Alcohol consumption for a lot of business people is a natural part of the social inter-business interaction: business lunches/dinners/networking functions etc. Many people suffer from difficult, even a little dysfunctional relationships within work and on the positive side, a glass of wine or a beer can be a way for colleagues to relax and unwind while getting to know each other outside of the rigidity of the 9-5 hours working culture. On the downside it could be an excuse for some people who have alcohol issues to cover up their heavy drinking behaviour.

Georgia Foster, clinical hypnotherapist and inner voice dialogue trainer:

Unfortunately drinking too much is a taboo subject which leaves many people feeling worried that they are on the way to becoming an alcoholic when they are not. We need to embrace the fact that we do live in a drinking-more society and that for some, alcohol is not an emotional crutch but for others it can be and these people need to be nurtured, not feel isolated by their behaviour. Don't ignore the signs.

Low self-esteem
Clients often come and see me with self-esteem issues about whether they are good enough at their job. They feel everyone else is better, cleverer or better educated than they are. They are constantly measuring themselves against others in their own head. Many people suffer from imposter syndrome.

I call this inner dialogue the 'Radio Crazy' syndrome which is driven by a part referred to as 'The Inner Critic'. This part is one of the main culprits to the desire to run away from life and why a lot of people drink too much alcohol. A drink or two can aid social confidence to a degree and definitely is attractive to those people who want to escape at the end of a taxing day.

Alcohol dependency 
If you have a colleague who is giving you concerns about their drinking, I can guarantee that they have a strong 'Inner Critic' controlling them and despite the bravado, they are not feeling as confident as they would like you to think. It has been proven that unfortunately there are people who are genetically pre-disposed to alcohol 'dependency' issues but it has also been suggested that most drinking is driven by negative emotional thoughts, coupled with low self-esteem. Alcohol has become the stress management therapy for many. The issue with emotionally learnt behaviours is that they can be unlearnt.

Support your colleagues
Be a great colleague by listening well. Sometimes, people who are clearly struggling can feel like they are disappearing and are unimportant because no one seems to be noticing their struggle. Sit with your colleague or take a walk at lunchbreak and ask them how they are. Genuinely. Ask what are their fears, anxieties and concerns about their personal and professional life. There will always an emotional trigger. Alcohol will have become their learnt behaviour of how to escape the stresses and strains of their life. Because you are showing that you care, this is sometimes enough of a relief for over-drinking to cease a little.

Georgia Foster is also author of The Drink Less Mind and operates from Chiswick and The Wren Clinic