While many Australians like to have a drink now and then, the effects of alcohol abuse can be devastating. UHG’s Medical Liaison, Dr Stephen Simmonds, shares some surprising facts and figures about what constitutes excessive drinking, and how to avoid it in this edition of The Waiting Room…
Alcohol is part of most people’s lives and is not a cause of ill health when used in moderation. However, excessive alcohol consumption is a major cause of physical disease as well as social and emotional problems.
Healthy drinking levels
The following recommendations are supported by a number of health bodies:
- Males should consume less than four standard drinks (40g alcohol) per day
- Females should consume less than two standard drinks (20g alcohol) per day
You should also have at least two alcohol-free days per week if you drink regularly.
Unhealthy drinking levels
There are two patterns of drinking which cause harm:
- Bingeing – drinking large quantities of alcohol in a short period of time may result in becoming intoxicated (drunk). The amount of alcohol and the time frame required for your body to metabolise it varies from person to person.
- Regular excessive drinking – this can result in damage to many body organs, especially the liver
Early signs of problems with alcohol
- Regular consumption of harmful or hazardous amounts of alcohol
- Gulping the first drink
- Involvement in leisure activities that are invariably associated with heavy drinking
- Eating less or missing meals while drinking
Problems associated with excessive alcohol use
Long term excessive alcohol use can damage almost any part of the body and can cause a number of psychological and social problems. Social and psychological problems usually occur before physical (medical) problems.
Social
- Tolerance – ability to drink progressively larger amounts without apparent intoxication
- Withdrawal – anxiety, agitation, confusion, shakes, fits, etc, which occur when alcohol consumption is suddenly stopped
- Alcohol seeking behaviour – craving and continuing to drink despite adverse effects
Medical
- Liver – liver inflammation and fatty changes, progressing to liver failure and cirrhosis
- Gastro-intestinal – heartburn and indigestion due to an inflamed gullet (reflux) or stomach (gastritis); diarrhoea; inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) leading to abdominal pain or inability to absorb food; cancer of the liver, gullet or bowel
- Brain damage – memory loss and difficulty learning (dementia); poor co-ordination and balance
- Neurological – damage to nerves, leading to numbness in the legs and difficulty walking
- Heart – heart failure (leading to shortness of breath and ankle swelling); palpitations; high blood pressure (hypertension)
- Reproductive – damage to testicles leading to impotence; damage to the unborn baby in pregnancy
- Bones and joints – gout (painful swelling of the joints, most commonly the big toe); osteoporosis (thinning of the bones which may lead to fractures or breaks)
- Accidents – head injury; blood clots around the brain; broken bones (especially the ribs); road accidents; accidents at work or home
- Nutrition – malnutrition; obesity
Psychological
- Difficulty sleeping
- Anxiety and agitation
- Depression and inability to cope
Domestic
- Loss of friends
- Difficulties in marriage or other significant relationships
- Separation and divorce
- Neglect of children
- Confusion and panic attacks
- Alcoholic blackouts
- Suicide
Occupation
- Lateness or absences from work
- Demotion/Failure to gain promotion
Financial
- Loss of regular income from employment
- Hardship from money spent on alcohol
- Gambling debts
Legal
- Drink-driving offences/loss of licence
- Property crime
- Assault
- Homicide
Tips to reduce harm while drinking
- Don’t drink alcohol to quench your thirst – use non-alcoholic drinks
- Use spacers (alcohol free drinks) between alcoholic drinks to prevent excessive alcohol consumption
- Drink low alcohol beverages
- Count your drinks, keeping within the recommended guidelines
- Don’t refill your glass until it is empty
- Don’t gulp drinks, take smaller sips
- Eat before drinking, your drink will take longer to be absorbed
- Don’t drink if you are pregnant, it may damage the health of your unborn child
- Don’t drink if you are operating machinery – you put your fellow workers as well as yourself at risk
References:
- The National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC), National Heart Foundation and the Australian Medical Association
- Digestive Health Foundation, of the Gastroenterological Society of Australia
The Waiting Room looks at of some of the common medical conditions which advisers may come across when dealing with clients.
Unified Healthcare Group serves Australia’s financial services industry by providing a one-stop solution for all medical requirements associated with life insurance claims and underwriting.
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