These ten questions could let you know whether you’re too dependent on booze
The experts are warning that millions of us are now overdoing it and it just maybe be more difficult to cut down than we think.
ONE of the first signs your drinking may be spiralling out of control is when friends express surprise about how much you're drinking or, even worse, how "well you handle" your booze.
Nine times out of 10 it's a subtle way of your pals telling you they think you may be downing just a few too many, far too often.
So how do you know REALLY know if you are drinking too much - after all everybody is completely different right?
Well the experts say there are a few clear signs that booze has gone from being a social pastime, to a hobby to a problem.
If drinking becomes the centre of your social and home life, if you're the one urging others to order another round, or if you find yourself cutting back on activities that you used to enjoy that don't involve drinking, you could be in dangerous territory.
The experts are warning that millions of us are now overdoing it.
Drinking devastates livers, bones and brain cells and also increases the risk of depressions, divorce and violence.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists has even stated alcohol causes much more harm than illegal drugs like heroin.
What's even more concerning is that many of us vastly underestimate how much we drink - and the effect it has on us.
And that is, to some degree, because we get "better" at it.
Over the years, our bodies become more tolerant to alcohol - so those that drink the most often think they're the ones who DON'T have a problem.
If you’re drinking on a regular basis, then the amount of alcohol you need to get the same buzz gradually goes up,” says Dr Nick Sheron, a liver specialist from Southampton University.
So, if your brain has got used to a certain level of stimulation, you won’t get that same "buzz" if you drink less.
Your tolerance can creep up without you even noticing.
So it’s worth checking the recycling bin or your supermarket receipt for evidence you’re consuming more than you used to.
“People tend to think of alcohol dependency as black or white,” said Dr Sheron.
“They think they know what it looks like. But everybody who is drinking on a regular basis, reasonably heavily will have a degree of alcohol dependence.
“That might be manifested as the idea that you can’t conceive of going out and having a good night out without having a few drinks. Or you have people who can have a few drinks and then they can’t stop drinking.
"We see people around us doing this all the time. But we don’t think of them as being dependent on alcohol.”
Here are the 10 questions which reveal your alcohol risk
They were developed in collaboration with the World Health Organisation and are considered to be the gold standard in helping to determine if someone has alcohol abuse problems or not. To complete it, answer each question and note down the corresponding score.
Your score
0-7: You are within the sensible drinking range with a low risk of alcohol-related problems.
Over 8: Indicate harmful or hazardous drinking.
8-15: Medium level of risk. Drinking at your current level puts you at risk of developing problems with your health and life in general, such as work and relationships.
16-19: Higher risk of complications from alcohol. Cutting back on your own may be difficult at this level, as you may be dependent, so you may need professional help from your GP and/or a counsellor.
20 and over: Possible dependence. Your drinking is already causing you problems, and you could very well be dependent. You should definitely consider stopping gradually or at least reduce your drinking. You should seek professional help now.
Overall
A score of 1 or more on Question 2 or Question 3 indicates consumption just might be at a hazardous level.
Points scored above 0 on questions 4-6 (especially weekly or daily symptoms) imply the presence or the beginning of alcohol dependence.
Points scored on questions 7-10 indicate alcohol-related harm is already being experienced.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists has also produced a list of classic symptoms that show your drinking has stepped up to a worrying level
- You regularly use alcohol to cope with anger, frustration, anxiety or depression - instead of choosing to have a drink, you feel you have to have it.
- You regularly use alcohol to feel confident
- Your drinking affects your relationships with other people – they may tell you that, when you drink, you become gloomy or aggressive. Or, people around/with you look embarrassed or uncomfortable when you are drinking.
- You stop doing other things to spend more time drinking - these other things become less important to you than alcohol.
- You carry on drinking even though you can see it is interfering with your work, family and relationships.
- You hide the amount you drink from friends and family
- Your drinking makes you feel disgusted, angry, or suicidal – but you carry on in spite of the problems it causes
- You start to drink earlier and earlier in the day and/or need to drink more and more to feel good/get the same effect
- You start to feel shaky and anxious the morning after drinking the night before
- You get 'memory blanks' where you can't remember what happened for a period of hours or even days