Call 888-647-0579 to speak with an alcohol or drug abuse counselor.

Who Answers?

English turn to booze on holiday

English holidaymakers are turning to drink on their breaks with the average adult consuming eight alcoholic drinks a day, a survey suggests.

That equates to 80 drinks over the course of the average holiday, or well over 200 units of alcohol.

More than a quarter said they ended up drinking three times more than normal.

But 70% of the 3,500 adults questioned by the Department of Health said they plan to make September the “new January” by cutting back.

NHS guidelines advise no more than two to three units a day for women or three to four units for men – roughly equal to a large glass of wine for women and two pints of beer for men.

Government figures show 10 million adults in England regularly exceed the recommended daily limits, increasing their risk of serious illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, liver disease and various cancers.

The Know Your Limits campaign survey found that on an average day on holiday, beer drinkers drank five pints, wine drinkers had four glasses of wine, and those who prefer spirits had five mixer drinks, such as vodka and coke.

According to the Department of Health, drinkers also admitted to downing four other alcoholic drinks, such as strong cocktails or shots, each day.

Cutting back

But most people plan to curb their drinking over the next month.

One in five surveyed pledged to take two days off drinking a week, 16% said they were going to stop drinking altogether between Monday and Thursday and 22% planned to generally go out less.

A further 12% said they intended to have a completely dry month.

Public health minister Gillian Merron said it was all too easy to slip into the habit of drinking too much on holiday.

“And it’s always hard to get back into a normal routine.

“But we should try to use September as the new January and make a pledge to be a little more healthy.

“Sticking within the NHS’s recommended daily limits means you reduce your risk of serious conditions such as liver disease, cancer and stroke.”

GP and TV medical commentator Dr Chris Steele said most people want to let their hair down on holiday but it was important to think about being healthy on your return.

“Cutting back on alcohol for September is a great place to start; if you find yourself drinking all or most days of the week, start by taking at least two days off each week.”

Don Shenker, chief executive of Alcohol Concern, said it was great news that many people were considering more moderate drinking following some overindulgence.

But he added: “Prolonged periods of regular excessive consumption is harmful to your body and increases your chances of suffering from more than 40 different conditions or illnesses.”

source: BBC News

More Treatment & Detox Articles

Co-Occurring Disorders

A Co-Occurring Disorder is condition wherein mental disorder as well as alcohol problems is faced by an individual side by side. This is a condition that occurs very often. It is important to manage one disorder at a time by treating each one simultaneously to get the best possible outcome. Co-Occurring Disorders are also referred….

Substance Abuse Among Youth

The young people of the 21st century encounter life situations, pressures and temptations unlike any other generation before them. These experiences coupled with the volatile hormonal changes taking place in teens make for a population highly susceptible to substance abuse issues. Youth substance abuse rates remain a cause for concern among parents, teachers and communities….

Why It Is Important to Seek Alcohol Withdrawal Treatment

For those suffering from severe alcoholism, the hours following the consumption of a “last drink” are often the most dangerous time period of entering recovery. Alcohol withdrawal occurs after a heavy drinker decides to quit or significantly reduce his or her alcohol intake. Alcohol withdrawal is unique in its severity, due to the ways in….

Drink with mother

You expect your parents to teach you things. But alcoholism? Frances White recalls how her mum encouraged her to binge when she was just a child – and eventually passed on her own addiction I was nine when my mum poured me my first drink. “Here,” she said, handing me a glass of Cinzano and….

How Long Will Alcohol Detox Take?

Alcohol Detox Timeline Alcohol addiction will cause intense and painful withdrawal symptoms for the majority of alcoholics who stop drinking, which is why medical supervision is highly advised in people who wish to stop drinking after abusing alcohol for years. However, the physical withdrawal symptoms, though intense, usually will subside after the first five days….