1. 38 | www. shfamily.com
family wellness
Too much "ganbei"?
When you regularly have two or three glasses of wine with
dinner, it can be hard to know if you've crossed the line into
problematic drinking. By Kirsty Eccleston
Whether you are a social drinker, a
business drinker or a need-a-drink-
to-get-through-the-witching-hour-with-the-
kids drinker, many expatriates in Shanghai
find that their alcohol intake is much higher
than it should be. It seems no matter what
differences there are in our lifestyles here or
social rendezvous, we are in what Clinical
Psychologist Dr Tim Kelly at Deltawest calls
an “alcohol-fueled community”, where
there is a “presence of alcohol everywhere
in the public and private sectors”. He states
that “expats are pioneers of old. We typi-
cally are adventurous, have a high toler-
ance for stress and like taking risks. We are a
unique group of people who tend to have
addictive personalities.” People with addic-
tive personalities are more likely to develop
alcoholism or find it difficult to break from
the typical social trends.
Imagine for a moment a world without alco-
hol. Would the parties and social gatherings
be as much fun? Would the corporate din-
ners or outings be as successful? How
would we unwind after a particularly
stressful day? Some of us may consider this
to be rather dull, but think of all the benefits!
To put it bluntly, our life expectancy would
increase, and a lot of us would be healthier,
fitter and happier.
Drink damage
According to WHO research, about 1.2 mil-
lion people die of alcohol every year, from
related diseases, accidents or social prob-
lems. Death may be the worst outcome of
excessive alcohol intake but there are also
short-term physical effects, work-related
problems and the potential breakdown of
relationships to consider.
Dr Angeline Jye Chyi Lok, a specialist in
Chronic Disease Management at Deltawest,
outlines some of the damaging physical
effects from alcohol:
“Eighty percent of alcohol is metabolized
in the liver and 80 percent is absorbed in
the small intestine; therefore, an excessive
amount of alcohol intake will affect multi-
ple organ functions (central nervous sys-
tem, cardiovascular system, liver, gall blad-
der, pancreas, kidneys, digestive system,
nutrition status and sexual function) and
mental status, working ability, and eventu-
ally our family and social relationships.
There are many severe diseases caused by
alcohol: liver cirrhosis, anemia, heart
attack, stroke, gout, high blood pressure,
dementia, Wernick’s-Korsakoff disease,
peripheral nerve damage, malnutrition”, as
well as research to suggest it increases the
likelihood of certain cancers.
However, the liver is able to regenerate (pro-
vided the permanent damage hasn’t
already been done), so by making the
appropriate lifestyle changes now, we can
hopefully avoid succumbing to these dis-
eases and health problems later. But firstly,
as Dr Kelly suggests, we need to address
what “alcohol means to us”, the reasons why
we drink and understand what is ”problem-
atic drinking”.
Over the limit
Most health organizations and practition-
ers recommend men drink no more than
3-4 units of alcohol per day and women
drink no more than 2-3 units. So one or two
drinks aren’t a problem but when it gets to
three, four and beyond, this can cause dam-
age. It becomes increasingly risky if you
casually drink this amount during the
week and then binge drink at the weekend.
Problematic drinking is when you find
yourself craving alcohol regularly or find it
difficult to stop. Here are some of the key
warning signs:

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• If you try to cut back but find it hard to do
so, or you find yourself drinking more and
more and the need for a drink increases.
• If your drinking is noticeably affecting
your mental or emotional state , or you reg-
ularly find your behavior crossing the line.
• Experiencing legal issues or work-related
problems as a result of alcohol.
• If you find yourself thinking about alcohol.
• If you regularly drink alone.
• If you start drinking earlier each day.
• If you find yourself lying about your drink-
ing, either to yourself or those around you.
• If a spouse or family member notices your
drinking has increased and starts to see it
developing into a problem.
Cutting back
However, cutting down your alcohol intake
needn’t mean excluding yourself from
social situations. It’s a case of opting for
water or a soft drink instead of that sip of
alcohol. Politely explain to friends or busi-
ness associates that you are cutting down,
and they should respect this. We can feel
peer pressure at any age but the key is to not
give in to it. At business dinners, it can be
awkward to decline the Chinese custom to
“ganbei” with clients; however, next time
suggest a “ganbeidei” meaning “half a gan-
bei”: that way if you have to “ganbei” six
times, you only have three drinks.
If you often find yourself drinking alone at
home, take away the temptation. Next time
you are in the supermarket, only buy that
bottle of wine if it’s for a specific occasion
with guests. Involve your spouse if you
want to cut down and find you drink more
in their company - it takes two to tango but it
is also often easier to tackle issues in pairs.
Seeking help
If you are worried that you may have an
alcohol dependency, you are not alone. All
the international hospitals in Shanghai
have behavioral psychologists and thera-
pists waiting to help you. Community
Center Shanghai also offers counseling ser-
vices. In addition, you can seek help from
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), “a fellowship
of men and women who share their experi-
ence, strength and hope with each other
that they may solve their common problem
and help others to recover from alcoholism.
The only requirement for membership is a
desire to stop drinking.” Renowned for its
effective 12-step program, AA holds a very
strict code of anonymity and that is also
true for their team of counselors. They even
offer Skype meetings.
Dr Kelly notes how AA is unique here
because it’s an all-expatriate community,
“a high quality and expecting group of peo-
ple who can relate to each other’s issues and
needs”. While problematic drinking can
affect anyone, the particularities associated
with expat life can exacerbate the triggers
for excessive drinking, regardless of
whether you’re a mother or a father. So,
you’re not alone and there are plenty of peo-
ple who understand and can help. Just
reach out.
For more information or to find someone you
can talk to, check: www.communitycenter.cn
or aashanghai.com