Am I drinking too much alcohol?
The NHS recommends to drink no more than 14 units of alcohol a week, spread across 3 days or more. That’s around 6 medium (175ml) glasses of wine, or 6 pints of 4% beer.
There’s no completely safe level of drinking, but sticking within these guidelines lowers your risk of harming your health. Try using Alcohol Change UK’s unit calculator to work out how many units you drink.
The short-term risks of alcohol misuse include:
- Alcohol poisoning, which may include vomiting, seizures (fits) and unconsciousness
- Accidents and injuries requiring hospital treatment, such as a head injury
- Violent behaviour
- Unprotected sex that could potentially lead to unplanned pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
- Loss of possessions, such as a wallet, keys or phone, leading to feelings of anxiety
Long-term alcohol misuse is a major risk factor for a wide range of serious conditions, such as:
Useful contacts for alcohol problems:
- Drinkline is the national alcohol helpline. If you’re worried about your own or someone else’s drinking, you can call this free helpline, in complete confidence. Call 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am – 8pm, weekends 11am – 4pm).
- Alcohol Anonymous is a free self-help group. Its “12-step” programme involves getting sober with the help of regular support groups. AA’s belief is that people with drink problems need to give up alcohol permanently.
Click here for an Alcohol Unit Calculator
