Medical management of substance misuse
The World Health Organisation has published guidelines on what it considers to be the maximum levels of alcohol use that an individual can tolerate in the long term without causing damage to the body.
These WHO guidelines state the following:
For Males:
A maximum of 21 units should be consumed in any one week.
Within a period of one week there should be at least two drink-free days.
No more than 4 units should be consumed in any one day.
For Females:
A maximum of 14 units should be consumed in any one week.
Within a period of one week there should be at least two drink-free days.
No more than 3 units should be consumed in any one day.
Most people keep within these guidelines and occasionally breach them.
If you are someone who is used to drinking heavily, these guidelines may seem rather mean. From one perspective, I agree; if you find drinking enjoyable then you may think it is acceptable to take some risks with your health in order to enjoy life more. Maybe you like to 'live for the moment' rather than spend all your time planning to stay alive as long as possible. After all (you might say to yourself), "I could find myself walking across the road tomorrow and be knocked over - why not enjoy today for today?"
In general, there is nothing wrong with that argument at all. What is wrong with it in your case is that you are already experiencing problems caused by alcohol.
Some social problems caused by heavy drinking
Relationship difficulties e.g. divorce/separation, aggression and violence, lowered sex drive/impotence.
Work difficulties e.g. redundancy, long-term unemployment, difficulty getting in on time, drinking whilst working, disciplinary procedures, generally poor performance. Financial difficulties arising from work difficulties.
Pleasure difficulties i.e. replacement of previous pleasurable activities (hobbies, exercise, EATING etc.) with drinking.
Legal difficulties e.g. drink-drive charges; assault charges.
Some psychological problems caused by heavy drinking
Depression
Irritability
Anxiety and panic attacks
Paranoid feelings and ideasa
Sleep problems
Memory loss
Difficulty with concentration
Some physical problems caused by heavy drinking
Permanent memory los
Dememtia
Stomach ulcers
High blood pressure
Strange sensations in the hands and feet - typically pins and needles
Loss of all sensation in the hands and feet
Wasting of thigh muscles
Skin complaints such as psoriasis and dermatitis
Impotence and erectile failure
Road traffic and other accidents (often fatal)
Liver disease (sometimes fatal)
Pancreatitis (sometimes fatal)
Fertility problems and foetal malformations (often fatal for the foetus)
Brain damage (sometimes fatal)
Epilepsy and fits (sometimes fatal)
Heart attacks (often fatal)
Vascular disease and amputations (sometimes fatal)
Vomiting blood (sometimes fatal)
Bleeding from the rectum (sometimes fatal)
Now that's a long list, and you will never experience all of these problems at any one time. Only you can decide how many risks you want to take. The healthy drinking limits apply to all of us. However, there is an additional problem, over and above the immediate health risks, if you have already become physically addicted to alcohol. This problem is known as: "REINSTATEMENT AFTER ABSTINENCE" and can be best described as an almost immediate relapse to drinking at the same old extremely damaging levels if you try to start drinking again. This will be an automatic process beyond your control. In order to overcome alcoholism at some point the only way is to accept that the disease (alcoholism) is more powerful than you are.
If you recognise any of the identified social, psychological and physical problems identified here in your life you may have a problem with alcohol. Please do not lose heart, it is possible to deal with this issue and there is help available. Please also read Sally's Story in the womens health section if you want to read a real life story of how someone who has managed to turn their life around. Please access the website below and the services provided by Triage Health Care, who are very experienced in dealing with this very problem. There may also be some NHS services available in your area. Whatever you do please do seek help before the impact on your life gets too serious.
Otherwise please take note of the WHO Maximum units for Men and Women and keep alcohol an occasional pleasure rather something that dominates your life.
Article produced with permission from extracts from the book 'How to enjoy life without alchohol: Routes to a healthier existence'.
About the author
Dr Bruce Trathen MBBS MRCPsych
Triage Healthcare Ltd*
St Andrews House
Station Road East
Canterbury, CT1 2BJ
Office 01227 813 001
Fax 01227 477 112
www.dryoutnow.com
www.addictionadvisor.co.uk
*Triage Healthcare Ltd is a specialist healthcare company dedicated to the treatment of addictive illness. It is staffed by highly experienced and expert professionals in addiction medicine and counselling, who who are ethically bound to give advice according to the latest evidence of what works, and who are not allowed to advise you according to a profit motive.
Article copyright YourDoc Medical Ltd 2010. All rights reserved.
