The Priory clinic, famous for drying out celebrities, is now focusing its attention on City workers in London’s Square Mile.

The group of psychiatric hospitals has spent £60,000 on advertising its services in newspaper business pages, encouraging professionals in the financial services sector to seek help.

Dr Neil Brener, consultant psychiatrist at the Priory, says many City workers are driven to drinking by the high stress and long hours associated with their work. “Many high achievers typically deal with these problems by self-medicating – using alcohol, cocaine or other substances to relieve their emotional and psychological distress,” he said.

Brener said high-performing alcoholics appear to be successful by continuing to seem hard working, professional and confident, yet many are using alcohol or drugs to deal with self-esteem issues.

“Businesses are only as strong as the people they employ, yet workers in the financial services sector and allied professions are put under enormous pressure to perform at peak levels,” he added.