How to know if you are drinking too much?

by Dr Deborah Lee, Dr Fox Online Pharmacy

Do you worry you are drinking too much? 32% of men and 15% of women drink more alcohol than the recommended 14 units per week. But sadly most of us underestimate how much we’ve been drinking and often lie about it to family, friends and the GP! Indeed, in one survey 87% claimed they did not know the low risk drinking guidelines.

If this could be you, it’s time to be honest with yourself. So how would you know if you are drinking too much?

Ask yourself the following questions

Start by asking yourself the following questions. If you answer Yes to even a few of these, you may well have an alcohol problem.

• Do I drink more often than I need to?
• Do I crave alcohol?
• Have I tried repeatedly to stop drinking and failed?
• Is drinking affecting my relationships?
• Has drinking caused memory loss or blackouts?
• Has my alcohol tolerance increased?
• Am I experiencing anxiety or withdrawal symptoms from stopping drinking?
• Do I feel guilty or ashamed from drinking?
• Have other people criticized your drinking or advised you to stop?
• Is alcohol affecting my relationships and/or my work?

Use the Drinkaware alcohol check tool

Try the Drinkaware alcohol check tool. This has been developed by the World Health organisation. It is 10 multiple choice questions about your alcohol intake and alcohol-related behaviour.  This will give you a score and grade your drinking into one of the following categories: low risk, increasing risk, high risk or possible dependence.

Symptoms from excess alcohol

You might suspect alcohol is causing health problems if you have any of the following symptoms. Alcohol affects almost every organ in the body so it can cause a wide range of symptoms.

Sometimes symptoms may be subtle such as general lethargy and tiredness, frequent minor illnesses, headaches, insomnia or easy bruising of the hands and feet.

• GI system  – Abdominal pain, feeling sick, vomiting, loss of appetite, loss of weight and diarrhoea. Liver disease causes pale stools and yellow skin and eyes (jaundice)
• Cardiovascular system – High blood pressure, an irregular heartbeat, increased risk of a heart attack or stroke
• Nervous system – Difficulty concentrating, poor memory, confusion, visual problems
• Immune system – Increased infections – colds/flu, skin infections and gastroenteritis, a flare up of asthma and allergies
• Sexual function – Erectile dysfunction and infertility
• General  – Low energy levels, insomnia
• Mental health – Anxiety and depression

Over time, drinking excess alcohol increases the risk of hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver cancer, pancreatitis, many cancers including breast cancer and cancers of the mouth, throat and oesophagus, and neurological disorders such as Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.

If you are getting symptoms related to your alcohol consumption, this is all you need to know you need to cut down or stop drinking all together.

The NHS recommends

Men and women should drink no more than 14 units of alcohol a week on a regular basis.

• 14 units is around 6 pints of average strength beer or 10 small glasses of low strength wine.

For more information on alcohol and units of alcohol see the NHS website Alcohol Units These 14 units should be spread out during the week with several alcohol-free days.

How to cut down on drinking

Start by acknowledging the problem and making a determined effort to cut down. This may be easier said than done. You need a positive mind set – you can do this.

Write down all the positive things about cutting down  – Better sleep, more energy, less GI (digestive) symptoms, easier to go to work and be productive, better relationships, better sex life, improved mental health, save money and reduce your risk of serious long term health problems.

• Try swapping to low-alcohol drinks
• Set a weekly alcohol target – why not download the NHS Drink free days app?
• Decide what swaps you can make – such as buying in low alcohol beer, low or extra low-alcohol wine, or no-alcohol spirits or mocktails.
• Make sure you have several alcohol-free days per week. This gives your liver time to recover between the times you are drinking.
• Keep busy – make sure you join in with social activities and don’t sit around feeling bored. Many people drink out of habit and boredom.
• Find a friend who wants to cut down to and do it together.
• Drink shandies or white wine spritzers. Drink a soft drink in between each alcoholic drink. Don’t keep topping up your glass. Drink slowly. Don’t join in buying rounds – keep your own drinks orders separate.
• Time to change your habits. Instead of a night in the pub, go to the cinema, go bowling or do some exercise.

Give yourself a time limit, say 3 months, and after this, if you are still drinking to excess, it’s definitely time to get help.

What if I feel I’m at high risk or dependent on alcohol?

Anyone high risk, who has failed to cut down or stop drinking by themselves should get help as soon as possible. If you are already dependent on alcohol do not suddenly stop drinking as this can be dangerous, as it can bring on alcohol withdrawal symptoms including delirium tremens which can include seizures. You will need a supported programme of alcohol detoxification

• Make an appointment with your GP
• Phone Alcoholics Anonymous for a free, confidential discussion
• Find out more about Turning Point which provides free, confidential, local NHS, alcohol treatment services for both drug and alcohol addiction

Within 7 days of stopping drinking, you will start to feel so much better! The acute physical and psychological symptoms will be largely behind you, and you can start to move on in life feeling much more positive and in control.

Final thoughts

If you think you might be drinking too much alcohol, you may well be. Once you’ve asked yourself the above questions and done the online alcohol tool, it’s time to be honest about it and make some positive changes.

Cutting down or stopping drinking in one of the very best things you can do for your health – and your finances!

• Are you are drinking too much? What small steps could you take today to find out?