In some cases, it doesn’t necessarily mean you need to quit but perhaps lower your intake.
To keep health risks from booze at a low level, the NHS advises men and women don’t regularly exceed 14 units of alcohol a week.
However, if you're not sure how much you drink, or if you have a drinking problem or not, Dr Dave Nichols, an NHS GP and medical adviser at MyHealthChecked has revealed six signs to look out for.
It's important to seek help if you think you have a problem. (Getty Stock)This includes:
1) Drink alcohol every day without thinking about it
2) Binge-drink regularly
3) Only socialise where drink is involved
4) Drink regularly during the day
5) Find it annoying when others are not drinking
6) Drink more than the NHS guidelines every month.
Dr Nichols also told The Sun that alcoholism is when a person has an uncontrollable desire to drink.
"Their body is dependent on alcohol," he said. "Alcoholics will usually develop physical and psychological symptoms if they stop drinking.
"Borderline alcoholics might experience symptoms such as abdominal pain, stress, anxiety, bad skin, trouble sleeping, irritability and higher blood pressure.
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A quick pub pint might not be so innocent. (Getty Stock)"They are early indicators that you need to significantly reduce your alcohol consumption.”
He added: "The most common long-term physical impacts of borderline alcoholism are abnormal liver function, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and mental health problems, but these are often hidden diseases and patients are unaware of them until they progress."
You can find an alcohol or drug service in your local area or use the following information to get support:
With You provides a range of support for alcohol, drugs and mental health via a local service or online. These are free and confidential services and include the following:Drinkline provides advice for anyone who is worried about their own or someone else’s drinking – phone 0800 731 4314, available Monday to Friday, 9am to 9pm and Saturday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm
Alcohol Helpline can provide advice and support if you’re over 50 and are worried about your own or someone else’s drinking – book an appointment online or phone 0808 801 0750, Monday to Friday, 12pm to 8pm and Saturday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm
Know The Score provides support if you’ve taken drugs, are thinking of taking them, or are just curious and want to know more – use their webchat or phone 0800 587 5879, Monday to Friday, 9am to 9pm and Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 4pmFeatured Image Credit: Getty stock images
Topics: Health, Mental Health, UK News, Food And Drink, Celebrity
Jess Battison
Published 14:21 8 Nov 2023 GMT
Six signs you're addicted to caffeine that you may not be aware of
Maybe it's time to put the coffee cup down
Joe Harker
Welcome, dear reader, to another lesson in why everything you love is actually really bad for you.
That is, of course, unless you absolutely love nothing more than a perfectly balanced diet, drinking plenty of water and getting loads of exercise but that doesn't sound like heaps of fun.
Sadly it's all the nice things in life which seem to extract a punishing toll upon us and one of those treats we enjoy plenty is the drug caffeine.
LAD: Coffee Machine Sounds Like Britney Spears' Stronger
Credit: Twitter/@saaasdfghjkl
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Whether you're quaffing coffee or a can of coke it perks you up during the day and gives you the motivation and energy to tackle a plethora of problems that life can throw your way.
Now here comes the unfun bit, caffeine is addictive and drinking it can cause you all sorts of problems.
There's nothing wrong with enjoying a little bit as part of a balanced diet as long as you keep it in moderation, but not everyone does enjoy it in moderation.
You might not even know you're hooked on the stuff, but there are some key signs for you to look out for.
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Getty Stock PhotoMorning headaches
Here's a bit of science trivia for you, caffeine is something called a 'vasoconstrictor', which means it makes your blood vessels a bit narrower.
That can actually make it a component for some headache treatments, but don't go chugging mugs of caffeinated beverages in the hopes of making your brain headache proof.
Once your head is hooked on caffeine skipping it for just one day can actually cause you to develop headaches as a withdrawal symptom.
Around half of the caffeine consumers in the world will have some kind of headache if they go without it for just one day, though a lucky few won't actually feel a thing on this front so if you're not feeling a thing the other signs might be more up your street.
Getty Stock PhotoGrumpy morning moods
"Don't talk to me before I've had my morning coffee," is a common refrain from the caffeine addicted and there's a reason for that.
It's not just being annoyed at missing out on a bit of the morning routine, caffeine is a stimulant that makes your brain feel good and if your mind has come to depend on it then you'll always wake up on the wrong side of bed until you've had some.
