A study carried out by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) a few years ago found that Canadians are drinking more than 50% above the global average. While some people might not concern themselves with this figure, the problem is that alcohol has become the third leading cause of the global burden of disease and injury.
In order to help people moderate their alcohol consumption and reduce the risk of both immediate and long-term alcohol-related harm, government bodies all over the world have introduced recommended guidelines.
Canada’s Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines (LRDG) advises that women should consume no more than two alcoholic beverages per day and men no more than three. It’s also strongly recommended that people have at least a couple of days every week where they do not consume any alcohol at all.
It’s estimated that if all Canadian drinkers followed these guidelines, there would be 4,6000 fewer alcohol-related deaths in Canada every year.
Most of us like to enjoy a drink occasionally or even a couple of times a week. For the majority, this doesn’t cause any long-term harm but how do you know when you’re drinking too much?
- You always seem to be drinking – if you can’t get through the day without alcohol then this is the most obvious sign that you could have a problem. Even if you don’t consume alcohol daily but you find that you can’t get through any social occasion without a drink in your hand, you may be drinking too much. If this sounds like you or someone you know then it could be time to seek advice about alcohol abuse treatment.
- Your tolerance has increased significantly – you may even be proud of the fact that you can drink a lot more compared to this time last year but if your tolerance for alcohol has increased, it’s because your body has become so used to the levels you’re consuming. To put it simply, needing more alcohol in order to feel the same effect is a key diagnostic for alcohol abuse.
- You have problems sleeping – if you regularly experience disrupted sleep after consuming alcohol, you could be drinking too much. Alcohol is commonly mistaken for being a ‘sleep aid’ but it actually prevents us from entering the proper sleep cycles we need in order to wake up feeling fresh. This is why despite the late nights that are associated with heavy drinking sessions, you still end up waking up early the next day. A common complaint amongst alcoholics is that they have problems staying asleep.
- You can’t remember what you’ve done – we’ve all experienced that terrible feeling of waking up after a night out and forgetting large chunks of what happened. If you’re doing this on a regular basis however, that’s a clear sign that you are drinking far too much.
- You drink when you’re alone – whilst there’s absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying the occasional glass of wine after a long day, if you’re regularly drinking on your own then think about whether or not this is because you’re trying to hide how much you’re consuming from other people. Alcoholics tend to go out of their way to hide how much they really drink from other people.
- Your drinking is causing problems – if your alcohol consumption is causing problems at work or with friends and family, this is a clear sign that you need to cut down. If people have commented on your drinking, try not to get defensive about it. Chances are that they’re worried about you and are only trying to help.
- You can’t quit – if you have tried to cut down on your alcohol consumption or cut it out altogether but you can’t, this is normally a sign of a problem and possibly even an addiction.
If you would like more information about the signs of alcoholism or the types of alcohol abuse treatment available, please feel free to contact us in the strictest of confidence and we will be more than happy to help.
