There are two related reasons why the figures will not tally. First, there is the issue of assuming we can get real and accurate information from survey data. As a social researcher. I am a great advocate of the vital data that can be obtained from surveys. However, while it is possible to get accurate information on certain factual questions for example –
For those of us working in the field of addiction, this morning’s news that the level of excess drinking in England is underestimated came as no surprise. The story focused on drink consumption on a macro level. In terms of comparing the amount of alcohol purchased and the amount claimed to be drunk from surveys. A large gap was apparent. Either we are drinking more than we say or we are throwing a lot of the alcohol we purchase away.
While this might be true for the food we buy with its sell and use by dates and potential to become unfit for consumption. The same cannot be said for alcohol. Almost half the alcohol sold was unaccounted for and the researchers came to the conclusion that as many as three quarters of people may be drinking above the recommended limit.
How many times have you been married?
How many children do you have?
I like to think that most of us could answer those questions accurately – certain other questions are more difficult to answer:
How many times have you ever been to the cinema?
We might try and answer that one but with the best will in the world we are unlikely to come up with an accurate answer.
Accurate Answers
So it is with drinking questions. We may want to give an accurate answer but be unable to as we really do not know how much we drink. This is where something social researchers call ‘social desirability’ comes in. If we cannot give a really accurate answer (or even sometimes when we can). We want to give an answer that is socially acceptable and makes us look and feel good. So we will not want to admit to exactly how much we drink and will minimise it. This can be the case even if we do not have a drink problem but are just aware that we probably drink too much or at least more than the recommended amount.
Minimise How Much We Drink
For those of us who have had a drink problem – or do have one – well, we definitely minimise what we drink. It is a common problem, even in rehab clinics in which people are there because of their problem. It can be like getting blood out of a stone trying to uncover the exact scale of the problem. I was in treatment with someone who for the first week said he drank a couple of cans of special brew a day. After a few more days that went to 4 and from there to 8. Then onto plus a bottle of wine…. plus the odd gin and tonic etc. But it took a lot of pushing to get to the answer and a lot of his treatment time.
Functioning
Myself, I knew I had a problem but I was functioning well and happily for a long time. I went to a well woman check up and admitted I drank too much (28 units) – that was probably knocking off 50 a week. Three years later, when I came up with the same number – 28. I was pleasantly surprised that I had lied so consistently. Told I still drank too much ‘but at least it was no more than 3 years ago’. I did not want to be told to cut down so that was why I fabricated an answer.
So yes – lots of reasons for minimising and lots of reasons for the missing alcohol ‘lake’ which is not anywhere other than having been consumed by the great English drinking public!