Coronavirus: 'I became alcoholic during lockdown'

 In his late 40s, he felt fit and healthy, enjoying life with a successful career as a sales manager,

Always a very social person, Chris enjoyed nights out with friends and going to the football. Alcohol played a part in his life but he never viewed it as a problem.

But within weeks of lockdown, Chris, who lives on Teesside, had gone from being someone who enjoyed a drink to someone who needed a drink. 

"I suppose I've always been a social drinker - I was never within the limits, the recommended limits, and so yeah, I used to enjoy a drink, sometimes a little bit more than I should, as a lot of people do. 

"I was in a good place before lockdown, I was keeping fit, I was swimming five days a week, I was doing well at work and I was in a good mindset to be honest."

His adult daughter, a key worker, moved out during lockdown to protect her dad, but that left Chris living on his own - isolated, anxious, uncertain about the future and growing increasingly depressed.

The weeks dragged on and Chris's drinking escalated.

Read article from BBC.com here