A Perthshire mental health advocate says the root of alcohol dependence is not being adequately addressed, contributing to a national rise in drink deaths.
Development manager at PLUS Perth and Kinross Susan Scott was responding to figures published earlier this month by the National Records of Scotland (NRS) which show a jump in Tayside of people dying from heath problems triggered by alcohol misuse and long-term drinking.
The data shows an overall 17 per cent rise in mortality - 1190 Scottish deaths in 2020, 170 greater than in 2019, when 1020 people died in circumstances specifically relating to problems with alcohol.
The figures for Perth and Kinross saw an increase in the number of alcohol-related deaths between 2019 and 2020 of two while there were 13 more deaths in Dundee in 2020 than in 2019 and two fewer in Angus.
There were 25 alcohol-related deaths in Perth and Kinross last year, up from 23 the year before, according to the data.
Susan said any rise was an indication of a widespread issue in society.
“This increase in alcohol related deaths is very worrying as it indicates a downward spiral in our population’s wellbeing.
“Alcohol is very often used by people to self- medicate whereas the root lies at the door of things such as emotional pain and trying to escape from other intolerable life situations.
“Loneliness and lack of purpose in life, loss of control can turn people to alcohol.
“People who face these issues themselves need to be in the driving seat of finding solutions.”
Susan concluded: “By the trajectory of these figures this is not truly happening.
“Politicians need to have a good long look at this, and be guided by the people first.”
PLUS Perth has an office at 77 Canal Street in Perth.
Scotland-wide, 2020 represents the highest number of alcohol-specific deaths registered since 2008, when the figure was 1316.
Tayside as a whole saw a rise of from 74 deaths involving alcohol in 2019 to 87 in 2020.
Alcoholic liver disease and mental and behavioural disorders due to alcohol have been the leading causes of death for alcohol-specific deaths since 2000.
Two thirds of 2020’s alcohol-related deaths in Scotland were among men.
The rate of death from drinking alcohol appears to be double in urban areas than in rural parts across the country.
Inverclyde, Glasgow City and North Lanarkshire had the highest increase from 2016-2020 of any region per 100,000 of population. Tayside was near the middle of the chart.
Aberdeenshire, Shetland and Borders had the lowest tally of alcohol deaths in the last year of data.
Director of the group Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) Elinor Jayne commented: “The number of people in Scotland who died directly as a result of alcohol should act as a reminder to all that it’s not only drugs that cause immense harm and suffering, but alcohol too.
“While Scotland led the way by introducing minimum unit pricing for alcohol in 2018, there’s still a long way to go to turn these figures round and most importantly, reduce the damage caused by alcohol to people’s lives and health.”
