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Charity calls for better alcohol treatment

22 November 2006

Better alcohol treatment services are needed if the UK is to curb mounting levels of drink-related death and disease, according to Alcohol Concern. The charity launched a campaign this week in response to a series of reports in the past three months highlighting the scale of drink related illness in the UK.

How many people are affected by alcohol related illness?

Last month, the Department of Health reported that the number of patients requiring hospital treatment for alcohol related illness had risen by 50 percent in the past five years.

According to the Office for National Statistics, alcohol-related deaths (death from chronic disease related to alcohol) almost doubled in the UK between 1991 and 2005. In 2005, 12 people in every 100,000 died of an alcohol-related disease compared to six in 100,000 people in 1991.

What chronic diseases are worsened by alcohol?

Alcohol can increase the risk of getting some diseases and make other diseases worse. Drinking more than the recommended number of units regularly over a long period of time can lead to hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver, gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) and pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). It's also linked to certain types of cancer, including mouth and throat as well as high blood pressure, which can lead to stroke.

How much alcohol is too much?

Current UK guidelines recommend that men don't drink more than three or four units of alcohol a day, and that women limit their intake to two or three units a day. However, you shouldn't save up units through the week and use them to binge at the weekend and at least one day a week should be alcohol-free.

How do I know how many units I am drinking?

Here is a list of common drinks and the number of units they contain:

one pint of strong lager (alcohol 5 percent vol) = 3 units
one pint of standard strength lager (alcohol 3 - 3.5 percent vol) = 2 units
one 275ml bottle of an alcopop (alcohol 5.5 percent vol) = 1.5 units
one standard (175ml) glass of wine (alcohol 12 percent vol) = 2 units
one measure (25ml) of a spirit strength drink = 1 unit

Alcohol dependence

Some people who drink frequently or in large quantities can become addicted to alcohol. According to the Institute of Alcohol Studies, a person is considered to be dependent on alcohol when they have experienced three or more of the following symptoms during a year.

A strong urge to drink, difficulty controlling how much they drink, or difficulty stopping.
Physical withdrawal symptoms, such as sweating, shaking, agitation and nausea when they try to reduce drinking.
A growing tolerance to alcohol - needing larger quantities to get the same effect.
Gradual neglect of other activities.
Persistent drinking even though it is obviously causing harm.

Alcohol abuse, or problem drinking, happens when a person is not dependent on alcohol, but is drinking enough to cause themselves actual physical or psychological harm.

What is Alcohol Concern campaigning for?

The charity is launching a campaign to persuade Government and local health authorities to invest more money into alcohol treatment services to reduce the burden alcohol misuse places on public services. Alcohol Concern has calculated that for every penny spent on treatment, a saving of five pence is made.

What treatment is currently available?

Confidential advice and support is available through a GP, and may involve a community alcohol team or specialist consultant care. There are also organisations such as Alcohol Concern and Alcoholics Anonymous that help many people (see below).