Doctor warns ‘you should never drink’ if you are one of these three people

A doctor who recently celebrated being three years sober revealed the three types of people he thinks should 'never drink' alcohol.

After overindulging over the festive period, which is sort of the whole point, many will be thinking of giving Dry Jan a go for a bit of a 'reset'.

But some may decide to give up drinking for good - which is what Dr Alex George (@dralexgeorge) did after he made the decision to quit booze in 2022 following the death of his younger brother.

“At the start, it was kind of like, gosh, I’m at rock bottom. I’m really struggling. I have to quit,” he admitted in a recent video.

“Grief’s overwhelming. I’m 20 stone overweight. Everything’s a mess. I need to stop this thing. I ultimately had to make that difficult choice… I don’t want to do this anymore, and it’s time to change.”

In a video posted last year, the Love Island doctor issued some advice about the three types of people he thinks should avoid alcohol altogether.

And you don't necessarily need to be drinking huge amounts every day to have an alcohol problem.

If you have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition which often causes a lack of concentration, high energy levels and forgetfulness, with symptoms usually presenting themselves in childhood, according to the NHS.

"First of all, if you have ADHD. Drinking alcohol with ADHD is like pouring petrol on a fire. It makes the impulsivity worse, a lot of the symptoms we don't want are heightened, and it numbs all the good things," he said.

If you're struggling with mental health

"Secondly, if you're struggling with low mood or depression, alcohol is a depressant," Dr George explained.

"It's not just about the hangxiety. If you drink a couple of nights a week, over a period of weeks and months, that can cause depression in your brain. That suppresses the brain's good energy and good feelings."

If you're not achieving your goals

Dr George said that if you're feeling 'stuck' in life from not achieving certain goals - like all of your New Year's resolutions - alcohol can 'block us from being the person that we could be'.

"It's not always the case, but if you're sat here thinking I feel stuck, I just can't quite get the motivation, I can't quite break through, I can't realise my dreams, let alcohol go," he added.

"Give it a try for six months, you might just see a difference. Made a difference for me."

At the end of the clip, he reiterated that 'these are just my opinions' and it is always recommended to visit your GP for any health-related queries.

Please drink responsibly. If you want to discuss any issues relating to alcohol in confidence, contact Drinkline on 0300 123 1110, 9am–8pm weekdays and 11am–4pm weekends for advice and support.