gmb45
8th July, 2009, 07:06 AM
BINGE drinking among women has almost doubled in the past ten years, warns the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, in the wake of the death of Emma Pycroft.
Even "social drinkers" such as Emma are dicing with death - an inquest last week heard that the publicist had an alcohol-related liver disease probably as a result of frequently wining and dining clients.
Statistics last May revealed that the proportion of women bingeing rose from eight per cent in 1998 to 15 per cent in 2006. Over the same period, male binge drinking increased just one per cent, from 22 to 23.
One in every six female drinkers aged over 16 now drinks more than double the recommended daily limit of two to three units.
The average consumption of women aged 16 to 24 rose from 7.3 units a week in 1992 to 10.8 in 2006. The biggest increase in consumption was among women over 65, rising from 2.7 units to 5.1 a week.
Mum-of-five Emma Gregson knows exactly how drink can take hold of your life. She died from her alcohol addiction and was brought back to life by doctors.
Worst
She had drunk heavily from the age of 18 when daughter Natasha, now 13, was born. At her worst she would drink seven bottles of wine or 12 litres of cider a day.
Despite her drinking she would still collect her children from school and cook their dinner every night.
But when a friend found her drinking while the kids were in the house, social services were contacted and her youngsters were taken from her.
Emma's alcoholism then increased and during a rare visit from her children, her heart stopped after she had downed 12 litres of cider.
Now teetotal, she says: "It's horrific to say, but my addiction to alcohol was so strong that I chose it over my children. Even though I loved them dearly, I could not stop myself from drinking - I couldn't live without it.
"The pressure of struggling to be a perfect mum, having a job and keeping a nice house made me turn to drink and I would binge on bottles of wine and vodka while the kids were at school, starting at 8am. It numbed the pain of the monotonous life I was living, and the memories of bad relationships."
"My relationship with my partner at the time was not perfect and drink became my comfort.
"If I'd had a hard day with Natasha, I would hit the bottle and the stress would go away.
After having her second child Paul, now 12, Emma left their father and made a new home for her and the children.
"It was good for me to get out of that relationship, but I would still use alcohol as a comfort. When I could get a babysitter, I would binge drink at weekends.
"This would involve downing two bottles of wine before going out and drinking countless spirits and pints of Stella at the pub, until I blacked out.
"I was a single mum, holding down a job in a nursing home and felt under extreme pressure to succeed in all areas. Alcohol relieved that."
At 23, Emma started a relationship with James (not his real name) and had sons, Logan, now six, and Jason, four.
She continued to drink heavily at the weekends after Jason's birth, which she hid from friends and colleagues.
"I managed to hold it together at work for several years but by the time I was 27 I noticed the affects of my alcohol abuse come out more.
"I became forgetful and unable to concentrate and started to crave alcohol during the day. James noticed I was drinking and threw all the booze in the house away, but it didn't stop me.
"I'd walk to garages in the middle of the night to buy spirits or down drinks in the pub on the way home from the supermarket."
Emma's drinking escalated so much she would easily consume seven bottles of wine a day.
She says: "During this time I was always drunk, but still acting like a mum. It's horrific to think about, but I would do the school run after a day drinking, and put the kids to bed after downing my fourth bottle of vodka of the day.
"One night I blacked out in the house and a friend phoned for help. The police came and I was arrested for being drunk in charge of my children."
After she received a caution, social services advised family members to remove the four children from Emma's house.
She was only able to speak to them over the phone.
"On the nights I was allowed to call, I would be completely drunk and sob on the phone. It must have been terrifying for them."
After several months, Emma was finally allowed to have the children visit her house for a few hours a week.
During one visit, Emma's heart stopped after she blacked out on her sofa.
She recalls: "My last memory was hearing the kids playing upstairs while I sipped a glass of cider - my last of the 12 litres I consumed that afternoon.
"My daughter, Natasha, found me. I had stopped breathing and was turning blue."
Terrified, Natasha ran to a neighbour's and an ambulance was called.
"As my heart had failed, I was given an adrenaline needle in my arm and chest compressions to restart my heart - all in front of my young children."
In the case of film publicist Emma Pycroft, 33, doctors thought she had suffered a heart attack when she collapsed at her North London home in April.
But a post-mortem revealed the alcohol-related liver disease. She was unaware she was suffering from the illness, usually related to excessive, long-term drinking.
Evidence given at an inquest showed Miss Pycroft was not a heavy drinker but she socialised often - and drank consistently - with her clients and fellow professionals.
Ashamed
The coroner warned that liver disease can strike unpredictably and be brought on simply by drinking on a regular basis.
But there is a happy ending to Emma Gregson's years on the booze.
At 28 - a decade after she started hitting the bottle - she went into rehab in Oldham, Gtr Manchester, and beat her addiction. She has not touched alcohol for four years.
Now a new mum with four-month-old Leon, Emma has all five children in her constant care and is studying to earn a counselling diploma.
She says: "I am so ashamed of what I put my kids through.
