I Need A Drink... That’s what my ‘chimp’ (@thechimpparadox) tells me after listening to the daily Parliamentary Covid-19 updates.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who has that feeling?

Alcohol can be a very ‘quick fix’ relaxant for many of us, but perhaps now that we are heading into a lifestyle none of us have experienced before, we should be thinking twice before reaching for that second glass of ‘relaxant’

@drinkaware_trust says it in a nutshell.

ALCOHOL AND ANXIETY ‘For someone experiencing anxiety, a drink might help them feel more at ease, but this feeling is short-lived. The so-called ‘relaxed’ feeling somebody may say they experience after having a drink is due to the chemical changes alcohol causes in the brain. But these effects wear off fast. Relying on alcohol to mask anxiety could also lead to a greater reliance on it to relax. A likely side-effect of this is the build up of tolerance to alcohol. Over time you will need to drink more alcohol to get the same feeling. And, in the medium to longer term, this pattern can often lead to alcohol dependence’

I could have easily poured myself a second glass of our lovely Violetta last night, especially as it’s so readily available!

Hopefully, not sounding like a martyr, I reached for a glass of water and some chocolate instead!

Long may I have the willpower to do just that.