Beer Drinking: Alcoholism Or Harmless Habit?

If you're worried about your drinking, it's important to remember that a person with an alcohol dependency doesn't have to fit a certain stereotype. Alcoholics can have good jobs, social lives, and supportive friends and family. Drinking every night or only drinking beer does not necessarily indicate a problem, but if you've started drinking more than usual and it's impacting your life, it may be time to examine your drinking habits more closely.

Alcohol tolerance

Consumption-induced tolerance

Physiology of alcohol tolerance

Direct alcohol tolerance is largely dependent on body size. Larger-bodied people will require more alcohol to reach insobriety than lightly built people. Alcohol tolerance is also connected with the activity of alcohol dehydrogenases (a group of enzymes responsible for breaking down alcohol) in the liver and in the bloodstream.

Tolerance and addiction

Tolerance and withdrawal are two symptoms of an Alcohol Use Disorder. If you're building your tolerance, you're moving toward physical addiction. Regular heavy drinking can lead to you building up a tolerance to alcohol, where you need to drink more and more to feel its effects.

Reversing tolerance

The good news is that you can bring your tolerance back down. To reverse alcohol tolerance, you need to go for a significant amount of time without drinking. For most people, a few weeks should have a significant effect.

Health risks

Excessive alcohol use can have immediate and long-term health effects. The CDC defines excessive drinking as binge drinking, heavy drinking, and any drinking during pregnancy or by people under the age of 21. Binge drinking is defined as four or more drinks for women, or five or more drinks for men during a single occasion. Heavy drinking is defined as eight or more drinks for women, or 15 or more drinks for men, during a week.

Drinking less alcohol is better for your health than drinking more. Alcohol negatively affects the liver and other organs as it moves through the body. Excessive alcohol use can lead to high blood pressure, alcohol use disorder, a weaker immune system, mental health conditions, learning and memory problems, and relationship issues.

Alcohol is a toxic, dependence-producing substance and has been classified as a Group 1 carcinogen, the highest-risk group, which also includes asbestos, radiation, and tobacco. Any amount of alcohol consumption increases the risk of developing cancer, including breast cancer in women. Even "light" and "moderate" alcohol consumption—less than 3.5 litres of beer per week—is responsible for the majority of alcohol-attributable breast cancers in women.

Non-alcoholic beer often contains small amounts of alcohol and has been linked to negative health effects. It can lead to dehydration, an increased risk of certain types of cancer, and weight gain due to its high calorie content. Additionally, for individuals with liver disease, even small amounts of alcohol can result in much higher blood alcohol levels than normal. Non-alcoholic beer may also trigger cravings and lead to a relapse for individuals recovering from alcohol addiction.

Alcohol serving sizes

Whether or not you are an alcoholic is not determined by the type of alcoholic beverage you consume, but rather by the impact that alcohol is having on your life. If drinking alcohol is starting to affect your life, it may be time to take a closer look at your drinking habits. Some common signs of alcoholism include drinking to the point of blacking out, feeling ashamed about the amount you drink, and lying about or hiding your drinking from others. If you are experiencing negative consequences, such as upsetting your family, or feeling guilty about your drinking, these could also be indicators of a problem.

Now, onto alcohol serving sizes. It's important to know how much alcohol your drink contains, as the amount of liquid in your glass may not match up with the amount of alcohol it contains. A "standard drink", or "alcoholic drink equivalent", is defined as any beverage containing 0.6 fluid ounces or 14 grams of pure alcohol. Here are some examples of standard drink serving sizes:

• 12 fluid ounces of regular beer, which is usually about 5% alcohol
• 8–10 fluid ounces of malt liquor or flavoured malt beverages (e.g. hard seltzer)
• 5 fluid ounces of table wine
• 3–4 fluid ounces of fortified wine (e.g. sherry or port)
• 2–3 fluid ounces of cordial, liqueur, or aperitif
• 1.5 fluid ounces of brandy or cognac (a single jigger)
• 1.5 fluid ounces of distilled spirits (e.g. gin, rum, tequila, vodka, whiskey)

Remember that the percentage of alcohol by volume can vary across beverage types, so while these standard drink amounts are helpful for following health guidelines, they may not reflect customary serving sizes.

Alcohol use disorder

The diagnostic criteria for AUD include:

• Drinking more alcohol or for longer than intended.
• Unsuccessful attempts to cut down or stop drinking.
• Spending a lot of time obtaining, using, or recovering from alcohol.
• Cravings or a strong desire to drink alcohol.
• Recurrent alcohol use resulting in failure to fulfil major role obligations at work, school, or home.
• Continued alcohol use despite social or interpersonal problems caused or exacerbated by its effects.
• Giving up or reducing important social, occupational, or recreational activities due to alcohol use.
• Using alcohol in situations where it is physically hazardous to do so.
• Continued alcohol use despite knowledge of a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem likely to have been caused or exacerbated by alcohol.
• Tolerance, as defined by a need for increased amounts of alcohol to achieve intoxication or a diminished effect with continued use.
• Withdrawal symptoms, as manifested by either the characteristic withdrawal syndrome for alcohol or alcohol taken to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms.

It is important to note that the presence of any two of these criteria within the same 12-month period indicates that a person has AUD. The severity of AUD is determined by the number of criteria met, with mild AUD characterised by the presence of 2-3 criteria, moderate AUD by 4-5 criteria, and severe AUD by 6 or more criteria.

If you are concerned about your drinking habits or think you may have AUD, it is important to seek professional help. Treatment options for AUD include detoxification, addiction treatment programmes, day care treatment programmes, and outpatient treatment. These programmes can provide you with the support and tools necessary to understand your drinking habits, address the underlying causes, and develop strategies for living an alcohol-free life.

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms

Whether you are an alcoholic or not depends on many factors, and it is important to remember that an alcoholic is not always someone whose life is in turmoil, drinking all day, and appearing unkempt. Alcoholics can have good jobs, social lives, and be surrounded by family and friends.

If you are worried about your drinking, some common signs of alcoholism include:

• Drinking to the point of blacking out
• Feeling embarrassed about the amount you drink
• Needing a drink before going out
• Lying about or hiding your drinking
• Drinking more than you intended
• Drinking to relieve stress or relax
• Prioritising drinking over responsibilities
• Wanting to cut down or stop drinking but being unable to

If you are drinking to stave off withdrawal symptoms, this is a sign of physical addiction. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can range from mild to severe and can occur within 6 to 8 hours after the last drink, but sometimes they can occur days later. Symptoms tend to peak within 24 to 72 hours but may persist for weeks or even months.

Mild alcohol withdrawal symptoms include:

• Anxiety or nervousness
• Jumpiness or shakiness
• Insomnia
• Clammy skin
• Enlarged pupils
• Tremors

More severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms, which occur within 12 to 48 hours after the last drink, include:

• Hallucinations
• Seizures
• Delirium tremens (DTs), which occur in about 5% of people with alcohol withdrawal and include vivid hallucinations and delusions.

If you are experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms, it is important to seek medical advice, especially if you have a severe health condition or have experienced severe withdrawals in the past. Treatment for alcohol withdrawal aims to reduce symptoms, prevent complications, and help the individual reduce or stop drinking. This may include medication, inpatient care, or outpatient treatment.

Frequently asked questions