In this episode, I talk to Dr Katherine Severi, Chief Executive of the Institute for Alcohol Studies (IAS), about the importance of alcohol policy. We discuss the evidence, barriers, and debates around alcohol policy and why England is still yet to introduce measures such as minimum unit pricing. We also discuss the recent IAS report on parliamentary alcohol use.

Dr. Katherine Severi is the Chief Executive of the Institute of Alcohol Studies (IAS), an independent charity dedicated to advancing evidence-based policy to reduce alcohol harm. Before joining IAS, Katherine gained valuable experience in the UK Civil Service and the charity sector. 

She holds a Doctorate in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and a Master’s in Global Health and Public Policy from the University of Edinburgh. Her primary research focuses on the influence of corporations and managing conflicts of interest in public health policy.

Reports and links:

Bhattacharya, A., Angus, C., Pryce, R., Holmes, J., Brennan, A., & Meier, P. S. (2018). How dependent is the alcohol industry on heavy drinking in England? Addiction, 113(12), 2225–2232. 

IAS blog: Two thirds of alcohol sales are to heavy drinkers

Under the influence? Perspectives of alcohol in the parliamentary workplace among UK MPs and staff

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In this episode, I speak with Chris Barnes about his experience of alcohol use during his time in the British Army and his journey from problematic use to recovery. Chris now works as a researcher at Liverpool John Moores University, while also serving as an Ambassador for Heroic Hearts UK. He is currently completing a Professional Doctorate in Health Psychology, bringing both lived and professional expertise to his work.

In addition to exploring Chris' experience of alcohol use and recovery, we discuss issues including drinking culture in the armed forces, the relationship between alcohol use, mental health and other factors that influence alcohol use and problems. 

Show notes/resources:

Recent report led by Dr Laura Goodwin on improving support for former personnel with mental health and alcohol use disorders:

https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/news/how-to-improve-treatment-for-former-service-personnel-with-both-mental-health-and-alcohol-use-disorders-1

What are the consequences of deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan on the mental health of the UK armed forces? A cohort study

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(10)60672-1/fulltext

Military service and alcohol use: a systematic narrative review:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/09540261.2010.550868

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In this episode, we discuss how addiction affects families, the challenges of supporting a loved one, and practical, evidence-based approaches to  conversations with others who may be experiencing addiction problems. 

Richard Velleman is Emeritus Professor of Mental Health Research at the University of Bath, Co-Director of the Addictions and Related Research Group at Sangath (India), and a founder of the Addiction and the Family International Network (AFINet). A clinical and academic psychologist, he is internationally recognised for his work on addiction, family members affected by addiction, and psychological interventions. He co-developed the influential Stress-Strain-Information-Coping-Support (SSICS) model and 5-Step Method, which are used worldwide to support families affected by addiction. His current work focuses on improving access to mental health care through community-based and digital interventions in the UK, India, and internationally. 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• AFINet (Addiction and the Family International Network) – Research, resources and support for people affected by a loved one's addiction: https://afinetwork.info/
• AFINet 5-Step Method – Evidence-based approach to supporting affected family members: https://afinetwork.info/the-5-step-method-resource-hub/
• Adfam (UK) – Information and support for families affected by drugs, alcohol and gambling: https://adfam.org.uk/

Peer support

• Al-Anon – Support for families and friends of people with alcohol problems: https://al-anon.org/
• Alateen – Support for young people affected by someone else's drinking: https://al-anon.org/for-members/group-resources/alateen/
• Nar-Anon – Support for families and friends of people who use drugs: https://nar-anon.org/
• Families Anonymous – Support for families affected by addiction and related behaviours: https://familiesanonymous.org/

Other evidence-based support 

• Alternatives – Support groups and practical help for families and friends: https://www.alternat-i-ves.org/
• SMART Recovery Family & Friends – Evidence-based support programmes (country-specific):
  • Australia: https://smartrecoveryaustralia.com.au/family-friends-program
  • UK: https://smartrecovery.org.uk/smart_family__friends/
  • USA: https://smartrecovery.org/family
  • Canada: https://smartrecovery-canada.ca/programs
• Invitation to Change – Compassionate, evidence-based approach for helping someone with substance use problems: https://cmcffc.org/approach/invitation-to-change

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If you are interested in one-to-one support for your drinking with Dr James Morris, contact him at DrJamesMorris.com

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In this episode I talk to Professor Hanna Pickard about addiction, identity and denial, and how these are relevant to understanding and treating alcohol problems.

Hanna Pickard is Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Philosophy and Bioethics and Krieger-Eisenhower Professor at Johns Hopkins University.

In addition to her wok as a philosopher and as a therapist, she has published extensively on the topic of addiction. Her new book, What Would You Do Alone in a Cage with Nothing but Cocaine? A Philosophy of Addiction is available to order here via her website. 

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In this episode we discuss alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD), what it is, its treatment, and hear Lesley's experience as a survivor of ARLD and transplant. Lesley was a patient of Dr Ashwin Dhanda, a liver specialist, and both provide their insights into the condition and how society should do more to raise awareness of and prevent alcohol-related harm and ARLD.