Going without something you've come to rely on puts you in a bad mood and being a regular grump in the morning before you stick the kettle on could be a sign you're addicted and need your fix.
Getty Stock PhotoLack of concentration
This is really the d**k move of caffeine addiction, at first it makes you feel more alert and aware of things so you ought to be able to concentrate better.
However, over time becoming addicted to caffeine swaps out your boost to concentration and just ends up being the think you take to concentrate instead.
If putting the coffee mug down leads to lapses in concentration then you might start to wonder if you're experiencing a withdrawal symptom from caffeine.
Getty Stock PhotoYou need MORE
Taking lots of something addictive will lead to you building up a tolerance to it, to the point that you need to increase your dosage to have the same impact.
You go from one cup of coffee during your morning routine to two, and before you know it you're finding more spots during the day to dose yourself with caffeine.
Eventually you could probably down a mug of coffee right before bed and still fall asleep within minutes.
If you've had enough caffeine to build up a tolerance to its effects and feel like you need to have more then there's a good chance you're addicted.
You might be surprised to discover there's quite a variation in the caffeine levels of the different coffee chains which populate the high street.
Getty Stock PhotoA jittery mess
You can end up feeling very jumpy with loads of caffeine in your system.
If you catch yourself feeling more anxious than usual for long periods of time try cutting caffeine out of your routine and seeing what the impact is once you've got over the withdrawal symptoms.
Give yourself a break from caffeine and try the effects for yourself, you might find you become less anxious and more happy.
Getty Stock PhotoYou can't do without it
While we've just said you might want to put the coffee cup down for a bit of time another sign that you could be addicted is if that seems like a task on par with trying to give up Sauron's ring of power.
Giving up anything you're addicted to is a tougher task than just deciding to stop and sticking to it.
If you find that you just can't cut out the caffeine then it's a likely sign that you're addicted, and in that case it would be better to cut down first rather than going cold turkey.
If you want to cut down rather than stop then you could attempt to whittle your coffee intake down to two or three cups a day and see how you go from there.
The less caffeine you take on the more your tolerance to it will drop, so caffeine isn't bad as long as you keep it in moderation.Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images
Topics: Health, Mental Health, Food And Drink
Joe Harker
Published 17:08 7 Dec 2023 GMT
Top ways to cut back on alcohol as six signs show you're a borderline alcoholic
A lot of people tend to ramp up their drinking at this time of year
Jess Battison
As the festive season ramps up, the invites for drinks after work seem to be stacking up.
All anyone seems to want to do is go out for a mulled wine or a couple of pints. And for some, it can be a pretty dangerous time of year.
Time For Alcohol Breakdown
It's a lot slower than you might think.
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As many Brits gear up to quit alcohol next month for Dry January, perhaps you’re thinking about cutting back altogether.
Maybe you’ve had one too many brutal hangovers or maybe you’re worried you’re a borderline alcoholic.
According to the NHS, alcohol misuse is ‘when you drink in a way that's harmful, or when you're dependent on alcohol’.
But you don’t necessarily need to give up the booze altogether, you might just need to cutback to be drinking in moderation.
“To keep health risks from alcohol to a low level, both men and women are advised not to regularly drink more than 14 units a week," the NHS explains.
Getty Stock PhotoFor context, one unit of alcohol is 8g or 10ml of pure alcohol, which is about half a pint of lower to normal-strength lager/beer/cider (ABV 3.6%), a single small shot measure (25ml) of spirits (25ml, ABV 40%), or a small glass (125ml, ABV 12%) of wine containing about 1.5 units of alcohol.
According to GP and medical adviser at MyHealthChecked, Dr Dave Nichols says there’s six signs of having a drinking problem:
1) Drink alcohol every day without thinking about it
2) Binge-drink regularly
3) Only socialise where drink is involved
4) Drink regularly during the day
5) Find it annoying when others are not drinking
6) Drink more than the NHS guidelines every month.
If you find you’re drinking more than recommended a week, the NHS has simple tips for cutting down.
Getty stock imagesIt’s advised to ‘make a plan’ by setting yourself a limit before you start drinking.
Also try and ‘set a budget’, so you only take out a fixed amount of money to splash out on booze.
