Am I drinking too much?
If you're asking the question, it's worth taking seriously. Here's how to check where you are, without judging yourself.
The UK low-risk guideline
The UK's Chief Medical Officers advise that, to keep health risks low, men and women should not regularly drink more than 14 units a week. If you do drink that much, spread it over three or more days and have several drink-free days. There is no completely safe level: alcohol is linked to several cancers even at lower amounts.
A unit is 10ml of pure alcohol. To work out units: millilitres × ABV ÷ 1,000.
| Drink | Units (approx.) |
|---|---|
| Pint of 4% lager or bitter | 2.3 |
| Pint of 5.2% lager | 3 |
| 500ml can of 5.2% lager | 2.6 |
| 175ml glass of 13% wine | 2.3 |
| Bottle (750ml) of 13% wine | 9.75 |
| 25ml single measure of 40% spirit | 1 |
| 70cl bottle of 40% spirit | 28 |
So 14 units is roughly six pints of ordinary-strength beer, or six medium glasses of wine, across a whole week.
Signs drinking is becoming a problem
- You often drink more, or for longer, than you meant to.
- You've tried to cut down and couldn't keep it up.
- You think about drinking a lot, or plan your day around it.
- You need more than you used to for the same effect.
- You feel low, anxious, irritable or guilty the day after.
- People close to you have mentioned it, or you hide how much you drink.
- You're missing work, falling behind or letting people down.
- You drink to feel normal, or to stop feeling shaky.
For a quick, private check, the charity Drinkaware has a free online self-assessment based on the questionnaire GPs use (called AUDIT): drinkaware.co.uk.
Before you stop: is it safe?
If you drink every day, or you get shaky, sweaty, sick or anxious when you go without a drink, do not stop suddenly. Alcohol withdrawal can cause fits and can be life-threatening. Talk to your GP or local alcohol service first. They can help you cut down or stop safely.
You're not alone
An estimated 608,000 adults in England were dependent on alcohol in 2019 to 2020, around 14 in every 1,000 adults (GOV.UK). Many more drink at levels that are harming their health without being dependent. Most of them aren't getting any help.
Way 36 of 50Drop the denial
Denial is a heavy drinker's best friend. It's telling yourself you've drunk less than you have. It's blaming someone or something else when things go wrong. It's calling it "a bug" or "flu" when it's really a hangover. It's believing you drink because of your problems, when alcohol is causing many of them.
You've already started to drop the denial just by reading this. Build on it:
- Count honestly. Keep a drinking diary for a week and write down every drink.
- Keep your empties. Put bottles and cans in one place for a week instead of throwing them out each day. Seeing them together can be a shock.
- Listen to others. If colleagues, friends or family have noticed you smell of alcohol, take it seriously. Alcohol comes out through your breath and sweat, and mouthwash doesn't hide it.
Try this todayPut every empty bottle and can from this week in one bag. On Sunday, add up the units.