Hi is polyvinyl alcohol the same as ethanol, ie an alcoholic drink, i am a recovering alcoholic and am concerned that having this may affect me?

NO: PVA is simply a polymer or synthetic chemical used in many ways. "Alcohol" is a generic label for a chemical compound where an oxygen & hydrogen molecule (-OH) is added to one end. Ethanol is an alcohol with a different structure. Don't let terminology fool you, the two share no other qualities.

I don't quite understand. Are you ingesting polyvinyl alcohol or simplying use it at your place of employment? If you are deliberately ingesting it - you need to seriously look at your addiction and get help from an addiction medicine specialist. If you are simply working with it as an adhesive, papermaking etc. - then it isn't a problem.