Determining whether you are drinking too much alcohol can be somewhat tricky. However, there are a number of ways that you can review how much alcohol you drink and be more mindful about your alcohol consumption.
To help you answer the question “am I drinking too much?”, we have outlined what is classified as too much alcohol below. We have also shared several signs that may well indicate that you are indeed drinking too much.
Alcohol Consumption Guidelines
As you question “am I drinking too much?”, it is highly beneficial to understand what the alcohol consumption guidelines in the United Kingdom are.
The NHS states that men and women who consume over 14 units of alcohol a week exceed the recommended alcohol units.
Typically, 14 units of alcohol are equivalent to drinking six glasses of wine a week or seven bottles of lager, beer or cider a week.
If you drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week, you are consuming too much alcohol.
Am I Drinking Too Much? – Signs That May Suggest You Are
With over 24% of adults in England and Scotland reported to frequently drink over the recommended units of alcohol, it is somewhat normal for you to worry whether you are drinking too much.
Having gained an understanding of what is classified as a safe amount of alcohol to drink, you may have come to realise that you are drinking too much.
However, if you remain unsure of whether you are drinking too much, there are a number of signs that will help you ascertain if you need to make changes to your current drinking habits.
1. You Have Started To Experience A Number Of Side Effects Related To Alcohol Abuse and Addictions
If you frequently drink over the recommended units of alcohol, you may have begun to experience a number of physical, psychological or behavioural side effects.
For example, you may suffer from headaches, nausea, insomnia and anxiety. Your appearance may have changed, and you may find it somewhat difficult to concentrate on simple tasks.
2. You Have Started Isolating Yourself From Others
If you are drinking too much alcohol, you may have started to isolate yourself from others.
Sadly, alcohol abuse and addictions go hand-in-hand with isolation. This is often because you will want to hide how much alcohol you are consuming.
You may also isolate yourself in an attempt to avoid any conflict between yourself and your loved ones.
3. You Rely On Alcohol
Many individuals that consume too much alcohol will, at some point, find that they have become reliant on alcohol.
If you consume too much alcohol and find yourself reaching for a drink when you feel stressed or anxious, this is a sign that you have become reliant on alcohol and are drinking too much.
As you come to realise that you have become reliant on alcohol, you must seek support. This is because becoming reliant on alcohol is one of the many signs that an addiction is present in your life.
4. Your Loved One’s Question Your Alcohol Consumption
If you drink too much, your loved ones, friends, or even colleagues may have approached you to express their concerns regarding the amount of alcohol you consume.
They may have asked you whether you are okay, and they may have attempted to share their worries with you.
However, if you are drinking too much and have become reliant on alcohol, you will likely brush their concerns under the carpet.
5. You Ask Yourself, “Am I Drinking Too Much?”
While this sign may seem a bit obvious, if you frequently ask yourself “am I drinking too much?”, there is a high possibility that you are drinking too much alcohol.
If you worry that you drink too much, we recommend seeking support and treatment from a rehab, such as our own.
The Risks Associated With Drinking Too Much Alcohol
Should you find yourself consuming too much alcohol on a weekly or daily basis, you are sadly at risk of developing many physical and psychological illnesses. You could even be at risk of developing an addiction to alcohol.
Considering this, we would recommend that you reduce the amount of alcohol you consume each week, or try alternatives such as non-alcoholic drinks. Although you may be better drinking non-alcohol related drinks, non-alcoholic beer is a much better alternative than alcohol, especially if you are drinking large quantities. Find out more about whether non-alcoholic beer is bad for you.
If you have attempted to reduce your alcohol intake, but have found that you struggled to do so on your own, this may well indicate that you have already developed an alcohol addiction.
In this case, we would urge you to contact us as soon as possible to secure treatment.
Treatment For Alcohol Addictions
If you believe that you are drinking too much and worry that you may have developed an alcohol addiction, we can provide you with treatment at our rehab hospital. Located in Scotland, our hospital offers residential treatment to those struggling with addictions.
Before securing treatment with us, we recommend contacting our admissions team. Not only will our admissions team be able to help you determine whether you are drinking too much, but they will be able to inform you of the treatment that we can offer you.
Should our admissions team believe that you would benefit from alcohol addiction rehabilitation, they will help you refer yourself to our rehab hospital for treatment.
Upon entering our rehab hospital, you will undergo detoxification, rehabilitation, therapy and aftercare support.
Combined, our treatment offerings will enable you to manage your alcohol consumption, understand what has caused you to drink too much and help you turn your life around.
Contact Our Team Today
We hope that the information provided above will help you answer the question “am I drinking too much?”.
If you have come to realise that you are indeed drinking too much, please do not hesitate to contact our team today.
Although you may feel as though you do not need to secure treatment, doing so is in your best interest.
If you are ready to contact us, you can either call us on 01475 303998, or you can email info@novarecovery.com.
Sources
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-support/calculating-alcohol-units/#:~:text=men%20and%20women%20are%20advised,drink%2Dfree%20days%20each%20week
https://alcoholchange.org.uk/alcohol-facts/fact-sheets/alcohol-statistics#:~:text=Alcohol%20in%20the%20UK,-In%20England%20there&text=24%25%20of%20adults%20in%20England,for%20women)%20%5B2%5D.
Back to all postsJohn Gillen - Author - Last updated: November 3, 2023
John has travelled extensively around the world, culminating in 19 years’ experience looking at different models. He is the European pioneer of NAD+ (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide) treatment to Europe in 2010; and recently back from the USA bringing state of the art Virtual Reality Relapse Prevention and stress reduction therapy. His passion extends to other metabolic disturbances and neurodegenerative diseases. The journey continues. In recent times, John has travelled to Russia to study and research into a new therapy photobiomudulation or systemic laser therapy working with NAD+ scientists and the very best of the medical professionals in the UK and the USA, together with Nadcell, Bionad Hospitals own select Doctors, nurses, dieticians and therapists. Johns’ passion continues to endeavour to bring to the UK and Europe new developments with NAD+ Therapy in preventive and restorative medicine and Wellness. In 2017 John Gillen was made a visiting Professor at the John Naisbitt university in Belgrade Serbia.