Alcohol main drug problem

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33454, 8 February 1974, Page 4

Alcohol main drug problem

Alcoholism is New Zealand’s number one drug problem. That is the opinion of Mrs Roberta Conway and Mr Andrew Peach, case workers at the Christchurch centre of the National Society on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence.

At least 30.000 New Zealanders are alcoholics. Mrs Conway, an American, believes that the high rate of alcoholism among men is a result of the masculine image attached to drinking. “It’s considered masculine for a man to be able to drink a lot, and not show the effects,” she said. Most New Zealanders had a negative attitude to drinking. Only a change in public attitudes would bring about? a real reduction in alcoholism.

[ “It’s quite acceptable in (New Zealand to be drunk,” I said Mr Peach. “We are [very tolerant of drinking.” MONEY AND DRINK Ethnic backgrounds, said Mrs Conway, also affected drinking habits. Most Western societies had similar attitudes to those in New Zealand. By contrast, Chinese society disapproved of drunkenness, and the incidence of alcoholism was very slight. Neither case worker believes that young people are [drinking any less than their parents. Affluence meant ; that the young tended to drink. Mrs Conway came to New Zealand from New York four years ago. She has a! social science degree, and did volunteer work among drug addicts in the United States. FIRST STEP The Christchurch centre runs group therapy sessions for drug addicts twice a ;week, but the greatest demand on their time comes from alcoholism. For the alcoholic the centre can be the first step on the road to rehabilitation. Frequently it is a member of an alcoholic's family — usually a wife, sometimes a child — who goes to them first for advice. By counselling the familv, they hope to eventually reach the alcoholic. Many hear of their [service through other aid [agencies, or by word of! mouth. AIM THE SAME Alcoholics, they find, come from all walks of life. There are sometimes comI mon characteristics, such as la background of alcoholism, 'broken homes, and heavy [drinking in youth. , But there was no way, I said Mrs Conway, to predict iwho would become an alco[holic. “h's learnt behaviour,” [added Mr Peach. 1 The centre is not connected with Alcoholics [Anonymous. Although its [aim is the same, says Mrs I Conway, its methods are different. “The first thing with an alcoholic is to convince him he has a problem,” said Mrs Conway. “When this is ac-j

cepted. we can recommend [ways in which he can be helped.” NO COMPULSION It is most important, she believes, to maintain contact with the alcoholic after medical treatment. “If they isolate themselves, and want to forget they have been in hospital, or have sought 'help, then the relapse rate [ will be much higher,” she [said. ; “As a voluntary organisation we could not, and would not want, to force anyone to come back to us, but many do.” The medical profession, she says, now regards alcoholism as an illness. “There are now very few doctors, who see it as a moral problem,” said Mr Peach. Is there enough being done in New Zealand to help the alcoholic? “There are certainly enough alcoholics to keep everyone involved very busy,” said Mrs Conway. “The problem is getting them to realise they have a problem, and then getting them to doctors.” The National Society on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence will hold a threeday summer school in Christchurch next week. Overseas and New Zealand will attend. The Sir Charles Burns Lecture will be given by Dr J. G. Rankin, director and head of medicine at the Addiction Research Foundation in Toronto.