Doctor: "Christmas is hard for people with alcohol problems"

Since the mid-2010s, the majority of all young people up to the age of 20 who are treated for acute alcohol poisoning are women. This shows SVT's mapping. And overall, women's drinking has increased steadily over the last few decades. It is also true that the proportion of women who die as a result of alcohol increases.

Åsa Magnusson is a doctor at the Ewa reception - a reception for women at the Dependency Center in Stockholm. She says the risk of alcohol problems exists both if you drink because you want to have fun or if you drink to self-medicate.

- There is no difference in what happens in the brain. And you risk yourself in the long run if you drink too much.

Åsa Magnusson lists three warning signs of alcohol problems that you should pay attention to:

• If you often lose control over how much you drink.
• If you think a lot about alcohol and prioritize your activities after you get the chance to drink alcohol.
• That others expressed concern about your alcohol consumption.

Åsa Magnusson thinks it is important to pay attention to the warning signs.

- We are quite considerate of each other, so someone says something, you should listen, she says.

Åsa Magnusson says it looks a little different in different parts of the country, but that you should be able to get help at a health center if you fear that you have alcohol problems. Otherwise, a good place to start is if you want to get advice sites like alkohollinjen.se.

She also says that Christmas is a difficult one for those who have problems with their alcohol habits.

- The Council is to keep alcohol levels down. It is a holiday that is difficult for people with alcohol problems.