Want to party without the hangover? The ‘drinktician’ will see you now

Source: The Telegraph

Cristina Criddle, Bryony Gordon, Shahroo Izadi & Nick Curtis

15 December 2016

Forget Jingle Bells – the festive sounds of corks popping and glasses of champagne clinking are much more common at this time of year. Drinking heavily is accepted, if not encouraged, during the party season: so much so that December 16 has been dubbed ‘blackout Friday’ on account of it being peak office party night.

The statistics don’t make for optimistic reading. Last year, there were more than a million alcohol-related admissions to hospital – nearly double the number from 10 years ago.

And while more of us than ever are employing the help of professionals when it comes to our health (a recent report charted a 272 per cent increase in independent nutritionists and dietitians over the past five years), the idea of seeking advice from a ‘drinktician’ – someone who can help us develop sensible drinking habits – is more unusual.

Enter Shahroo Izadi, an addictions specialist who has trained prisoners and politicians alike in how to moderate their boozing. Her approach doesn’t focus on abstinence or how many units you’re knocking back, but instead developing an awareness of why we drink in the way we do.

“Being more mindful of our drinking can help us to identify and diversify the strategies we employ to cope with situations such as stress, boredom or social pressure,” she says.

Izadi offers individual questionnaires, sessions and workshops ranging from £90-£575, suggesting bespoke changes each individual can make to achieve a level of drinking they are happy with.

“This is not an exercise in hating alcohol,” she insists. “It’s simply an experiment to see what it is doing for you and explore what else can perform that function.”

So is there a way to hold back the hangover? Three writers set out to find if they could change the drinking habits of a lifetime.

 “Alcohol is not your enemy!” The first words that Shahroo says to me come as something of a shock. Because ever since I started drinking, age 15, I have seen alcohol as just that. In my mind it’s the bitchy Queen bee at school who pretends to be your friend, only to reveal at the last minute that in actual fact she’s playing a trick on you. It’s the crummy ex boyfriend who I’m always trying to impress, even though he behaves like a jerk to me.

Bottom line is: alcohol has not been good to me over the years. Or maybe I have not been good to it. All I know is that I am not very good at drinking, and would rather have none than one.

I’ve been to Alcoholics Anonymous a couple of times. I’ve never actually said that to anyone out loud, other than my husband and now, Shahroo. “You are in control of your alcohol intake” she explains. It’s such a radical idea to me that I almost fall off my chair.

My first test is a Christmas reception full of very important people who I don’t want to embarrass myself in front of. Shahroo tells me I’m only allowed half a bottle of champagne during it, which is tricky when there are waiters walking round with magnums of Mumm. But I do it. I put my hand over my glass (I’ve never done that before) and request water. I leave… sober.

I’m writing this with a cracking hangover – I went out without eating and didn’t drink at all mindfully, as ordered by Shahroo. I am a toxic mix of anxiety and alcohol. I just hope that this time, I have learnt my lesson: treat alcohol with respect, and it will return the favour.

Shahroo says: Even when we’re not discussing physical dependency, ‘relapse’ is an important part of the process of identifying our triggers. Try to reframe ‘high risk’ events as an opportunity to experiment with new drinking habits.

Prior to my consultation, some friends and I had begun delegating dishes for our Christmas dinner. My job? Booze-runner.

When I completed my questionnaire, it became increasingly obvious that alcohol exists in every aspect of my life, except work. “My relationships could be affected if I changed my drinking habits as drinking is a part of most social situations I engage in,” I wrote. But that’s normal for a 23-year-old, right?

My main concern is turning to alcohol when stressed or upset – something I hadn’t admitted before my consultation.

Shahroo’s first rule was easy: eat something before drinking, “anything from melon to Monster Munch”. The night after my consultation, I was four French 75s down before I realised I hadn’t eaten. The bar had stopped serving hot food, so a packet of crisps became supper. Surprisingly, it worked.