England (Commonwealth Union) – Excessive alcohol consumption has always been associated with risky behavior that often endangers the life of the individual and sometimes those of others. Quite often those with drinking problems may show signs of denial where they would often insist that they do not have a problem but have all the features of an alcoholic on full display.
A new study conducted by the University College London (UCL) has found that problematic alcohol consumption is linked with a higher likelihood of suicide or self-harm. The study, was unable to find a clear link to the levels of alcohol consumption and risk of suicide or self-harm, except for those with ‘probable dependence’ rather, they noted signs of alcohol negatively effecting people as risk factors.
PhD candidate and lead author, Sarah Ledden of UCL Psychiatry, explained: “We found that it’s not just how much people drink that is associated with their risk of suicide or self-harm, but whether they show signs of more problematic alcohol use.” She further stated that alcohol consumption might not be the issue in itself, but how it’s impacting your life and potentially causing you issues.
Researchers looked into 14,949 people, broadly consisting of the general public in England, who completed surveys for alcohol use and patterns of harmful use that was evaluated by the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test – AUDIT. Suicidal attempts, thoughts and non-suicidal self-harm were compared in the last year.
People with dependence symptoms included the inability to stop drinking, failure to meet normal expectations as a result of drinking, and feeling a requirement to drink following a heavy session. The individuals that reported harmful effects of drinking – like drink-related guilt, memory loss, or injury – also faced greater odds of suicide or self-harm.
The findings indicated the need to identify risky drinking behaviors and seek treatment.
