Alcohol is a big part of society - we drink to celebrate successes, to wish congratulations and even commiserations. While in moderation, drinking isn’t considered a serious issue, when it becomes excessive, concerns arise. If an individual is turning to drink as a coping mechanism - as a way to deal with life’s stressors - then it is considered a problem.

Being alcohol dependent means you feel you’re unable to relax or enjoy yourself without a drink, you may feel like you are unable to function at all without drinking; that it has become an important, or the most important, factor in your life. And alcohol dependency doesn’t necessarily equate to extreme drinking all the time. If you are drinking regularly - as a way to unwind, or cope with particularly stressful situations - you are likely to have at least a degree of alcohol dependency.