Doctor warns about one common excuse people use to drink alcohol that may indicate you have problem

A doctor has issued a warning to people who use a common excuse to drink alcohol which could be indicative of a problem.

Dr Arthur, a NHS F2 medical professional, has taken to TikTok (@dr_arthur) to explain how drinkers can 'maintain a healthy relationship with alcohol'.

This is important in helping avoid alcohol misuse, which is 'when you drink in a way that's harmful, or when you're dependent on alcohol,' according to the NHS.

The health service advises people to not regularly drink more than 14 units a week.

And this ties in with Dr Arthur's advice, which is to give yourself a break from drinking in the week.

"First one is drink more than three days in a week," he began.

"And it's super important to have that time between drinks to allow your body to get rid of the toxins, to allow your liver to regenerate properly and it's super dangerous, even if you're only drinking quite a small amount, to be drinking every single day, without that break."

Dr Arthur also opened up about a common excuse we will often give and that's to drink 'because you're stressed'.

"Number two is that I would never have an alcoholic drink if I was stressed, i.e. at the end of a busy shift, just to wind down," he added.

"It can very quickly become a coping mechanism and it's really important to have a healthy relationship with alcohol.

"So drinking purely because you're stressed, doesn't mean you can't have a drink when you are stressed, but you shouldn't be drinking to get rid of that stress."

Lastly, the health expert urges everyone to 'get rid of the stigma' of not being open about struggling with alcohol.

"Number three, and in my opinion, the most important one, is I would never be embarrassed about going to your doctor about issues with alcohol," Dr Arthur concludes.

"Whether it's you feel you have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol, whether it's to the point you're actually addicted to alcohol.

"And I also encourage you to discuss it with your friends and your family.

"Get rid of the stigma around this, it's as much as a disease as anything else addiction, so it's really important to discuss it with people around you, especially your medical professional if you feel you've got a problem."

Please drink responsibly. If you want to discuss any issues relating to alcohol in confidence, contact Drinkline on 0300 123 1110, 9am–8pm weekdays and 11am–4pm weekends for advice and support.