You should also let your friends ad family know that you’re cutting down and it’s something important to you.
READ MORE
SIX SIGNS YOU'RE ADDICTED TO CAFFEINE
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The NHS also advise taking ‘it a day at a time’ by cutting back ‘a little each day’ and also recommend going for smaller size drinks.
It’s also recommended to ‘have a lower-strength drink’ as well as alternating alcoholic drinks with water or other soft drinks.
And finally, to help with cutting back, the NHS advise having several drink-free days a week.
If you're worried about your own or someone else's drinking, you can call the free national alcohol helpline in complete confidence. Call 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am to 8pm, weekends 11am to 4pm).Featured Image Credit: Witthaya Prasongsin/Getty Getty/Martiins
Topics: Health, Food And Drink
Jess Battison
Published 09:29 24 Dec 2023 GMT
Six red flags you're a borderline alcoholic this Christmas and need to cut back
The booze is always flowing throughout the festive season, but you still need to be wary of how much you're knocking back
Olivia Burke
There's a few occasions throughout the year when people drink a lot more than usual and Christmas is no different.
The alcohol is constantly flowing throughout the festive season as we all attend a string of works dos, family gatherings and catch ups with friends to swap gifts, so our booze intake ends up increasing quite a lot.
Doctor issues warning to Christmas drinkers
Credit: TikTok/@drjohnmahony
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But just because Santa Claus is coming to town and the New Year is impending, it doesn't mean we shouldn't be wary of how many times we're hitting the bottle.
An expert has revealed the six signs that you might be a borderline alcoholic and need to cut back on the bevvies.
The NHS says 'alcohol misuse is when you drink in a way that's harmful, or when you're dependent on alcohol'.
But the good news is, you don't need to completely quit alcohol, as long as you're drinking in moderation.
"To keep health risks from alcohol to a low level, both men and women are advised not to regularly drink more than 14 units a week," the NHS says.
For context, one unit of alcohol is 8g or 10ml of pure alcohol, which is about half a pint of lower to normal-strength lager/beer/cider (ABV 3.6%), a single small shot measure (25ml) of spirits (25ml, ABV 40%), or a small glass (125ml, ABV 12%) of wine containing about 1.5 units of alcohol.
Getty stock imagesHowever, if you're not sure how much you drink, or if you have a drinking problem or not, Dr Dave Nichols, an NHS GP and medical adviser at website MyHealthChecked has revealed the six signs to look out for:
1) Drink alcohol every day without thinking about it
2) Binge-drink regularly
3) Only socialise where drink is involved
4) Drink regularly during the day
5) Find it annoying when others are not drinking
6) Drink more than the NHS guidelines every month.
Dr Nichols told The Sun that alcoholism is when a person has an uncontrollable desire to drink.
"Their body is dependent on alcohol," he said.
"Alcoholics will usually develop physical and psychological symptoms if they stop drinking.
"Borderline alcoholics might experience symptoms such as abdominal pain, stress, anxiety, bad skin, trouble sleeping, irritability and higher blood pressure.
Getty stock images"They are early indicators that you need to significantly reduce your alcohol consumption.”
He added: "The most common long-term physical impacts of borderline alcoholism are abnormal liver function, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and mental health problems, but these are often hidden diseases and patients are unaware of them until they progress."
You can find an alcohol or drug service in your local area or use the following information to get support:
With You provides a range of support for alcohol, drugs and mental health via a local service or online. These are free and confidential services and include the following:
Drinkline provides advice for anyone who is worried about their own or someone else’s drinking – phone 0800 731 4314, available Monday to Friday, 9am to 9pm and Saturday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm
Alcohol Helpline can provide advice and support if you’re over 50 and are worried about your own or someone else’s drinking – book an appointment online or phone 0808 801 0750, Monday to Friday, 12pm to 8pm and Saturday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm
Know The Score provides support if you’ve taken drugs, are thinking of taking them, or are just curious and want to know more – use their webchat or phone 0800 587 5879, Monday to Friday, 9am to 9pm and Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 4pmFeatured Image Credit: Getty stock images
Topics: Health, Food And Drink, UK News, Christmas
Olivia Burke.png)
Published 17:30 18 Jun 2024 GMT+1
Six red flag signs you drink too much alcohol and need to cut down
You don't have to meet all six to cut back on your alcohol intake
Mia Williams
Experts have warned of six key signs that could mean you need to cut down your alcohol intake, and there could be some that you've completely normalised in your life.
