The 9 signs your loved one has alcohol dependency – as Tommy Fury blames booze for Molly Mae relationship breakdown

ALCOHOL can affect relationships in all sorts of ways – and the signs when someone’s become dependent on it can be hard to spot.

Tommy Fury has blamed the breakdown of his relationship with Molly-Mae Hague on his addiction to alcohol.

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Tommy Fury has blamed the breakdown of his relationship with Molly-Mae Hague on his alcohol habits[/caption]

The couple, who met on Love Island in 2019, shocked fans when they announced they’d split after five years together in August last year.

While allegations of Tommy’s infidelity have been circulating, he’s now told how he would drink to get “black-out-drunk” most nights.

The professional boxer and reality TV star has admitted he became dependent on alcohol following a painful injury.

He described his mental health as being “in the pan” during an emotional interview with Men’s Health.

Hitting back at cheating claims, Tommy said: “Cheating was never a thing. You can ask Molly this yourself. It was the drink, and the drink is not a good thing. You need to get a grip of it.”

While most people like to enjoy a drink now and again – a glass of wine or a couple of beers – for some people, alcohol can be problematic.

Hundreds of thousands of adults in England are considered to have alcohol dependency.

In 2019 to 2020, Public Health England found an estimated 608,416 adults were dependent on alcohol – a 2 per cent increase from 2015 to 2016.

And according to a study published in 2021, people with common mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety and phobia, are twice as likely to report an alcohol use disorder than people without common mental disorders.

Alcohol dependence can affect different people in different ways.

It’s not possible to predict if and when someone will become dependent on alcohol.

But The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) states that if your loved one is dependent, you might notice they start to drink every day.

They might also reach for booze first thing in the morning, or in the evening, according to the guidance.

But what are the main signs you should be looking out for if you’re worried your partner, friend or family member is struggling?

According to the HSE, there are nine signs of alcohol dependence. These include:

1. Not being able to function without alcohol – for example, not being able to do your job or carry out daily tasks
2. Drinking has become an important, or the most important, thing in life
3. Continuing to drink despite negative consequences for you or your loved ones
4. Finding it difficult to control the amount or the times when you drink
5. Finding it difficult to stop drinking when you want to
6. Not always being able to plan with certainty how much you are going to drink on an occasion
7. Drinking increasing amounts of alcohol
8. Craving alcohol or having withdrawal symptoms
9. Not seeming to be drunk after drinking large amounts.

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Continuing to drink despite negative consequences for you or your loved ones can be one of the signs of alcohol dependency[/caption]

The experts state some people might not be completely dependent on alcohol, but may indulge in harmful patterns of alcohol use.

This could include periods of binge drinking followed by restrictions.

If you’re worried about someone else’s drinking habits it can be hard to know what to say or what to do.

Experts at Drinkaware state that before approaching them, you should try and think about how you would feel if a friend or a loved one started a conversation with you about your drinking.

Here’s how to approach the situation:

1. Choose a safe and comfortable place and use supportive language
2. Show you are concerned and try the following phrase: “I’ve noticed that you aren’t so positive since you’ve been drinking more. This isn’t the kind of person I know you to be. I’m not bringing it up to upset you, but because I’m concerned.”
3. Express how it’s making you feel: “I feel sad that we don’t do X, Y or Z anymore because it meant we had quality time together.”
4. Highlight that they have stopped doing things they enjoy: “I thought it was great when you were going to yoga/football/your night class etc.”
5. Ask what it is that makes them want to drink
6. Avoid criticism and try and keep questions open such as ‘don’t you think you have a problem?
7. Complete the Drinkaware unit calculator to start a conversation about consumption.

Sometimes, discussing the issue with your loved one is enough to get them to stop.

But they might also need professional help.

If this is the case, it’s key you encourage them to speak to their GP about the feelings they have.

A doctor can discuss the services and treatments available after assessing drinking habits by using screening tests. 

Treatment usually involves counselling and medication to slowly cut down on drinking and avoid withdrawal symptoms.

There are also a number of charities, support groups, and private clinics available to offer help.