HELPFUL GUIDELINES
Many drinkers have mistaken notions of what constitutes “a drink” and are often unaware of just how much alcohol they consume at any one time, Willenbring said.
Rethinking Drinking provides these equivalents of one drink: 355 milliliters of regular beer, 237 milliliters to 266 milliliters of malt liquor, 147 milliliters of table wine, 44 milliliters of 80-proof hard liquor.
many light beers have nearly as much alcohol as regular beer, and a single mixed drink can contain three or more standard drinks.
The institute defines low-risk drinking, for men, as consuming no more than 4 drinks on any day and no more than 14 drinks a week. For women, the limit is three drinks on any day and no more than seven drinks a week. Drinking more than these amounts in a day or during a week is considered at-risk or heavy drinking.
Even within these limits, some people can have problems with alcohol, especially those with health problems and people over 65. Older men and women are advised to consume no more than three drinks a day and seven a week.
“Even moderate levels of drinking (up to two drinks per day for men or one for women) can be too much in some circumstances,” the program states. And people in these circumstances should avoid alcohol altogether:
● Women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant (a safe level of alcohol for the developing fetus has not been established).
● People planning to drive or operate dangerous machinery.
● Those taking medications that interact with alcohol.
● People with health problems made worse by alcohol.
The institute emphasizes that people who believe they have “a high tolerance” for alcohol — that is, they can drink a lot without acting or feeling inebriated — are not protected from developing alcoholism and alcohol-induced health problems. Quite the contrary.
The new program helps drinkers determine whether they are ready to change their drinking habits, identify personal benefits of making a change and recognize possible roadblocks and ways around them. It also provides nine strategies for cutting down on drinking, including learning how to pace yourself and keep track of how much you are drinking.
Willenbring listed five early symptoms that indicate a drinker already is an alcohol abuser or at risk:
1. Repeatedly drinking more than self-set limits.
2. Having a persistent desire to quit or cut down.
3. Drinking and driving.
4. Spending too much time drinking.
5. Having hangovers or a sleep disorder.
“Alcoholism isn’t what it used to be,” Willenbring said. “What we used to know about it came from studying the very severe end of the spectrum — those with a chronic illness who reach rock bottom.”
It is now known that many people have limited episodes of alcohol dependence, and if these are recognized and dealt with early on, many alcohol-related problems can be avoided.
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