The 6 signs you’re a borderline alcoholic and four tips to cut back – as Adele admits struggles
SOME of us may admit drinking more than we should sometimes.
But what happens when “sometimes” becomes “most times”? Last month, singer Adele, 35, told fans: “I stopped drinking maybe three and a half months ago. It’s boring.
“I was literally borderline alcoholic for quite a lot of my twenties, but I miss it so much.” It’s not the first dry spell for Adele — previously it reportedly helped her lose 7st.
But her on-off relationship with booze also led to her drinking through lockdown, and she admitted she once drank four bottles of wine before lunch.
Her experience may ring true for many drinkers.
More than half of us drink every week, and one in ten indulges on five or more days, according to the most recent NHS statistics from 2021.
So what does alcohol addiction look like, and are you at risk?
BEHAVIOURS OF A BORDERLINE ALCOHOLIC
DR Dave Nichols, an NHS GP and medical adviser at website MyHealthChecked, tells Sun Health: “A lot of people know that they sometimes drink too much, but many don’t know where the line is when it comes to problematic alcohol consumption.
“Being a borderline alcoholic means you are sitting dangerously close to the line [of alcoholism].
“It describes a pattern of harmful drinking where you may have a drink, or several drinks, every day or regularly binge drink.
“Because it is less easy to define, borderline alcoholics come in many forms and can experience more subtle presentations.”
Borderliners are likely to do one or all of the following, Dr Nichols says:
- Drink alcohol every day without thinking about it
- Binge-drink regularly
- Only socialise where drink is involved
- Drink regularly during the day
- Find it annoying when others are not drinking
- Drink more than the NHS guidelines every month.
If you are unsure if you are drinking too much, count how many units you typically drink in one week.
The NHS recommends drinking no more than 14 units spread across three days or more.
That equates to around six medium (175ml) glasses of wine, or six pints of four per cent beer.
The term “borderline alcoholic”, or even “alcoholic” is not used among health professionals.
The NHS defines hazardous drinking as 14 to 35 units per week for women, and 14 to 50 units for men, while anything more than that is “harmful” drinking — a pattern of consumption that’s causing mental or physical damage.
SIGNS AND RISKS
BORDERLINE alcoholics are at risk of falling into dependence. Dr Nichols says: “While you may not yet have developed a physical dependence to this pattern of drinking, you are at high risk of developing alcohol dependence.”
Alcoholism, or alcohol dependence, is when a person has an uncontrollable desire to drink.
Dr Nichols says: “Their body is dependent on alcohol.
“Alcoholics will usually develop physical and psychological symptoms if they stop drinking.”
There are some signs of problematic drinking, and Dr Nichols says: “Borderline alcoholics might experience symptoms such as abdominal pain, stress, anxiety, bad skin, trouble sleeping, irritability and higher blood pressure.
“They are early indicators that you need to significantly reduce your alcohol consumption.”
He adds: “The most common long-term physical impacts of borderline alcoholism are abnormal liver function, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and mental health problems, but these are often hidden diseases and patients are unaware of them until they progress.”
HOW TO CUT BACK
IF you fulfil the brief of a borderline alcoholic, are worried about your drinking and need support, see your GP.
After quitting drinking, you can expect to have more energy, better sleep, weight loss and better skin.
Long term, you may see improvements in your finances, relationships and mental health, and less risk of cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
Here are some starting tips for how to go about quitting:
Kickstart it: A sober event such as Dry January gives you a target to stick to.
It may be very hard, but see it as an opportunity to gain clarity on how much your life centres around drinking.
Sober socialising: Dr Nichols suggests socialising without the temptation of a tipple.
He says: “A new exercise class, a dog walk, the cinema or even a coffee shop are great ways to catch up with friends without a drink.”
You’re not alone: Thousands of people are in the same boat as you.
Following their journey and sharing your own can help, so look for local groups or communities on social media.
Dr Nichols says: “Just like Adele has, tell people about your journey so they understand and support you.”
Get inspired: Listening to others talk about their journey could help you feel more positive and accepting of yours.
The Hello Someday Podcast For Sober Curious Women is an eye-opener.
KNOW YOUR UNITS
SPIRITS
Single shot (ABV 40%): 1 unit
WINE, ABV 12%
Small glass (125ml): 1.5 units
Standard glass (175ml): 2.1 unit
Large glass (250ml): 3 units
BEERS/LAGER/CIDER
Bottle (330ml, ABV 5%): 1.7 units
Can (440ml, ABV 5.5%): 2.4 units
Pint of lower-strength (ABV 3.6%): 2 units
Pint of higher-strength (ABV 5.2%): 3 units
CUTTING ALCOHOL GAVE ME ENERGY BOOST
VANESSA CHALMERS, one of the Sun Health team, took part in Sober October.
The 28-year-old, above, says: “I was having a stressful time and wanted to eliminate an aggravator.
“I chose alcohol and it wasn’t going to be easy, as I drank around 14 units, or just over, a week.
“But this was adding around 1,000 calories to my diet every week.”
Vanessa got two health tests with Bupa to compare her vitals before and after sobriety.
She says: “My cholesterol was already healthy but came down even more.
“My triglycerides – a type of fat in the blood that is elevated by drinking – came down significantly, the nurse said.
“I only lost 2.2lb (1kg) but I felt amazing, getting up early and going to the gym at the weekend when I’d usually be hungover in bed with a McDonald’s.
“The biggest improvements have been to my energy levels, having previously requested nutrient deficiency tests from my GP because I felt so tired.
“I saved about £150 and learned a lot about my relationship with alcohol.
“It was easiest to cut back on the at-home evening drinking and meals out, which I hope to stick to, but unsurprisingly, hardest at the pub.”