.
Set delivery address
Change
Set delivery address
Change

5 signs you're drinking too much alcohol

A glass of wine can be a beneficial social lubricant in many situations, but when does having fun with alcohol become a drinking problem?

18 September 2014
by Andreas Wilson-Späth

Here are five warning signs that suggest that you need to reassess your relationship with booze:

1. You’re worried about overindulging

If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re drinking too much, there’s a good chance that you actually are.

If people who are close to you, like your spouse, friends or colleagues, express concerns, it’s time to evaluate the situation with complete honesty – too many people who think that they can manage their habit are not only lying to their loved ones but to themselves as well.

Keep a diary in which you record how much you consume and when. It’ll act as a reality check and can help you rein yourself in if things are getting out of hand.

2. ‘The drink of no return’

If you regularly consume more alcohol than you intended to and can’t stop once you get started, it’s time to make a change.

3. Bad things keep on happening to you

Do you keep running out of money well before payday or getting into arguments in public? Do you frequently lose your car keys and cell phone, and feel worn out, unhealthy and depressed?

You might think that life is treating you unfairly, but perhaps it’s time to consider whether your alcohol consumption has something to do with your woes.

Having too much to drink can lead to bad decisions, like driving under the influence, risky sexual behaviour and neglecting your duties at home or work. Regular overindulgence leads to painful hangovers, weight gain, mood swings, depression, sleep deprivation, dehydrated skin, damaged hair and brittle fingernails. If any of these hit a nerve, it’s time to seek help.

4. You’re always apologising

If you’re forever having to apologise to others for your alcohol-induced antics, you have a drinking problem.

Things are even worse if other people have to remind you of your actions because you just can’t remember anything about last night. Research suggests that heavy drinking interferes with glutamate, one of the brain’s messenger chemicals, which is associated with memory.

5. You’re flying solo

Does more and more of your life seem to revolve around alcohol? If you increasingly catch yourself drinking on your own, before you go to sleep, as soon as you wake up or just to cope with life’s daily worries, it’s time to dial back your reliance on booze.

Clicks support

Consider seeking professional help to find a healthy outlet for your tension and stress, and take a supplement to help you deal with anxiety, such as Clicks Rescue drops, Nativa Calm Complex capsules and SOLAL Stress & Anxiety Relief tablets, available at Clicks.

Give your liver a break with one of several supplements available at Clicks, including Essentiale capsules, Vital Liver Rescue pills or Clicks Overindulgence Fizzi effervescent tablets.