Alcohol problems affect one in three Danes around them

More than one in three Danes say they have experienced social, psychological or physical consequences because of the way someone they know drinks, according to a representative Voxmeter survey for Alcohol & Society reported by DR.

Denmark’s National Health Authority estimates that around half a million people have a moderate to severe alcohol problem. But the consequences also affect people close to them, says Maria Koch Aabel, director of Alcohol & Society.

“It is a very heavy burden to be a relative of someone with alcohol problems,” she says. Those affected can experience insecurity, loneliness, isolation and a lower quality of life, as well as a higher risk of developing mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.

More than half of those affected say the alcohol problem has led to arguments or conflicts. A total of 7.7 per cent say they have been subjected to violence.

Constantly on alert

The consequences can vary significantly between families, says Kirsten Søndergaard Frederiksen, an assistant professor at the Center for Alcohol and Drug Research. But she is not surprised that so many people in Denmark report being mentally and physically affected by living alongside addiction.

Children, who are particularly vulnerable, and spouses living under the same roof as someone with an alcohol addiction can feel they are constantly working to manage a strained relationship. They may lie awake worrying while the person is away, fear for their own safety when the person returns home intoxicated, or deal with violence and frequent conflicts.

“It is about being on constant alert, which accumulates over time,” Søndergaard Frederiksen says. Interviews show that many relatives do not take sufficient care of themselves because they are focused on protecting the other person and dealing with problems at home.

Children and young people who are relatives of someone with an alcohol problem may also be more likely to develop a problematic relationship with alcohol and other substances themselves, she says.

Calls for better access to treatment

Relatives and people with alcohol problems can call Alkolinjen anonymously for advice and support, and other services are available locally. Alcohol & Society says more needs to be done to help relatives.

The organisation is calling for relatives to have the same right to help as people who drink. Under the Health Act, people with alcohol problems can claim free alcohol treatment no later than 14 days after contacting their municipality.

“There is something fundamentally unequal about recognising the drinker’s need for treatment as a right, while people living close to the same alcohol problem have no equivalent right or guarantee of help,” Aabel says.

She rejects the suggestion that providing more funding and attention for relatives would come at the expense of people with alcohol addiction. Support for relatives can help protect their health and mental wellbeing, she says, and may also encourage the person drinking to seek treatment earlier.

Søndergaard Frederiksen agrees that more consistent services for relatives are needed. Support currently varies depending on where in the country people live, she says, and should be available whether or not the person with the alcohol problem is receiving treatment.