Do You Have a Drink Problem?

A man is said to have a drinking problem if he downs ten or more drinks in one sitting, while a woman only has to sink seven to be in the same boat. However, this is a simplified view.

Alcohol is an accepted and common part of social interaction, and most of us drink. But in recent years there has been increasing anxiety in the UK about binge drinking.

According to Alcohol Concern (www.alcoholconcern.org.uk) young people are now starting to drink at an earlier age, and because they are not settling down until around their thirties, they are using the many carefree years in between to consume irresponsible levels of alcohol.

Worries about binge drinking led the Government to alter its advice over what is an acceptable intake of alcohol. Previously, the recommendations were 21 units for man and 14 for a woman, spread over a week. But it was discovered that people were saving up their units for one night at the weekend. So the advice was altered to daily amounts: three or four units for a man, two or three for a woman, with at least two days sober each week.

A single unit is regarded as

• Half a glass of normal strength wine
• Half a pint of normal strength lager
• A single measure of spirits

Misunderstanding often arises over these guidelines. For example, ‘normal strength’ lager has 3.5% volume of alcohol, not the higher levels of popular ‘premium’ beers. ‘Normal strength’ wine is 12% volume, but more and more wine these days is heading towards 13% and 14%. And a ‘glass’ should be 175ml, not the 250ml size in which many bars and pubs serve wine. At home, many people will pour themselves what they think is a single measure of spirits (25ml at 37.5% volume) but is really a double or even a triple.

A few drinks too many is not necessarily a cause for great concern. However, excessive amounts of alcohol can lead to physical problems such as weight gain, increased blood pressure, liver disease, reduced fertility, loss of sex drive, heart problems and the risk of stroke. But it won’t necessarily lead to alcoholism.

Mental health experts agree that one drinker can sink vast amounts and not have a problem – they do it simply to enjoy themselves and can stop any time they like. Yet another person who only has a few drinks occasionally may be an alcoholic if he or she turns to alcohol as a solution to life’s difficulties.

Telling if you have a problem can be difficult. Alcoholics Anonymous (http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk) poses the following test:

1. Have you ever decided to stop drinking for a week or so, but lasted only a couple of days?
2. Do you wish people would mind their own business about your drinking?
3. Have you ever switched from one kind of drink to another in the hope that this would keep you from getting drunk?
4. Have you had a drink in the morning during the past year?
5. Do you envy people who can drink without getting into trouble?
6. Have you had problems connected with drinking during the past year?
7. Has your drinking caused trouble at home?
8. Do you ever try to get extra drinks at a party because you do not get enough?
9. Do you tell yourself you can stop drinking any time you want to, even though you keep getting drunk when you don't mean to?
10. Have you missed days at work because of drinking?
11. Do you have blackouts as a result of alcohol?
12. Have you ever felt that your life would be better if you did not drink?

If you honestly answer yes to four questions or more, you probably have a problem with alcohol.