WILTSHIRE is set to feature in a new documentary about alcoholism among the middle classes and producers are looking to speak to residents suffering from dependency issues.
The programme, which will feature on Sky ONE later this year, is examining the worrying growth in numbers of “white collar” workers and people from affluent backgrounds who are consuming too much alcohol.
The one-hour documentary comes after a series of reports suggesting that people with higher educational background and a higher income are increasingly likely to drink to harmful levels.
A recent study by Age UK found that affluent middle-aged people were particularly prone to drinking to excess, with half of 45 to 64-year-olds who drink to harmful levels.
Professionals in stressful jobs which demand long working hours are turning to drink with research suggesting that up to a quarter of lawyers will suffer from alcohol dependency during their careers and one in 15 healthcare professionals will develop an addiction problem.
Marcus Sulley, the director of the documentary, said: “In our research so far we have found that middle-class drinkers with busy jobs and lives tend not to realise the extent of their alcohol dependency because they are capable of continuing to function at a high level.
“They also seem to be less likely to seek help for their dependency because they are so conscious of the stigma attached to alcoholism and that appears to be creating a vast swathe of society who are becoming secret drinkers.”
The programme will also highlight an upward trend in well-educated women becoming addicted to alcohol. This is connected to home drinking which now accounts for 65 per cent of alcohol consumption, indicating a strong shift away from pubs and bars.
Amongst the many potential consequences of long-term excessive drinking, perhaps the most worrying is liver disease.
Sulley added: "What most people don't realise is that consuming as few as three drinks every day can be enough to cause to liver disease. And with liver disease people often aren't aware of it until the damage is done."
If you're someone who is affected by alcohol dependency and would like to speak to the programme makers in confidence, contact info@freshwaterfilms.co.uk
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