ABC weather presenter Nate Byrne, national medical reporter Sophie Scott and Hello Sunday Morning’s Dominique Robert-Hendren are sharing some tips and tricks to help you manage your relationship with alcohol.
Join the conversation below.
Live updates
1 month ago, Friday, October 14, 2022 at 01:28
By Jessica Riga
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How do I know if I have a problem with alcohol?
How do I know if I have a problem with alcohol?
– John
Hi Joan, thanks for writing.
I asked your question to Dominique Robert-Hendren from Hello Sunday morning.
Some signs to look out for that may suggest a drinking problem are desire to start drinking earlier on the day, hiding the amount of drinks around others, stirring if you’re stuck with chores and can’t grab a drink, it’s been a long time thinking about your next drinkspending a lot of time recovering from a drinking session i feel strong urges and desires.
It is always important talk to your GP beforehand.
Standard guidelines recommend no more than 10 standard drinks per week and no more than 4 standard drinks in a day.
It’s 9 a.m. Friday, October 14, 2022 at 01:20
By Jessica Riga
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I feel pressured by others to drink. How can I avoid conflict?
I’m someone who enjoys drinking occasionally, but I often prefer to avoid alcohol. But I feel so pressured to drink from others – a lot of people seem to need someone to drink with them or they get annoyed or disappointed like you’re raining on their parade! How can we avoid conflict with friends and family but still not feel pressured to drink?
– Under pressure
Hello, thanks for writing to us. It’s disappointing to know that your friends and family aren’t as supportive as they could be.
I put your question to the ABC’s national medical reporter Sophie Scottwho stopped drinking after doctors told him to give it up.
Great question! would recognize everyone has their own relationship with alcohol And this some people may feel a little threatened by your choice to be sober But it’s your choice and you don’t have to make excuses for not drinking.
I find to have non-alcoholic options help and that after a while, most people won’t know if you have a glass of champagne or non-alcoholic bubbly.
Fortunately, there are many alcohol-free options on the market now.
20 days ago Friday, October 14, 2022 at 01:09
By Jessica Riga
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How can I support a sober friend?
I have a friend who recently identified as a problem drinker and is trying to get sober. Any advice on how I can support them?
– Luke
Hi Luke, thanks for writing in. It’s great that you want to support them.
Here’s what Dominique Robert-Hendren from Hello Sunday Morning recommends.
It’s great that your friend opened up about their drinking. Provide encouraging messages in your conversations and Ask your friend how you can support them. Just having a trusted friend to lean on can make a huge difference.
Other suggestions include don’t drink alcohol around your friend, organizing activities that does not involve drinking i just to be there when they need someone to talk to.
I would also encourage them to talk to their GP.
28 days ago, Friday, October 14, 2022 at 01:01
By Jessica Riga
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What alcohol does to your body in the short and long term
(ABC Everyday: Daniel Mee)
Most Australian adults have at least the occasional drink and about half of us are regular drinkers.
But it’s easy to underestimate the health impacts, and experts believe there’s too much risk in drinking.
You can read the full ABC Everyday article below.
37 days ago Friday, October 14, 2022 at 12:51 a.m.
By Jessica Riga
Your experiences with alcohol
I recently realized that when replacing the glass of wine after work with an expensive cocktail from the supermarket, in a nice glass of wine, it wasn’t the alcohol I was looking for, but the ritual of ending the day with something. It was a nice change to feel clear headed for dinner. I’m actually quite surprised by my own feelings about this. – Jody
Thanks for sharing your experience with us, Jody. I think many of us can relate to this ritual.
When I hit my 30s a couple of years ago, I noticed my tolerance for alcohol plummeted, but just sticking to soft drinks makes you a bit social. Trying to find a happy medium that involves raising marks with 0% options. – Matthew
Hi Mateu, thank you for sharing your experience with us. You’re absolutely right, the soft drink industry is booming right now thanks to so many of us deciding to cut down or stop drinking.
