard drinks a week for women and up to 21 standard drinks a week for men is considered low risk.
When the recommended limits are consistently exceeded, health risks start to accumulate. A large range of illnesses are associated with regular heavy drinking, such as cirrhosis of the liver, stomach ulcers, and an increased risk of certain types of cancer.
