• half a pint of normal strength lager / beer / cider (ABV 3.6%) 
• single measure, small shot (25ml) of spirit (25ml, ABV 40% ) 
• A small glass (125ml, 12% ABV) of wine contains about 1.5 units of alcohol.

Risks of Alcohol Misuse

Short Term

The short-term risks of alcohol misuse include: 

• accidents and injuries that require hospital treatment, such as head injury
• behaving violently and being a victim of violence 
• unprotected sex that could lead to an unplanned pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
• loss of personal belongings, such as wallet, keys or mobile phone 
• alcohol poisoning 
• this can lead to nausea, seizures and unconsciousness binge drinking (heavy drinking over a short period) are more likely to act carelessly and be at greater risk of being involved in an accident. 

Long Term

Persistent alcohol misuse increases your risk of serious health conditions, including: 

• heart disease 
• stroke
• liver disease
• liver cancer
• bowel cancer
• oral cancer
• breast cancer
• inflammation of the pancreas

As well as causing serious health problems, for some people prolonged alcohol misuse can lead to social problems, such as unemployment, divorce, domestic abuse and homelessness. If someone loses control over their drinking habits and has an excessive desire to drink, this is called dependent drinking (alcoholism). Dependent drinking usually affects a person's quality of life and relationships, but it may not always be easy for the person to realize or accept this. Very dependent drinkers can often tolerate very high levels of alcohol - levels that would have a dangerous effect on some people or even kill them. 

A dependent drinker usually experiences physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms if he or she drinks less or stops drinking. These include: 

• shaking hands - 'trembling' 
• sweating 
• seeing things that aren't true (hallucinations) 
• depression 
• anxiety
• having trouble sleeping (insomnia)

This often results in 'drinking for relief' to avoid withdrawal symptoms. 

• if you feel you should drink less
• if other people have been criticizing your drinking habits 
• if you feel guilty or bad about your habits drinking 
• if you need an early morning drink to calm your nerves or get rid of it hangover

Someone you know may be misusing alcohol if:

• they regularly drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week
• they sometimes can't remember what happened the previous night because of their drinking habits 
• if they do not do what they were expected to do, because of their drinking habits (for example, missing an appointment or work because they are drunk or have a hangover) 

Get Help

If you are concerned about your or someone else's drinking habits, it would be good to see your GP as a first step. 

Your GP will be able to discuss the services and treatments available.  

Your alcohol intake may be assessed using tests, such as: 
 

• The alcohol use disorders identification test - a widely used screening test, which can help determine whether or not you need to change your drinking habits 
• The alcohol use disorders identification test - intake-  a simpler test to see if your drinking has reached dangerous levels 
• As well as the NHS, there are a number of charities and support groups across the UK that provide help and advice to people with a problem of alcohol misuse. 

For example, you may want to contact: 

• Drinkline - the national alcohol helpline, on 0300 123 1110 
• Alcohol Change UK
• Helpline Alcoholics Anonymous on 0800 9177 650 
• Helpline AI-Anon Family Groups on 0800 0086 811

Alcohol Misuse Treatment

The treatment of alcohol misuse depends on how much a person drinks. 

Treatment options include: 

• counselling - including self-help groups and talking therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
• medication 
• detox - where a nurse or doctor will support you to stop drinking safely; this can be done by helping you gradually reduce your drinking over time or by giving you medication to prevent withdrawal symptoms.