Experts reveal the habits that should cause concern

After a Bank Holiday weekend, many of us will be waking up regretting having one too many tipples. 

Whether it’s a family get-together or a night out with friends, many of us enjoy having a drink in a social situation. But the reality is that your seemingly ‘casual’ drinking habits could be cause for concern, according to an expert.  

Alcohol can cause dehydration, sickness, and impair mood and libido, as well as affecting our looks. 

According to the data from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities there are eight million people in England drinking so much that it is harmful to their health, with a large increase in the numbers drinking at levels considered to be dangerous. 

Fitness, wellness and nutrition expert Penny Weston reveals the warning signs that your social drinking could be turning into a problem.

Penny explained: ‘We all know people in the UK enjoy having a drink, with almost half having a tipple at least once a week.

‘Sometimes it isn’t easy to recognise if you are drinking too much in a social setting and it can creep up slowly but it’s important to recognise the signs that can cause concern so you can tackle the issue before it becomes a big problem.’

Here Penny reveals the eight signs that your social drinking is turning into a problem:  

1. ALCOHOL IS ALWAYS ON YOUR SHOPPING LIST

If alcohol is on your shopping list every week, it could be a sign that you are consuming too much of it. 

Penny says: ‘It means you’ve likely drunk the alcohol you bought the week before and you have also just got into the habit of adding it to your basket each week.’

She advises to try either adding less alcohol to your basket each week and to slowly reduce the amount over time, or simply add a bottle of wine every couple of weeks. 

‘You don’t need to have a constant stock at home, as this just leads to temptation.’

Try to think about when you are drinking at home and question if there is something else you could do when you are tempted to have a drink.   

Penny suggests: ‘If you’re having a glass of wine to relax in the evening, why not take it down to every other day, then every three days?’

She adds: ‘Also it could be a sign you are spending too much money on alcohol. 

‘If you cut it down from your weekly shop, you will see benefits in your finances too.’

2. INCREASED TOLERANCE  

‘If you are needing to drink more to get the same buzz, there could definitely be a problem,’ says Penny. 

She explains that social drinkers can be at risk of developing an alcohol addiction because over time, it will take more and more alcohol for them to reach the buzz that drink gives them in a social setting.

She says: ‘If you used to be happy with one or two glasses of wine at a party but now you need a lot more, then it shows your tolerance is increasing and it’s definitely a sign to watch.’ 

Penny says it’s important to recognise that building up tolerance does not mean you have built up a tolerance to the health risks of alcohol.

‘In fact, it’s likely to be worse because you don’t recognise how much you are drinking.

‘To combat this, the best thing to do is to drink less to reverse your tolerance, as well as improve your health.’

This will be hard at first but if you slowly reduce the number of drinks you have, you will be able to lower your tolerance.

3. GETTING DRUNK ON A REGULAR BASIS

It’s warning sign if you have gone from letting off steam now and again with a night out to consistently getting drunk.  

Penny advises reassessing your drinking habits as a warning sign is that you’ve become the crazy friend in your group and the one always pushing to stay out later and get another drink. 

She says: ‘If this becomes a regular occurrence, it’s a sign of binge drinking. 

‘To combat this, I would suggest turning down regular invitations which involve alcohol and looking for other activities to do with friends.’

She advises the cinema or going for a walk in the countryside or inviting friends to an activity in the daytime, such as a spa day or if you’re more active, a high ropes course. 

Penny says: ‘If you feel you have the most fun when you drink or are cross and irritable when you don’t drink, it’s a sign of a problem.’

4. BEING SECRETIVE ABOUT HOW MANY DRINKS YOU’VE HAD

If you are lying about how much you have been drinking, you may well have a serious problem. 

It is concerning if you lie to your partner or someone close to you when they ask you how many drinks you’ve had and you don’t tell them the truth.   

Penny explains: ‘It means you think they may be worried about you if they knew how much you had drunk and so you feel the need to lie. 

‘In this situation, if you find yourself lying about how much you’ve drunk, I would advise looking for help and trying to follow NHS guidelines to not drink more than 14 units a week. 

‘To try and reduce the amount you drink, it’s a good idea to have several free alcohol days in the week.’

5. YOU’RE BEGINNING TO CRAVE ALCOHOL

Another problem is when you find yourself planning where your next drink is coming from on a night out, or gulping down your drink too fast.   

If you can’t think about anything else until you get your next drink, it’s definitely worrying, according to Penny. 

She says: ‘It can be a sign that your brain is reacting to alcohol in a different way and that the urge to drink is becoming more intense.’

She suggests trying activities that are completely separate from alcohol to combat this. 

She says don’t go to the pub and order non-alcoholic drinks as it will be too tempting, but instead do something different entirely.   

6. YOU CAN’T STOP AFTER A COUPLE OF DRINKS

Penny says: ‘If you go out and find you can’t just stop after one or two drinks, then it’s a problem.’

And if you can’t stick to moderate drinking, even if you do vow to but you find yourself drinking four or five drinks then it’s time to cut down. 

‘Maybe you start with a couple of pints but then add in a shot of whiskey and encourage everyone else to too. 

‘It’s a sign there is a problem. I would suggest taking yourself away from situations where you would usually drink alcohol.’

7. IF YOU FEEL THE NEED TO TAKE DRINKING BREAKS

While it’s very on trend to take a month off drinking for dry January or any other month, it’s almost a way for people to convince themselves they are in control and don’t have a problem.   

Penny advises that while it may seem like a good idea to have a break from alcohol, but if you feel you need to take time out, it may be a sign of a bigger problem. 

She says that this won’t improve your health if you are drinking heavily the rest of the year. 

8. DRINKING ALONE

Drinking alone is a real sign that your social drinking has become a problem. 

If you feel the need to top up between nights out and cannot imagine an evening without sitting down with a drink, it’s definitely time to reassess. 

‘Having the occasional drink alone is obviously fine but if it becomes a habit on top of social drinking, it is very likely you are drinking in excess of the recommended 14 units per week. 

‘To combat this, I would suggest not buying alcohol to have at home so you aren’t tempted to drink alone. I would also suggest seeking medical advice and help.’