Five behavioural changes could be a sign you need to ask for help
West End composer Andrew Lloyd Webber has revealed he is a “recovering alcoholic”. The 78-year-old said he had previously checked himself into a clinic to deal with his addiction, which he added did not work, before then attending Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings in Switzerland and the UK, which he said he “adored”, in an interview with The Times.
Lord Lloyd-Webber said: “I am a recovering alcoholic. Sixteen months ago I decided that I needed help and it’s the best thing that ever happened to me. You think it’s secret, but it’s not, everybody knows. I started getting into a downhill spiral and about 18 months ago the family were in a desperate state. My wife was feeling she couldn’t go on.”
The writer of songs behind musicals such as Cats, Jesus Christ Superstar and The Phantom Of The Opera added he is now attending a meeting every day while moving between his homes in London, Hampshire and New York. He added: “People had always said: ‘Oh no, you wouldn’t like that’, and you get this thought that it’s a load of meth drinkers coming in off the streets. Not at all. “What I love about it is, you go into a room and everybody’s equal. I’ve made friends that I wouldn’t have thought possible.”
The star said that the turning point in his battle with addiction was hearing someone else describe the “stupidity” of it. He said: “It was about the ludicrous lengths you go to, the hiding and the pretending.
“When you’re a wine drinker, you don’t think of yourself as… well, alcoholics drink spirits, that was the shocking thing for me, when I realised that I was drinking vodka to hide it. You don’t really think. It’s just: ‘How am I going to get through the day?’ I got that thing of seriously worrying that I wasn’t writing, and panicked. ‘Maybe I’ll have a drink – OK, I’ve written something’, because it does slightly liberate you — but then it’s more and more and more.”
The London-born composer went on to say that one of the songs he wrote while under the influence was No Matter What, which went on to be a hit for Irish boyband Boyzone.
According to the NHS, Drinkaware, and major support organisations, the signs of alcoholism (clinically referred to as Alcohol Use Disorder or Alcohol Dependence) are generally categorised into physical, behavioural, and psychological indicators.
1. Physical Signs of Dependence
One of the key signs is tolerance, needing to drink significantly more alcohol to achieve the same “buzz” or effect you used to get from smaller amounts.
You could also suffer withdrawal symptoms when you haven’t had a drink for a few hours or days. This includes:
- Hand tremors (“the shakes”)
- Nausea or vomiting
- Sweating and racing heart
- Insomnia or disrupted sleep
- “Eye-Openers”: Feeling the need to have a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or stop withdrawal symptoms
2. Behavioural and Lifestyle Red Flags
These signs often involve how alcohol takes priority over other aspects of your life:
- Loss of Control: Finding it difficult to stop drinking once you’ve started, or frequently drinking more than you originally intended.
- Neglecting Responsibilities: Alcohol use interfering with your job, school, or home life (e.g., frequent absences or poor performance).
- Prioritising Alcohol: Spending a large amount of time obtaining, using, or recovering from the effects of alcohol.
- Social Withdrawal: Losing interest in hobbies, sports, or social events that don’t involve drinking, or avoiding loved ones to drink alone.
- Secretive Behaviour: Hiding the amount you drink or being dishonest with others about your alcohol consumption.
3. Psychological Indicators
Dependency is as much about the mind as it is the body:
- Compulsion: Feeling a powerful, overwhelming urge or “craving” to drink.
- Continued Use Despite Harm: Drinking even when you know it is causing physical health problems (like liver issues), mental health struggles, or destroying personal relationships.
- Irritability and Anxiety: Feeling restless, anxious, or “on edge” when alcohol is unavailable.
- Guilt: Feeling ashamed about your drinking habits but finding yourself unable to change them.
When to Seek Help
The NHS and charities like Drinkaware emphasize that you do not need to be “drinking every day” to be considered an alcoholic. If alcohol is causing problems in your life and you find it difficult to cut down, it is time to seek support. A GP can provide a formal assessment and refer you to local specialist services.
Drinkline offers a free, confidential helpline on 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am–8pm, weekends 11am–4pm). Alcoholics Anonymous offers peer support groups and a 24-hour helpline on 0800 9177 650.
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