Guidebooks in the old days invariably described Greeks as an abstemious people whose national drink was water. This typical pattern of use seems to have been gradually changing during the last decades. “Alcohol is becoming a mean of recreation and a symbol of a new life-style considerably reinforced by the media,” said Matina Marinopoulou, psychiatrist at the Counselling Centre for Alcoholics and Drug-Users.
Consumption of imported distilled alcohol beverages and beer has greatly increased. Almost half of the population – 42 percent – drinks alcohol daily. On top of that the setting of drinking alcohol is getting more similar to that of West European countries. Today Greeks drink more often than not at a bar. Bars serving alcohol, almost nonexistent before 1980, have become numerous and a meeting place popular among both adults and the young.
Between 1970 and 1984 the per capita consumption of spirits increased by 15 percent, wine by 10 percent while beer consumption increased by 233 percent. In 1991 Greece was declared the country with the highest per capita consumption of whiskey in the world.
This increase has been associated with the profound social and economic changes that have occurred in Greece in connection with urbanization, migration and industrialization. The traditional extended family has been transformed into the nuclear family. Community ties have weakened. This has caused an increasing prevalence of psychological stress – induced disorders – which in turn are associated with an increasing consumption of alcohol and drugs.
The use of alcohol among the young provides an insight into the changing patterns of alcohol consumption in Greece and how a socially accepted habit gives rise to dim predictions about the state of alcoholism in Greece in the future. A survey, which was first undertaken in 1984 by a team of university researchers under the guidance of Dr Kostas Stefanis of Areteion Hospital, reveals that almost the whole population of Greek high-school students (98 percent) have experienced alcohol at least once in their life and 91 percent three or more times. Frequent and daily use of alcohol seems to be more associated with the masculine stereotype of behavior since it was observed in twice the number of boys than girls.
Excessive use of alcohol, manifesting itself by having drunk “five or more drinks in a row” is also much more frequent among boys than girls and increases significantly with age. Around 20 percent of the students questioned reported having “been drunk” three or more times in their life. Moreover, twice as many boys (16 percent) as girls (7 percent) admitted having drunk “five or more drinks in a row”, at least three times within 30 days before the inquiry.
No doubt use does not mean abuse, but the findings of the survey show that the consumption of alcohol is wide-spread and therefore it is highly possible that it opens the way to alcoholism. Similar situations have been reported in other European countries where alcoholism is widely considered a social and national problem.
“In Greece authorities ignore or pretend to ignore that the country is suffering from alcoholism,” said Mrs Marinopoulou. “The number of alcoholics in Greece is unknown. It is much larger than that of drug addicts, but we do not talk about it.”
Whereas drugs have stirred up social reaction, alcohol has not. The reason mainly lies in the fact that drugs may cause instant death, whereas alcohol does not. Alcohol is a licit substance. The use of alcohol is both legal and socially acceptable. Moreover it is favored as financially beneficial to the Greek economy and to Greek exports abroad. As a result use, let alone heavy use, of alcohol among the young has not been recognized as a social problem and therefore not treated.
“Alcohol affects more seriously and a larger number of parts of the human body than any other substance. It takes years of heavy drinking to identify a person as alcoholic. Throughout this time his/her body is under the harmful effect of alcohol,” said Mrs Marinopoulou. “To cure an alcoholic is more difficult than to cure a drug addict. This is because a problem-drinker very rarely admits that he is an alcoholic. Whereas a drug addict usually does.”
In Greece, tne average age of alcoholics is around 40. “Since 1982 there is an increase in young people who ask help against the use of alcohol,” said Nikos Lalos of the Counselling Centre for Alcoholics and Drug Users. “The average age of alcoholics is getting lower.” In 1990 almost 150 problem-drinkers visited the Counselling Centre. In 1989 the number was 227 men and women. “Fewer and fewer alcoholics ask help and go into treatment. Even those who do usually drop out of the treatment course after a few visits,” Mr Lalos said.
According to the Ministry of Health, an estimated 1678 men were registered in 1989 as alcohol-dependent patients to at least one hospital in the country. Women numbered 81. Of these, 20 died and 330 showed no improvement. Relative figures indicate that the problem of alcoholism has not been addressed.
The psychiatric clinic at Dafni is the only state-run hospital where alcoholics undergo medical and psychological treatment to ‘ recover both physically and mentally from alcoholism. “The majority who register with the clinic go through the first stage of therapy which focuses on physical recovery, but drop out during psychological treatment,” said Mrs Marinopoulou.
Alcoholics Anonymous
“Alcoholics drink to kill their emotional pain,” says Thodoros of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). “It is a way out of their troubles. They think it is an escape.”
A former alcoholic himself he stopped drinking nine years ago when he joined the Greek section of AA. “Once I joined I found myself again,” he said. AA is internationally recognized as the best method to stop alcoholism. Members meet, share experiences and help each other overcome alcoholism. But hope for recovery lies in the alcoholics’ ability to recognize they need help. “Unless an alcoholic decides to stop drinking and realizes that he needs help there is no hope. AA members have a contact number. We say to each other: before you touch a glass of alcohol, dial the number and ask for help.”
AA is a ‘fraternity’ of men and women who share the desire to quit drinking. This is the only requirement to join the group. Members pay no dues and contributions are voluntary.
The name of the group indicates that all members are committed to respect each other’s anonymity. A A was founded in the US in the 1930s. In Greece it was first set up in 1983. Today AA groups are spread all around the country. Most of them run two sections: a Greek and an English-speaking one. In Athens both AA groups meet in Pangrati. (Contact numbers: 7011-977, 8651-970).
Al-Anon
It is estimated that there are four to five people affected by every alcoholic. Alcoholism is also recognized as a ‘family’ disease. Al-Anon is a fellowship that meets to try to alleviate the problems of people who are affected by close contact with a problem-drinker and restore stability to families of alcoholics. Al-Anon emerged for the first time in 1954 in the US as adjunct of AA but separated from them. The only requirement to join the group is that the person feels his/her life has been deeply affected by close contact with a problem-drinker. There are no membership dues and contributions are voluntary. Anonymity is also respected. Everything disclosed in the meetings is held strictly confidential.
“Al-Anon group members gain knowledge, understanding, love and serenity out of their meetings,” said a member of the Athens-based English-speaking group which mainly includes women. “Better understanding of the alcoholic allows the member to begin having compassion for the alcoholic and eventually comes a feeling of love and serenity within,” said the Al-A non member. “But each person has his own rate of progress.” Eleni, a member of the Athens Greek-speaking Al-Anon group and founder of the Piraeus Al-Anon said: “It was hard for me at the beginning to accept that my husband was a problem-drinker. I finally accepted my failure to change the situation. Then I joined Al-Anon. I started taking care of myself and having compassion for my husband. I regained respect and love for him. I tried to make him understand that he was suffering from a disease. He asked for help. So he joined AA. Since then he has stopped drinking and things are getting better.” Eleni joined Al-Anon 10 years ago. But she never managed to persuade her children to do the same. “My daughter, now in her early twenties, is a very nervous person.” (Al-Anon contact number: 7796017).