Alcohol is a big part of our social lives - especially for us Brits - and if you’ve ever completed a dry Jan, you’ll know just how hard it can be to avoid giving into temptation.
Especially with the Euro summer we’re about to have - a lot of beer is involved.
However, an expert has warned of six red flags to look out for which could indicate you need to be thinking about decreasing the booze a little.
The 2019 NHS Health Survey for England found that 48 percent of adults reported drinking alcohol at least once a week.
There are common excuses high-functioning alcoholics give for their habit. (Getty stock image)And a 2021 NHS survey, found that 36 percent of people aged 55-64 drank more than the recommended maximum of 14 units per week.
Anna Sudbury, a therapist and an accredited sobriety coach, believes many of us are in denial about how much we actually drink.
Talking to the Telegraph, she noted how easy it is for excessive amounts of alcohol consumption to become normal, especially if those around you do it too.
She said: “It’s so easy to underestimate, especially with large glasses or double measures as standard.
“We also judge our drinking by those around us.
“We also judge our drinking by those around us." (Getty Stock Photo)“If everyone is getting stuck into the third bottle of red, then it’s easy to justify.
“But that doesn’t mean it’s healthy.”
So as it turns out we are a nation which likes a drink, but what are the signs we should be looking out for to give it a rest?
Anna noted that you don’t need to tick all six of these to qualify.
Is booze causing problems in your life? (Getty stock photo)Poor decision making
Whether that's walking home drunk, getting into fights or even partaking in 'blackout' shopping sprees online, it could be time to reduce the booze.
We've all took it too far before, but if you're regularly making questionable decisions while on the sesh, it could be something to think about.
“If alcohol has become the reason you do or don’t do something, then it’s an indicator that it’s time to review your relationship with it,” sobriety therapist Patrick Fox said.
You’re not functioning at your best
It might sound like a given but you can end up getting so used to the feeling of being hungover that you completely normalise feeling sub-par - and might not have even put two and two together.
Whether that's feeling tired and sluggish, barely scraping by at work or generally just slumping around, the booze could be affecting you more than you think.
According to experts, it's a cycle that can keep you trapped as you still feel as though you're 'functioning' to some degree.
“We all know about the post-alcohol anxiety that’s often a result of drinking,” psychotherapist Laura Drane. “This combination can create a destructive cycle of ‘drinking to feel better’, which is only exacerbating the problem.”
You could end up in a cycle. (Getty stock photo)You've noticed health problems
Alcohol can have serious affects on both your physical and mental health.
Navin Khosla, pharmacist at Now Patient a telehealth and online pharmacy, explained: “The body needs a variety of ‘good’ bacteria in its intestine to allow the immune system to work effectively.
“However, alcohol can impact the number and variety of these bacteria, resulting in a weaker immune system.
"Alcohol can slow down how your brain processes information, which can lead to negative thoughts and feelings, and chemical changes leading to periods of anxiety and low mood.”
You struggle to call time on the party
One of the biggest signs to look out for it being unable to moderate your drinking, and struggling to stop once you start.
Your mates may be able to call it a night after a few but you have to drink to get drunk every time and struggle to know when to call the taxi home.
It could be causing problems in your relationships. (Getty stock photo)Relationships
From your sex drive to drunken arguments, it's no secret that getting on the bevs excessively can put a strain on the relationships in your life.
Not only that but alcohol impairs your judgement and problem solving skills which is a recipe for disaster if you're frequently taking it too far.
Necking your drink
Once you start chasing the feel-good buzz of the booze, it can be tempting to neck your drink to get drunk as quick as possible.
If you've noticed you're regularly drinking faster than your mates, it might be time to reflect on your relationship with alcohol.
Of course, only a medical professional can diagnose alcohol dependence and if you're worried about your drinking habits, book an appointment with your GP.
Please drink responsibly. If you want to discuss any issues relating to alcohol in confidence, contact Drinkline on 0300 123 1110, 9am–8pm weekdays and 11am–4pm weekends for advice and support.
