‘I started to have panic attacks’: how giving up alcohol improved the mental and physical health of 3 professionals working in restaurants and bars in Hong Kong
- For Hong Kong hospitality group service director Amy Stott it was the panic attacks; for chef Michael Smith it was drinking that caused anxiety and depression
- They and bar owner Agung Prabowo talk about choosing sobriety as food and beverage professionals, and how it has benefited them mentally and physically
It’s no secret that the food and beverage industry is full of temptations. As a line of work that boasts abundance and encourages indulgences, it can be a slippery slope for those whose lives are immersed in it.
In a city such as Hong Kong, where, increasingly, drinking culture is thriving and is an important part of many people’s social lives, it can be particularly difficult to stop oneself having that one more seemingly innocuous drink that extends into a long and messy night on the streets of SoHo.
A survey conducted by Hong Kong’s Department of Health between 2020 and 2022 found that 15.3 per cent of Hong Kong people consumed alcoholic beverages occasionally and 8.7 per cent drank regularly, meaning at least once a week.
While there are no official figures for the drinking habits of those working in the hospitality industry, anecdotal evidence points towards a culture of heavy drinking.
I would stay out drinking with friends until 4am or 5am – and for what? Finding my limit as the struggle for me.
The first Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting in Hong Kong was held in 1969, a time when intense shame shadowed addiction issues. Since then, however, the stigma attached to alcohol abuse has subsided significantly thanks to the increased awareness of mental health globally.
Three leading Hong Kong food and beverage professionals, whose decision to shift gears into sobriety may be a deviation from the norm, tell us their stories, one mocktail (or lime soda) at a time.