Ashwin Dhanda is Professor of Liver Medicine at the University of Plymouth and a liver specialist at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust. He leads a programme of research around stigma in alcohol-related liver disease including identifying causes of stigma and how it affects people and designing interventions to tackle it.

Lesley was diagnosed with ARLD in December 2019, which led to a liver transplant in December 2019. She is part of a liver support group supporting other patients and working as a patient representative with Ashwin on a research project around stigma in alcohol related liver disease and helping the research team design interventions to tackle it from a patient/peer perspective.

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For more episodes visit https://alcoholpodcast.buzzsprout.com/

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In this episode I speak to Nathan Joseph, an online fitness coach and author of The LCA method recipe book. 

Nathan discusses his own personal journey through battling mental health issues, and how alcohol has played both positive and negative roles in his life. In Nathan's experience, alcohol use has been a big part of his social life and important memories, but also a barrier to his fitness and wellbeing. Nathan talks with openness about his own experience and passion for helping others without judging people for their choices. 

Nathan posts regularly on Instagram, offers online fitness coaching and his recipe book can be purchased here. 

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If you are interested in one-to-one support for your drinking with Dr James Morris, contact him at DrJamesMorris.com

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For more episodes visit https://alcoholpodcast.buzzsprout.com/

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In this episode I talk to Dr Gabriel Caluzzi about drink spiking, methanol poisoning & young people's drinking. 

Dr Caluzzi is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Alcohol Policy Research at La Trobe University. His interests include youth and gendered drinking practices, and he recently co-authored the book “Young People, Alcohol, and Risk: A Culture of Caution”.

For further reading on drink spiking, see:

• Burrell A, Woodhams J, Gregory P, et al. Spiking prevalence and motivation: A review of the literature: National Crime Agency, 2023.
• Caluzzi G, Wilson I, Riordan B, et al. Alcohol and legitimate victimhood: Analysing Reddit posts to understand perceptions of alcohol’s role in drink spiking and sexual violence. International Journal of Drug Policy 2025;138:104743. doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104743

For further reading on youth drinking, see:

• Vashishtha R, Pennay A, Dietze P, et al. Trends in Adolescent Drinking Across 39 High-Income Countries: Exploring the Timing and Magnitude of Decline. European Journal of Public Health 2020:1-8. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckaa193
• Caluzzi G, Livingston M, Holmes J, et al. Declining drinking among adolescents: Are we seeing a denormalisation of drinking and a normalisation of non-drinking? Addiction 2022;117(5):1204-12. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/add.15611 

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In this episode I talk to Prof. Georg Schomerus, Professor and Chair at the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig. Prof Schomerus is a leading academic in the field of stigma towards alcohol and mental health problems.

We discuss the nature of stigma towards alcohol problems, what drives stigma, how it relates to social behaviours and wider world events, and what can be done to challenge stigma. 

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In this episode, Aunee Bhogaita, shares her lived experience of alcohol problems and recovery. Aunee is a South Asian woman who has empowered herself through her experiences of sexual abuse, domestic abuse and alcohol addiction in order to challenge stigma and taboo surrounding these issues and help others.

We discuss her early experiences of trauma as laying the foundations for her alcohol problems, her life story, her challenges and successes, and her recovery journey. 

Please note: This episode includes mention of sexual abuse, domestic abuse and mental health difficulties including suicide attempts. It does not go into detail about these events but listener discretion is advised.

Note from the host Dr James Morris:

Aunee describes her past traumatic experiences with inspiring openness and bravery. It is one of the most powerful lived experience accounts I have heard, and Aunee beautifully demonstrates how recovery is possible and how it exists as a fundamentally a human experience. I am hugely grateful to have had her on the show for this episode, she is a truly inspiring individual. 

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In this episode, we talk to Prof. Roy Baumeister about the psychology of alcohol use and addiction. We cover topics such as why people drink, the effects of alcohol, the role of emotions such as guilt, and how self-control works. 

Prof Baumeister is one of the most eminent living psychologists with over 40 books and 700 scientific publications. His book "Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength" (with John Tierney) was a New York Times bestseller.

Show notes

Should alcohol research say more about the pleasure of alcohol use? A recent article published in the journal of Addiction prompted a range of responses and further comment. 

In discussing whether harmful effects of alcohol use are over-estimated, I mention studies using Mendelian Randomization. One of the studies in East Asian populations where genetic 'flushing' effects have been used to test whether risks of alcohol consumption providing evidence for there being no protective effects of moderate drinking.

A recent meta-analysis looked at how different quality studies appear to account for different findings around low level alcohol consumption, thus explaining the supposed 'health benefits' of low consumption.  

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If you are interested in one-to-one support for your drinking with Dr James Morris, contact him at DrJamesMorris.com

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For more episodes visit https://alcoholpodcast.buzzsprout.com/

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