Social Drinker?

On a daily or weekly basis, how many alcoholic beverages do you consume?

“I’m only a social drinker.”

OK, then on a weekly basis, how often do you socialize?

“Maybe three to five times a week.”

OK, and when you socialize, how many beverages will you consume?

“Maybe three or four.”

OK, and what is your beverage of choice?

“Usually just beer and then maybe a Rye and coke.”

Are those regular beer or tall boys and that Rye, how many fingers high is your pour?

“Tallboys and maybe three or four fingers high.”

So three tallboys and at least three ounces of Rye?

“Yep,”

So let’s do the math. A low to moderate estimate makes your weekly consumption four standard beers and three standard ounces of liquor, say four times a week for a rough total of 28 standard alcoholic beverages weekly.

It may interest you to know that 24 standard alcoholic beverages is considered heavy drinking and 35 standard beverages is considered abusive drinking, meaning you are at risk of alcohol related diseases if that continues for some 18 years or more.

How long have you been drinking at this level?

“Maybe 20 years.”

Do you consider yourself to have a problem with alcohol?

“No.”

Please see your doctor and share what we’ve discussed. Your doctor should check your health and look for any possibility of alcohol related health issues.

-‐————–

I have had this discussion more times than I can count.

Almost everyone starts by telling me they are a social drinker as if the context of alcohol consumption makes a difference to the impact of high levels of consumption.

Please know, it doesn’t.

Please also be informed that the levels of heavy and abusive noted above relates to men. For women, those levels are considered 2/3s of that for men.

Apart from the relationship and parenting issues associated with those levels of drinking, there can be significant physical health impacts.

Please also know that on average, most people underestimate their consumption by 40 to 60%.

---

Are you following me on Facebook yet? If not, you are missing many more posts!

I am Gary Direnfeld and I am a social worker. Check out all my services and then call me if you need help with a personal issue, mental health concern, child behavior or relationship, divorce or separation issue or even help growing your practice. I am available in person and by video conferencing.

Gary Direnfeld, MSW, RSW

gary@yoursocialworker.com
www.yoursocialworker.com for counseling and support

www.garydirenfeld.com – to build your successful practice

Gary Direnfeld is a social worker. Courts in Ontario, Canada, consider him an expert in social work, marital and family therapy, child development, parent-child relations and custody and access matters. Gary is the host of the TV reality show, Newlywed, Nearly Dead, former parenting columnist for the Hamilton Spectator and author of Marriage Rescue: Overcoming the ten deadly sins in failing relationships. Gary maintains a private practice in Georgina Ontario, providing a range of services for people in distress. He speaks at conferences and workshops throughout North America. He consults to mental health professionals as well as to mediators and collaborative law professionals about good practice as well as building their practice.