You can read more information in this article below.
41 days ago Friday, October 14, 2022 at 12:47 a.m.
By Jessica Riga
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Are there any good apps to track sobriety?
Are there any good apps to track sobriety?
-Jessica
Hi Jessica (good name), I have asked her your question Dominique Robert-Hendren from Hello Sunday morning.
It’s a great idea to track your sobriety journey.
One app worth trying is DrinkControl. This app motivates you to stay on track and make positive changes. It also gives you a summary of your progress and you can also share it with others.
Sober: The Dry Days Counter is also a good app to track your days sober. It tells you what happens when you stop drinking and what to expect at different times.
48 m ago on Friday, October 14, 2022 at 00:40
By Jessica Riga
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What are your good and bad habits with alcohol?
As part of ABC Your Move, we asked Australians about their good and bad drinking habits.
“If I drink too much, then I can’t sleep at all”, says one person.
“We started to have low alc and no alc beers and wines…with mixed success though we found a few that we really like”, adds another.
One in two Australians will develop a long-term illness in their lifetime, and the factors that influence your health are often complex and beyond your control. But there are things you can do to help reduce your risk of ongoing health problems.
56 m ago Friday, October 14, 2022 at 12:32 a.m.
By Jessica Riga
Meet the panel: Dominique Robert-Hendren
Dominique Robert-Hendren is responsible for Clinical Innovation and Digital Health Hello Sunday morning and Clinical Psychologist in Chief.
Dominique has extensive experience in service design and delivery of innovative evidence-based models of care, including digital health programs for alcohol use and co-morbid mental health disorders.
Dominique Robert-Hendren.(Submitted) 1 hour ago, Friday, October 14, 2022 at 12:28 a.m.
By Jessica Riga
Meet our panel: Sophie Scott
Sophie Scott is the ABC’s national medical reporter, as well as being a prominent public speaker.
Sophie has won numerous awards for excellence in health and medical journalism, including a Eureka Award from the Australian Museum and several awards from various professional medical colleges.
Sophie Scott. (Supplied)
Sophie also recently wrote about why she stopped drinking.
Drinking alcohol is something I’ve done most of my life, through high school, college, moms groups (still wine?) and with co-workers.
I wasn’t a heavy drinker, but alcohol was a constant, comforting daily companionand had been for many years.
So it was a challenge when the doctors told me I had to give it up.
You can continue reading about Sophie’s experience at the link below.
1 hour ago Friday, October 14, 2022 at 00:22
By Jessica Riga
Meet our panel: Nate Byrne
Meet our panel members who will be answering your questions today.
Nate Byrne bounces onto our screens every morning to bring us the latest weather Breakfast news and to discover all things science. Breakfast times mean a 3:30 a.m. alarm and a long day, but Nate does committed to monitoring health – Follow evidence-based best practices. He doesn’t always get it right, but he doesn’t stop trying because he believes you have to take care of yourself before you can take care of others.
Nate Byrne. (ABC News: Patrick Wood) 1 hour ago Friday, October 14, 2022 at 12:13 a.m.
By Jessica Riga
Have a question about alcohol? Come and join the conversation
Hello and welcome to our live Q&A on alcohol! Whether you’re sober or can’t wait for a drink after work, it’s great to have your company.
This is the last of four panel sessions we run as part of ABC’s Your Move project.
Australia has one of the best health systems in the world, yet one in two of us lives with a long-term illness.
We want to help Australians better understand their health and how they can make small changes that will make a big difference.
In a few moments, we will be joined by today’s guests:
- ABC Your Move weather ambassador and presenter Nate Bryn
- The ABC’s national medical reporter Sophie Scott
- And hello Sunday morning Dominique Robert-Hendren
Have a question for the panel? Press the big blue button at the top of the screen.
Before you jump in, take our health quiz and see how making a change in a few areas can make a big difference in your life.