Ex-soldier warns public against drinking from boredom during lockdown

4 May 2020, 13:56 | Updated: 4 May 2020, 14:03

Iraq veteran used to drink 1 litre of whiskey a day

This former soldier shared his story of alcohol abuse, where he used to drink one litre of whiskey a day.

Darren Adam was taking calls from the public about their attitude towards drinking especially as the boredom of lockdown sets in. Eric, a former British soldier called from Glasgow to share his own harrowing story of his abusive relationship with alcohol.

From the age of 21 to 28, Eric told Darren that he would drink "a litre of whisky a day from Monday to Sunday." Coming to terms with the habit, Eric said that at the time he had nothing to do and because he had just arrived back from Iraq he was "hyper vigilant", alcohol helped him cope.

Eric felt that his story could help people who are struggling with their emotions during lockdown and feeling stuck in a rut. "This could probably coincide with the lockdown as to people having nothing to do, being bored" he said.

Looking back on his dark days, Eric told Darren he had no idea how he survived this time in his life.

After taking a moment to process Eric's story, a shocked Darren asked inquisitively how the Glasgow native could function with such a problem.

"It impaired my vision, it impaired my learning" Eric said, adding that there where times where he was left blinded by his abuse of alcohol. "If you've no direction in life it's an easy thing to lean on" he said, sympathising with people who could be led down the path of alcoholism during lockdown because of simply having nothing else to do.

Speaking about the appeal of drinking, Eric simply said "it's easier to get than drugs" and is a tempting option for many. Darren agreed with his apt summary and pointed out that access to alcohol is "one of the services that lockdown hasn't effected."

"Please watch what you're doing with substances, it has an impact on everything you're doing in your life" Eric warned, speaking from his experience of having nearly a decade of his life lost to alcoholism.

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