The effect of alcoholism varies from one person to the next. But the most common effects are changes in emotional state or stability, behaviour, and personality. Alcoholics may become angry and argumentative, or quiet and withdrawn or depressed. They may also feel more anxious, sad, tense, and confused. They then seek relief by drinking more, not help with their drinking problem, though treatment is readily available.



The social effects of alcoholism can be as devastating as the physical effects. Families must deal with emotions such as anger towards the alcoholic and guilt over what role they believe they may play in the addiction. Family breakdown, financial problems, legal problems and psychological troubles all result from alcoholism. Society as a whole also pays a price for the alcoholic's addiction. Employers may see productivity affected. Police and law courts may deal with crimes committed by alcoholics while they are drunk.

Stopping alcohol completely is usually best if you are, or have been, alcohol dependent. Also, if you have a condition due to alcohol such as liver damage. Otherwise, reducing to a safe level of drinking is an option. (A note of caution: do not stop alcohol suddenly if you are alcohol dependent. Some withdrawal effects can be severe. It is best to cut down gradually and then stop, or see your doctor about a 'detox'.) If you are trying to cut down, some tips which may help include the following: Consider drinking low alcohol beers, or at least do not drink 'strong' beers or lagers. Try pacing the rate of drinking. Perhaps alternate soft drinks with alcoholic drinks. Consider cutting back on types of social activity which involve drinking. Perhaps try different social activities where drinking is not a part. Perhaps reduce the number of days in the week where you go out to drink. Resist pressure from people who encourage you to drink more than you want to.

One unit of alcohol is in about half a pint of beer, or two thirds of a small glass of wine, or one small pub measure of spirits. See leaflet called 'Alcohol and Sensible Drinking' for details. Drinking above the recommended safe limit is hazardous. That is, it increases your risk of developing diseases such as cirrhosis (liver damage), damage to the pancreas, certain cancers, heart problems, sexual problems, and other conditions. About 1 in 3 men, and about 1 in 7 women, drink more than the safe limit. In general, the more you drink, the greater the risk. For example, if a man drinks five units each day (not greatly over the recommended limit) then, on average, he doubles his risk of developing liver disease, raised blood pressure, some cancers, and of having a violent death.

About a third of U.S. women drink alcohol. Of these women who drink, only one out of ten averages two or more drinks a day. For women, two drinks a day is above what the Dietary Guidelines for Americans call "moderate:" no more than one drink a day for women and no more than two drinks a day for men (see below for more on the Guidelines, and the recommendations for moderate drinking). Why the difference between women and men? Alcohol passes through the digestive tract and is dispersed in the water in the body. The more water available, the more diluted the alcohol. As a rule, men weigh more than women. In addition, pound for pound, women have less water in their bodies than men, so a woman's brain and other organs are exposed to more alcohol before it is broken down. These differences play a role in both the short- and long-term effects of alcohol on women.

Young women in their 20's and early 30's are more likely to drink than older women. No one factor predicts whether a woman will have problems with alcohol, or at what age she is most at risk. However, there are some aspects of a woman's life experience that seem to make problem drinking more likely. Heavy drinking and drinking problems among white women are most common in younger age groups. Among African American women, however, drinking problems are more common in middle age than youth. A woman's ethnic origins-and the extent to which she adopts the attitudes of mainstream vs. her native culture-influence how and when she will drink.

As women get older, fewer women drink. At the same time, research suggests that people born in recent decades are more likely to drink-throughout life-than people born in the early 1900s. Elderly patients are admitted to hospitals about as often for alcohol-related causes as for heart attacks. Older women may be especially sensitive to the stigma of being alcoholic, and therefore hesitate to report their drinking, even if they have a problem.