My health
The risks of drinking alcohol
Many people consider alcohol to be part of the Australian culture and way of life. But drinking doesn’t always equate to a good time.
There are harms associated with drinking too much both on a single occasion and over a lifetime. These can be serious and even life threatening.
Consequences of drinking too much on a single occasion
Serious consequences caused by drinking too much on a single occasion generally fall into three categories:
National guidelines recommend that you have no more than four standard drinks on a single occasion to reduce your risk of an alcohol related injury.
If four or more standard drinks puts you at risk of injury, it makes sense that it may also puts you and the people around you at risk of legal and social consequences.
Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)
Although it varies between individuals, there is a relationship between the concentration of alcohol in the blood (Blood Alcohol Concentration - BAC) and its effects.
The body will only process around one standard drink per hour. This means, for every standard drink you have, it will take one hour for your BAC to return back to 0.00g%.
To learn how BAC may affect behaviour, visit www.alcohol.sa.gov.au.
Staying safer when drinking
To reduce risk when drinking, the most important point to remember is to not drink more than the levels recommended in the national guidelines. On a single occasion of drinking, the risk of alcohol-related injury increases with the amount consumed.
For healthy men and women, drinking no more than four standard drinks on a single occasion reduces the risk of alcohol-related injury arising from that occasion.
Keep in mind that having four standard drinks doubles your risk of an alcohol-related injury and your risk increases with every extra drink you have.
For ways to reduce this risk, visit www.alcohol.sa.gov.au.
Statistics
Not convinced about the risks?
Check out the statistics on alcohol-related harms at www.alcohol.sa.gov.au.
Consequences of drinking too much over a lifetime
The lifetime risk of harm from drinking alcohol increases with the amount consumed.
The national guidelines state that for healthy men and women, drinking no more than two standard drinks on any day reduces the lifetime risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury.
The same health/safety, legal and social harms associated with drinking too much on a single occasion apply to lifetime drinking. But as well as these harms, drinking more than recommended in the national guidelines increases the risk of a number of diseases and adverse effects that reduce quality of life.
Alcohol associated diseases include:
- cardiovascular disease
- liver disease
- cancers
- diabetes
- diet-related deficiencies and malnutrition.
Other health issues include:
- overweight and obesity
- risks to unborn babies
- mental health conditions
- suicide and suicidal behaviour.
Alcohol specific issues
Tolerance
Tolerance means a person requires more alcohol to achieve the same effect they used to get with smaller quantities because the brain compensates for the sedating effects of alcohol and the liver breaks it down more quickly. Despite this tolerance, the risk of long-term effects remain.
Dependence
A person has alcohol dependence when its use has become central in their life. A lot of time is spent thinking about alcohol, obtaining it, using it and recovering from its effects. Use is continued despite knowing that it is causing harm.
Withdrawal
A common feature of dependence is that a person will experience withdrawal symptoms if they reduce or stop drinking due to increased excitability (irritability) of the brain.
Typical alcohol withdrawal features last about five days and include:
- seizures
- shaking (tremor)
- nausea and vomiting
- anxiety
- depression
- sweating
- headache
- difficulty sleeping (may last several weeks).
People drinking eight or more standard drinks per day are advised to discuss a decision to stop drinking with their doctor as medication may be needed to prevent withdrawal complications.
Long term cognitive impairment
People who regularly drink alcohol at harmful levels have an increased risk of dementia.
When to seek support
Working out if you need help to get your drinking under control can be confusing.
For some guidance on how to determine this, visit www.alcohol.sa.gov.au.
How to seek support
The first step is to phone the Alcohol and Drug Information Service (ADIS) on 1300 13 1340.
ADIS is a confidential helpline for anyone, of any age. It's there for you and you can remain anonymous.
The people on the other end of the phone are trained counsellors and will listen to what you have to say. They are used to hearing about problems to do with alcohol. You can talk to them about whatever you want, whether it's to do with your own drinking or that of someone else.
They can give you information about alcohol and other drugs, how to stay safe and what to do to keep others safe.
ADIS can also refer you to alcohol treatment services, send you resources, or direct you to where to find other information, resources and support.
Available services for treatment of alcohol problems
SA Health offers a range of public health services for people with alcohol related problems and their family and friends.
Community-based and inpatient and residential treatment services are available. Community-based services are also available in country areas.
There are also a number of private alcohol related health services available.
Telephone ADIS on 1300 13 1340 for details.
Australian Guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol
Guideline 1
The lifetime risk of harm from drinking alcohol increases with the amount consumed.
For healthy men and women, drinking no more than two standard drinks on any day reduces the lifetime risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury.
Guideline 2
On a single occasion of drinking, the risk of alcohol-related injury increases with the amount consumed. For healthy men and women, drinking no more than four standard drinks on a single occasion reduces the risk of alcohol-related injury arising from that occasion.
Guideline 3
For children and young people under 18 years of age, not drinking alcohol is the safest option.
Parents and carers should be advised that children under 15 years of age are at the greatest risk of harm from drinking and that for this age group, not drinking alcohol is especially important.
For young people aged 15 to17 years, the safest option is to delay the initiation of drinking for as long as possible.
Guideline 4
Maternal alcohol consumption can harm the developing fetus or breastfeeding baby.
For women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding, not drinking is the safest option.
