'I know it's killing me but I can't stop': The teenage alcoholic who drinks THREE bottles of wine a day






By Maysa Rawi
Last updated at 4:10 PM on 7th September 2010


Amy Lewis is only 17 but drinks an astonishing three bottles of wine a day and has been warned she will soon need a liver transplant if she doesn't curb her addiction.
The teenager, who started binge-drinking at the age of 12 and has had her stomach pumped three times, downs a shocking 180 units of alcohol each week - 12 times the recommended amount for women.
Amy, who lives in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, says: 'I know it's killing me but I can't stop.
'Bingeing has made me an alcoholic . I could end up dead - but I always go back to the bottle.'


Tragic: Amy Lewis, who has been drinking since she was 12, has regular panic attacks, is losing her hair and has extensive liver damage



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The teenager has had her stomach pumped three times and doctors have warned her she will soon need a liver transplant if she doesn't curb her addiction

Amy, who works at her local McDonalds after leaving school with no qualifications, began buying cheap cider on Friday nights, aged 12, to fit in at school where she was subjected to bullying.
But her alcohol consumption has escalated to a £200-a-week habit: three bottles of wine a day during the week and half a litre of vodka, a bottle of wine and ten double vodkas on a night out at weekends. Aware of the dangers, she told Closer magazine: 'I go out to drink - not to have fun.


'I never remember the end of the night and often lose my friends.

Shocking: Amy drinks three bottles of wine a day during the week and half a litre of vodka, a bottle of wine and ten double vodkas at weekends

'Once I woke up at around 20 miles away at a party in Derby and didn't know how I got there. It was scary.'
Amy's parents, now divorced, have tried to help their daughter, who has even undergone counselling in an attempt to stop her spiralling habit .

But after several drink-related incidents including throwing a chair at a teacher and punching a police officer, the teenager moved out of home and now lives with an aunt in Derbyshire.
Amy was first rushed to hospital a month into her habit after drinking three litres of cider.

Despite being grounded and having her pocket money stopped, Amy started to steal from her mother's purse to fund her addiction, drinking five times a week and moving on to vodka.

Amy says: 'When I came home from school, I'd go upstairs to my room, lock the door and drink. It felt rebellious.'
The effects of alcohol are starting to take its toll on her health as doctors compared her liver to that of a 30-year-old.
Amy's hair is starting to fall out, and she regularly has panic attacks.
She said: 'It makes me feel disgusting. But even that's not enough to stop me. Sometimes I wake up shaking and need a drink before work.'
'Drinking has ruined everything for me. I was a sensible child, but I've thrown everything away.'

The full interview is out now in Closer


Amy's disturbing story comes as a report reveals more than 1,500 men and women are admitted to hospital every day because of alcohol.
The figure is 65 per cent higher than only five years ago, while drinking is to blame for around 15,000 deaths a year.

Overall, Britain's addiction to alcohol is taking an average of seven months off the life of every man and woman.
In the worst-affected areas, life expectancy is shortened by almost two years.

Health Minister Lord Howe said: 'Levels of alcohol-related hospital admissions, crime, ill-health and deaths are unacceptable and we have already outlined our commitment to tackling the problem by taking action to stop the sale of alcohol below cost, to review alcohol taxation and price, and introducing a tougher licensing regime.'



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