YOU don’t have to drink to suffer from alcoholism is the message from a woman whose life has been affected by someone else’s drinking.

The woman – who has asked for her identity to remain a secret – is a member of a group in Swindon that supports those who are living with someone who can’t put the bottle down.

During Alcohol Awareness Week – which runs until Sunday – she has revealed the true cost of a drink problem extends far beyond the one with the addiction.

She said: “We are all aware of the damaging impact on society of problem drinking and the amount of time and money spent dealing with it by local authorities, police, health professionals and the social care system.

“But the impact on the families, friends and colleagues of those who drink to excess is harder to quantify. The hidden hangover takes its toll on those closest to the drinker and often does unnoticed. You don’t have to drink to suffer from alcoholism.”

She said that for every person with a drink problem there are at least five close family and friends who live with degrees of uncertainty, deceit, financial insecurity, fear of violence or emotional and physical abuse.

She added: “Alcoholism is an illness which affects their loved ones physically, emotionally and spiritually. Dealing with someone else’s drink problem can be frightening and confusing.

“Challenging their unacceptable behaviour can be exhausting and stressful, and may make the situation worse.

“Communication breaks down, relationships suffer and families fall apart. For the families and friends this can be a lonely and isolating experience, compounded by shame and secrecy.

“The subtle signs might manifest themselves in, for example, children failing in school or workdays lost through stress-related illness of a family member.”

Help for people combating alcohol themselves is well-known to be available, but she said that there was also help available for those people in Swindon trying to deal with the consequences of someone else’s drink problem.

She said: “There is help available – Al-Anon Family Groups provide support to anyone whose life is, or has been, affected by someone else’s drinking. By gaining insight into a better way of coping, members can vastly improve the quality of their own lives. Whether the alcoholic is still drinking or not.”

Al-Anon hold regular meetings at Park South Community Centre in Swindon on Wednesday mornings from 10.15am to noon and Thursday evenings from 7.30pm until 9.30pm.

Anyone is welcome to attend if they have been – or still are – affected by someone else’s drinking. The Al-Anon member said: “Al-Anon meetings offer a place of safety, where anonymity is protected and everything said remains confidential.”

For more information, or if you wish to speak to someone prior to attending a meeting, call 02074030888, the confidential helpline available from 10am until 10pm 365 days a year or visit www.al-anon.org.uk.