"Teetotallers"

Higher levels of depression than drinkers

Don't you hate reading stuff like that, just when you've readied a new persuasive power list of reasons to cut back on the grog?

Idiot survey. Loada bollocks, if you ask me.

Abstainers from alcohol more likely to lack social skills ... higher levels of anxiety

Non-drinkers more mental health issues than those considered heavy drinkers

Happiest people: drinkers who averaged two glasses of wine, a bottle of beer, or a shot of spirits a week.

Journal of Addiction: “In the case of depression, the odds of depression (in people who labelled themselves abstainers) were higher than even the heaviest alcohol consumers."

"In a society where use of alcohol is the norm, abstinence might be associated with being socially marginalised and at increased risk for mental disorders.”

Many vowing to cut back after bingeing on holiday: Drinkers in England drank an average of eight alcoholic drinks every day during their summer holiday this year. Y'see, exactly the stats that spook me, like the Know Your Limits nonsense whose cautionary consumption for a week is what I usually warm up on before lunch.

As for restricting oneself to eight drinks a day - dudes, holidays are for relaxing and enjoying yourself, letting yourselves go. Plenty of time to knuckle under to an 8-drink strait jacket when you get back to Blighty and the chain gang.

Timesonline Mental Health probs: I love the flexibility of the Times's "If you answer yes to a few or more [my itals] of the questions". I have no quibble with such vagueness - I answer yes to most of most of the quizzes.