"Young girls who binge or drink excessively at the weekend should read my story very, very carefully.
"I feel very lucky to be alive to tell it."
Even "social drinkers" such as Emma are dicing with death - an inquest last week heard that the publicist had an alcohol-related liver disease probably as a result of frequently wining and dining clients.
Statistics last May revealed that the proportion of women bingeing rose from eight per cent in 1998 to 15 per cent in 2006. Over the same period, male binge drinking increased just one per cent, from 22 to 23.
One in every six female drinkers aged over 16 now drinks more than double the recommended daily limit of two to three units.
The average consumption of women aged 16 to 24 rose from 7.3 units a week in 1992 to 10.8 in 2006. The biggest increase in consumption was among women over 65, rising from 2.7 units to 5.1 a week.
Mum-of-five Emma Gregson knows exactly how drink can take hold of your life. She died from her alcohol addiction and was brought back to life by doctors.
Worst
She had drunk heavily from the age of 18 when daughter Natasha, now 13, was born. At her worst she would drink seven bottles of wine or 12 litres of cider a day.
Despite her drinking she would still collect her children from school and cook their dinner every night.
But when a friend found her drinking while the kids were in the house, social services were contacted and her youngsters were taken from her.
Emma's alcoholism then increased and during a rare visit from her children, her heart stopped after she had downed 12 litres of cider.
Now teetotal, she says: "It's horrific to say, but my addiction to alcohol was so strong that I chose it over my children. Even though I loved them dearly, I could not stop myself from drinking - I couldn't live without it.
"The pressure of struggling to be a perfect mum, having a job and keeping a nice house made me turn to drink and I would binge on bottles of wine and vodka while the kids were at school, starting at 8am. It numbed the pain of the monotonous life I was living, and the memories of bad relationships."
"My relationship with my partner at the time was not perfect and drink became my comfort.
"If I'd had a hard day with Natasha, I would hit the bottle and the stress would go away.
After having her second child Paul, now 12, Emma left their father and made a new home for her and the children.
"It was good for me to get out of that relationship, but I would still use alcohol as a comfort. When I could get a babysitter, I would binge drink at weekends.
"This would involve downing two bottles of wine before going out and drinking countless spirits and pints of Stella at the pub, until I blacked out.
"I was a single mum, holding down a job in a nursing home and felt under extreme pressure to succeed in all areas. Alcohol relieved that."
At 23, Emma started a relationship with James (not his real name) and had sons, Logan, now six, and Jason, four.
She continued to drink heavily at the weekends after Jason's birth, which she hid from friends and colleagues.
"I managed to hold it together at work for several years but by the time I was 27 I noticed the affects of my alcohol abuse come out more.
"I became forgetful and unable to concentrate and started to crave alcohol during the day. James noticed I was drinking and threw all the booze in the house away, but it didn't stop me.
"I'd walk to garages in the middle of the night to buy spirits or down drinks in the pub on the way home from the supermarket."
Emma's drinking escalated so much she would easily consume seven bottles of wine a day.
She says: "During this time I was always drunk, but still acting like a mum. It's horrific to think about, but I would do the school run after a day drinking, and put the kids to bed after downing my fourth bottle of vodka of the day.
"One night I blacked out in the house and a friend phoned for help. The police came and I was arrested for being drunk in charge of my children."
After she received a caution, social services advised family members to remove the four children from Emma's house.
She was only able to speak to them over the phone.
"On the nights I was allowed to call, I would be completely drunk and sob on the phone. It must have been terrifying for them."
After several months, Emma was finally allowed to have the children visit her house for a few hours a week.
During one visit, Emma's heart stopped after she blacked out on her sofa.
She recalls: "My last memory was hearing the kids playing upstairs while I sipped a glass of cider - my last of the 12 litres I consumed that afternoon.
"My daughter, Natasha, found me. I had stopped breathing and was turning blue."
Terrified, Natasha ran to a neighbour's and an ambulance was called.
"As my heart had failed, I was given an adrenaline needle in my arm and chest compressions to restart my heart - all in front of my young children."
In the case of film publicist Emma Pycroft, 33, doctors thought she had suffered a heart attack when she collapsed at her North London home in April.
But a post-mortem revealed the alcohol-related liver disease. She was unaware she was suffering from the illness, usually related to excessive, long-term drinking.
Evidence given at an inquest showed Miss Pycroft was not a heavy drinker but she socialised often - and drank consistently - with her clients and fellow professionals.
Ashamed
The coroner warned that liver disease can strike unpredictably and be brought on simply by drinking on a regular basis.
But there is a happy ending to Emma Gregson's years on the booze.
At 28 - a decade after she started hitting the bottle - she went into rehab in Oldham, Gtr Manchester, and beat her addiction. She has not touched alcohol for four years.
Now a new mum with four-month-old Leon, Emma has all five children in her constant care and is studying to earn a counselling diploma.
She says: "I am so ashamed of what I put my kids through.
"Young girls who binge or drink excessively at the weekend should read my story very, very carefully.
"I feel very lucky to be alive to tell it."