With the start of summer and hot weather, people tend to drink more.  Whether after work, on vacation, or tending the BBQ, it’s easy to pop open a cold one or rev up the blender for just one more frozen margarita.  Certainly most people who drink are not alcoholics, but it is possible that your drinking may be harmful to your well being.  In this blog post, I will review the recommendations from the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion with the goal of increasing your awareness for yourself or someone you love.

At least 38 million adults drink too much and most are NOT alcoholics.  Drinking too much includes binge drinking, high weekly use, and alcohol use by a pregnant woman.  Alcohol consumption causes 88,000 deaths in the United States each year.  The good news is that with just a slight change in behavior people can reduce their risks of harm significantly.

One standard drink is equal to one 12 oz. beer, one 5 oz. glass of wine or a 1.5 oz. (shot) of distilled gin, rum, whiskey or vodka.

To stay within low risk drinking limits, you should not drink more than:

PER DAY:  Women should not drink more than 3 drinks on one occasion, for men, 4 drinks.

PER WEEK:  Women should not drink more than 7 drinks per week, for men, 14 drinks per week.

Excessive alcohol use has immediate risks, often the result of binge drinking.  These include motor vehicle crashes, falls, drowning, burns, and violence.  It can also lead to alcohol poisoning and risky sexual behavior or birth complications for pregnant women.  Excessive alcohol use over time can lead to chronic health diseases and other serious problems, including high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver problems, digestive problems, cancers (breast, mouth and throat, liver, colon), dementia and memory problems, as well as depression and anxiety.

Excessive alcohol use is also the cause of many social problems, such as missing work, reduced productivity at work and in your personal roles, and relationship conflict.  One of the most consistent problems that I see in my work with couples is the cost of drinking on trust and intimacy.  When people engage in excessive drinking, they tend to do and say things that are hurtful and even harmful to a relationship.  The behavior is often discounted as not being “real” because of the alcohol.  To the partner, the effects of the behavior are, however, quite “real.”  Over time, this pattern can erode a relationship.

So, from a psychological point of view, and a relational point of view, I must admit a higher standard for what I consider excessive drinking and at risk drinking.  If someone in your life – a partner, employer, co-worker, or family member – tells you they are concerned about your drinking, take it seriously.   Studies, in fact, support the notion that other people are better judges of the risks of our alcohol consumption.

There are so many ways to have fun in the summer.  Swimming, camping, boating, picnics, and concerts are just a few of the many things we associate with summer that we look forward to all year.  With just a bit more attention to your drinking behavior, you can make sure that the fun stays fun for everyone.