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When does drinking alcohol become a problem? Have I crossed the border? Is the habit of reaching for wine with dinner, a cold beer at the end of the day or a drunk party every weekend this “the moment”? Many people are likely to ask such questions. To answer them, doctors advise you to pay attention to one thing. This is a signal that things are not going well.
- Although probably everyone knows that alcohol is harmful, there are still plenty of alcoholic drinks enthusiasts
- We also have a high percentage of people who are simply addicted to alcohol
- Alcohol problems can start in a subtle way. But there is one signal that is relatively easy to recognize
- More current information can be found on the Onet homepage.
Moderate alcohol consumption – how much is it exactly?
We’ll start brutally. There is no such thing as a dose of alcohol that is completely safe for your health (with no risk). One can only speak of a low-risk quantity. Leslie Cho, a cardiologist and internal medicine specialist at the Cleveland Clinic (a non-profit medical center), reminds that any possible “benefits” we see in drinking alcohol are overshadowed by the increased risk of depression, addiction, heart disease, liver disease, stroke, and the development of certain types of cancer.
So the best option is to avoid alcohol completely (especially important in some diseases and therapies) or at least drink it in moderation. The question, however, is what exactly this moderation means. The American guidelines say a maximum of one drink a day for women and a maximum of two drinks for men. Alcohol is not equal to alcohol, so a standard drink is usually defined as:
- 12 ounces (or 0,36 liters) of regular beer (5% alcohol)
- 5 ounces (approximately 150 ml) of wine (12% alcohol)
- 1,5 oz (45 ml) of distilled spirit (approximately 40% alcohol)
This does not mean, however, that you can reach for a glass every day. These guidelines are better viewed as the limit of your alcohol consumption on the day you may decide to drink alcohol.
The rest of the article is available under the video.
How often do we drink? Results of the Polish National Health Test 2022
The National Health Test of Poles is the largest health survey on the Polish Internet. They have been run by Medonet since 2020. The latest report summarizing the data of 300 thousand. of the respondents show that although the percentage of people consuming alcohol has decreased (from 21% in 2021 to 20% this year), daily consumption of alcohol has not decreased.
Photo National Health Test of Poles 2022 / Medonet
After drinking alcohol at least once a day, it still reaches 10 percent. adult Poles (every fourth man and every seventh woman drinks a few times a week). Men who consume alcohol at least once a day are 15 percent. (as in the previous year), but by 1 percent. the percentage of men drinking two or more drinks a day has increased. The percentage of women who drink it every day has not changed from year to year and is 5%.
Photo National Health Test of Poles 2022 / Medonet
Poles drink beer the most frequently among alcoholic beverages. 6 percent drinking people use them every day, 10 percent. even several times a week. It reaches 6 percent for vodka several times a week. drinking men and 2 percent. drinking women (an increase by 1 pp. in each group compared to 2021), and as much as 2 percent. men 1 percent women drink it every day. Several times a month, as much as 21 percent drink it. men and 8 percent. women. Wine is more often chosen by women drinkers (81%) than men who drink wine (62%).
How do you know if you have an alcohol problem? Warning signal
According to addiction experts, there is a telltale sign that warns that we are crossing or over the line. If drinking is starting to get in the way of your daily life, if you still reach for the percentages despite negative consequences, there is a problem.
“Alcohol use disorder is defined as compulsive (unmanageable – red) alcohol use despite the negative consequences it brings, such as affecting relationships, the ability to function at work or perform a function in the community,” explained Dr. Sarah Wakeman, working with substance use disorders. This also applies to the consequences for physical and mental health.
Do you drink alcohol often? Take care of your health, try milk thistle to strengthen and regenerate the liver.
Consider if you have more misunderstandings with people? Do people in your life express concern or notice that you are different? Or maybe you hide your drinking or lie about it. These are also red flags.
If we feel that the desire to reach for alcohol is stronger than we are, and despite the problems it generates, it is worth using the help of a therapist, psychologist or addiction specialist.
We encourage you to listen to the latest episode of the RESET podcast. This time we devote it to self-compassion – a trend that has developed very strongly in the United States, but is still in its infancy in Poland. What is it and how does it affect our daily functioning? You will hear about this and many other issues related to self-compassion in the latest episode of our podcast.