Why you keep drinking alone

Even for outgoing and social drinkers, excessive alcohol consumption can take a serious toll on mental health and push them to withdraw from the people who genuinely care about them. The repetitive cycle of alcohol addiction often wreaks havoc on social connections, leading many toward the risky habit of drinking in isolation.

What is meant by “solitary drinking”?

Solitary drinking involves consuming alcohol away from the company of other people.

Each person may hold a different judgement and set of values toward solitary drinking. One person could see a glass or two of wine after work as a regular part of their normal life. Other people may be bewildered by the prospect, as they only ever drink on a special occasion or in a social setting.

For some, occasional solitary drinking is a relatively safe and manageable routine that helps them unwind. Yet, for others, regularly drinking alone can be a massive indicator that a dangerous alcohol addiction is forming.

What are some of the main reasons for drinking alone?

The reasons for solitary drinking are numerous, and it isn’t possible to ascribe all people to one cause of solitary drinking. The reasons for drinking alone could be as complex as the reasons why we drink in the first place.

That being said, there are likely a few contributing factors that increase a person’s likelihood to drink alone continually. Someone could be affected by more than one factor on a list of contributors, with each one applying different pressures at various points in their life.

Here are some of the more prevalent reasons that someone might choose solitary drinking over social drinking:

A sense of safety or as a coping mechanism

A person might choose to drink by themselves as a way to handle or alleviate negative feelings of social anxiety, anger, trauma, depression, or boredom. For many, drinking provides a temporary escape from the undesirable way they feel.

As drinking habits form, a person can convince themselves that alcohol will (temporarily or otherwise) alleviate their pain. It can be enticing for someone who uses alcohol as an escape to drink the evening away.

They might find their sober thoughts to be overwhelming and painful, so they drink to escape. It might be the case that sharing that escape from pain with others – as in drinking in a social group – raises anxieties that intensify the pain in the first place. A negative feedback loop is created, and a person finds life easier to deal with when they simply drink to cope with their own troubles, out of sight and out of mind of other people

As this person socialises less and bottles up their emotions in silence, isolation deepens the problem. Deep depression can block the path to healing for many people, sadly resulting in recovery slipping further out of their grasp.

After experimenting as an adolescent

Going through the late teenage years to early twenties, we begin the lifelong journey of what we see as personal freedom and liberation. Before we’re able to get out of Mom and Dad’s house and make our own decisions, it’s normal to try and hide some of the things we do from them.

The first few times we try alcohol, we aren’t likely to tell our parents or guardians for fear of the consequences. The people who house, clothe and feed us don’t take well to hearing our desire to drink, so it remains hidden.

Yet it could be true that, at this time, solitary drinking habits are forming. A 17-year-long research paper suggests that a tendency for young people to drink alone can predict future alcohol problems. A teenager may see drinking alone as a safer option, and it’s not always the case that people grow out of this relationship with alcohol.

For financial reasons

One reason for all of the complex contributing factors of solitary drinking may simply be because it’s cheaper. As the average cost of living increases, financial stability for many people suffers. People become anxious when they feel financially at risk, which could, in turn, make them want to drink more.

Simple questions can form in the mind of someone who is addicted to alcohol while having financial troubles, such as, “Why would I choose to spend £15 on a cocktail when for a few pounds more, I can buy an entire bottle of vodka?”

Declining financial stability is a deep concern for millions of people across the country. Uncertainty breeds anxiety, leading many to seek an escape from permeating financial instability. This could contribute to an increased propensity to drink alone.

How do I know if my solitary drinking has become a problem?

Drinking by yourself may not automatically mean you have a drinking problem, though we will say it is wise to monitor your own consumption. Without having friends and loved ones around you, alcohol’s ability to impair decision-making makes solitary drinking much more dangerous.

Though many people have varying definitions for what constitutes an addiction, we can generally see that it involves no longer having control. Drinking alone may be a problem when it changes from a choice to an uncontrollable habit.

There can be some signs that your solitary drinking is becoming problematic. If you agree or resonate with some of these statements, a dangerous addiction could be forming:

• I’m drinking alone more and more often and consuming higher amounts than I first planned.
• The only way I can cope with what I’m feeling is to drink by myself.
• People are telling me about the dangers of alcohol abuse and I think about them sometimes as I drink alone.
• I know it’s affecting my work, my responsibilities and my relationships, but I’m going to keep drinking alone regardless of what happens.
• The only results I get from drinking alone in the long-term are negative.
• If I had the choice between solitary drinking and drinking with friends, I’d choose to drink by myself every time.
• I realise that as my solitary drinking increases, I am involved with my social circles less and I struggle to do any activities I used to enjoy.
• When I choose to remain sober for a while, I feel some alarming physical withdrawal symptoms.

What are the risks of drinking alone?

Excessive drinking in any setting poses immediate and long-term effects on your health. However, the risks and consequences inherent to solitary drinking may differ in some ways from social drinking.

Some physical risks of solitary drinking may include:

• Alcohol poisoning: Without anyone by your side as you drink, you may become likely to drink more, to the point of alcohol poisoning.
• Accidents and injuries: When we drink with our friends, or even just in the same room with strangers, a drunk stumble or fall can be immediately helped. Drinking alone heightens the danger of a slip or fall.
• Shunning responsibilities: Frequent solitary drinking may lead to an alcohol disorder. Those with a disorder are more likely to neglect personal and professional responsibilities. With no friends or loved ones around, nobody will question your destructive habit

Aside from the physical, there are psychological and social risks in drinking alone, which include:

• Depression and anxiety: Mental health issues like depression and anxiety are exacerbated in the long run when drinking alone.
• Social withdrawal: As your dependency on alcohol grows, you lose interest in previously established social activities. You convince yourself it’s just better to stay in and drink.
• Relationship strain: You may still have relationships with family members or a spouse, and drinking alone will place a strain on your ability to effectively communicate with them.

What support options are available to me?

Drinking alone can be incredibly destructive to your physical and mental health. Isolating yourself and withdrawing from social interactions compounds the problem and your health will inevitably decline. If any of the points raised today resonate with you, we’d like to reach out.

Here at UKAT we specialise in treatment programmes for alcohol addiction. Our expert staff deliver the physical and emotional care you need as you work your way out of addiction. Our scientific medical and holistic care systems help you on the road to recovery.

We’re only one phone call away, so please don’t suffer alone. Reach out to us to learn more today.