For most people, coming to live or work in Cyprus is a life-changing experience for the better.
For others, however, it can lead to a descent into the life-threatening perils of drink.
IN RECENT years, with the headlines clearly focused on drunken teenagers in holiday hotspots such as Ayia Napa, a fine veil has be drawn over the nature and extent of alcohol abuse by ex-pats.
A local doctor from Paralimni, who has a large foreign patient base, told the Sunday Mail he had recently seen an alarming rise in the number of British expatriates that consume excessive amounts of alcohol.
“Sadly we all see this terrible addiction here, especially in the areas where there are enclaves of British residents. I personally think it comes from the process of getting older, predictable middle age where days are the same, worries that life has ground to a halt and there is no purpose anymore, you cannot blame one thing for this illness,” he said.
Frank Sodees from Alcohol Concern, a charity that studies alcohol misuse, thinks the relaxed Cyprus lifestyle is a major contributing factor for the dramatic rise in drinking.
“It is often the case that when there is not much to do but socialise, alcohol can become a very real problem. The body gets used to the alcohol and the drinker doesn’t feel the effect of the alcohol anymore. There is a very fine line between use and abuse.”
“There is currently a lot of concern about older people drinking, it does seem to happen at key transitional periods in life, so big changes like moving to a new country can add to this problem,” Sodees added.
The extent of alcohol abuse in Cyprus is unknown, but based on international trends; it is thought that only a tiny number of those suffering will ever seek help from social support groups or the health services.
“The lifestyle is a trigger. I know some people who have moved here recently who were quickly affected by the lifestyle,” a member of the Cyprus AA told the Sunday Mail.
“Going out for lunch, going out in the evening, out with friends, there is always a lot of wine and spirits. If you popped round to see a friend in the UK during the day you would probably be offered a cup of tea, here you are more likely to be offered beer or wine.”
British TV star Jeremy Clarkson’s recent; rather shocking personal observations about British expats is a far cry from the traditional and enduring image of the stiff upper lipped Brits abroad. Rather than focusing on the fact that tens of thousands of Brits had discovered a happy new life on foreign shores, he focused on an image of expats, most people can sadly relate too.
Clarkson, who writes a weekly column in The Times, mentioned two key factors in the traits of alcoholics: the fog of denial and self-deception.
“Every single ex-pat I’ve ever met is the same; hunched at a bar in a stupid shirt, at 10 in the morning, desperately trying to convince themselves that they are not alcoholics, that the barman really is their friend and that it’s only 11 hours till bedtime.”
Instead of garnering condemnation for his ‘comical’ description, Clarkson’s comments received over 400 comments from readers in Spain, Cyprus and Portugal, most agreeing with his views and adding their own similar opinions.
“There is a lot of truth in Clarkson’s column,” says a member of AA in Paphos. “It is realistic, but you can’t generalise. We know that many pubs in Paphos and Kato Paphos resemble this scene, some people are there habitually morning till night, and it’s not a strange sight here.”
Martin (not his real name) claims he had no idea he had developed a serious problem, until it was pointed out to him.
Leaving behind friends, familiar surroundings, and a good job, he, with his wife of 32 years, moved to a village on the outskirts of Larnaca in 2005 to begin what they hoped would be an idyllic retirement.
“This is not all about tragedy, doom and gloom; I know what reporters are like. Don’t paint me as a tragic type,” he said, sipping coffee at his kitchen table.
There was a short embarrassed silence before his reservations disappeared, and despite several pleas from his wife to halt the interview, Martin told his story.
“We are actually a very happy couple; we just have to put the events of the past year behind us.”
For Martin, who spent his life working in the electronics industry, the chance to own a house in Cyprus and retire early was too good to be true and at the age of 56, the couple took the plunge and sold up everything in Britain.
“I had been a fairly active person in the UK, not Rambo active, but I did enjoy a few activities and was a member of a sports club, the local library and we had a fairly sizable circle of friends, so I suppose we were never bored.”
He is also quick to add, and even insist that it was not a lack of self-esteem or self-control that started the problem.
“Actually for me it was quick, the options at night were to watch the telly or go to the pub. I chose the pub, great guys all in the same boat, always there for a chat and a laugh – every single night.
“As time went on I really started to question why I had actually come here, then the booze kicked in, and it was back to happy Cyprus. Without whisky, the sunshine experience would be hard to endure. If you wake up with nothing to actually do which is worthy to you, life can be monotonous”
Mental obliteration had become a preference rather than participating in real life, and for Martin, a sober ultimatum from his wife was enough for him to make a choice.
He simply could not utter a word in response when she finally blurted out one evening over dinner that his drinking had ruined their marriage.
“She said I had changed, that I was sometimes drunk in the middle of the day. But the real wake up call was when she asked if it was something she had done something wrong, it was a gut wrenching moment. I was terrified.”
Martin was quick to add that his slide into alcohol dependency was swift and ultimately aided by being in a society where drinking is socially acceptable.
“People here don’t even look twice if they see you sitting in a pub at lunchtime, or sipping brandy in the afternoon. If it was the UK, alarm bells would be ringing, but there is no stigma here. It is OK to drink.”
Luckily for Martin, with the aid of AA, a counselor from the UK and support from his family he kicked the addiction, but it was not easy.
“Fear got me through it actually, just fear. I did not want to be perceived as a drunk, especially by those I love. The laughter and joy is returning…slowly”
A British expert on alcohol misuse insisted that those who claim that simply living in Cyprus is responsible for their drowning boredom in booze and belligerence are wrong.
“Blaming Cyprus for drinking is a silly bloody excuse frankly, blaming boredom is even sillier. If it was that simple, we would have nailed this problem years ago.”
From just a handful of members at its inception, Cyprus Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) now has gatherings in every local town and city, with expatriates, locals and even tourists from all walks of life regularly attending meetings.
“Admitting that you have a drinking problem can be hard, but it is the first step to recovery. We help any one and everyone, the hardest step is always the first, but for those who think they need us, we are here,” assured a member of the Cyprus AA.
It was revealed earlier this week that more people in the UK die annually from alcohol-related causes than from breast cancer, cervical cancer and MRSA infection combined.
The deaths of around one in four young men and 10 per cent of young women in Europe are alcohol-related.
