An intervention from loved ones can help some people recognize and accept that they need professional help. Other ways to get help include talking with a mental health professional or seeking help from a support group such as Alcoholics Anonymous or a similar type of self-help group. Alcohol use disorder can include periods of being drunk (alcohol intoxication) and symptoms of withdrawal. The most cost-effective interventions are at the focus of WHO-led SAFER initiative aimed at providing support for Member States in reducing the harmful use of alcohol.
Risk factors
Theories suggest that for certain people drinking has a different and stronger impact that can lead to alcohol use disorder. But heavy drinking carries a much higher risk even for those without other health concerns. But good evidence shows that drinking high amounts of alcohol are clearly linked to health problems. To combat this, WHO advocates for transparency in policy development, the exclusion of the alcohol industry from policy discussions, and the implementation of regulations to limit the industry’s influence on public health. A critical aspect of the Region’s approach is addressing the commercial determinants of health, particularly the influence of the alcohol industry on public health policy.
This drinking pattern is responsible for the majority of alcohol-attributable breast cancers in women, with the highest burden observed in countries of the European Union (EU). If your pattern of drinking results in repeated significant distress and problems functioning in your daily life, you likely have alcohol use disorder. Binge drinking causes significant health and safety risks. The 2010 WHO Global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol and the 2022 WHO Global action plan are the most comprehensive international alcohol policy documents, endorsed by WHO Member States, that provides guidance on reducing the harmful use of alcohol at all levels. WHO works with Member States and partners to prevent and reduce the harmful use of alcohol as a public health priority.
A relatively high proportion of alcohol harm occurs early in the life course. The only thing that we can say for sure is that the more you drink, the more harmful it is – or, in other words, the less you drink, the safer it is,” explains Dr Carina Ferreira-Borges, acting Unit Lead for Noncommunicable Disease Management and Regional Advisor for Alcohol and Illicit Drugs in the WHO Regional Office for Europe. “We cannot talk about a so-called safe level of alcohol use. Alcohol is a toxic, psychoactive, and dependence-producing substance and has been classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer decades ago – this is the highest risk group, which also includes asbestos, radiation and tobacco. Early intervention can prevent alcohol-related problems in teens. Too much alcohol affects your speech, muscle coordination and vital centers of your brain.
Alcohol and well-being video
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The European framework for action on alcohol, 2022–2025, Alcohol During Pregnancy adopted by all 53 Member States, uses the latest evidence to address alcohol-related harms through comprehensive, evidence-based policies and collaborative efforts. Alcohol is a toxic, psychoactive substance linked to over 200 diseases and conditions, including 7 types of cancer. “So, when we talk about possible so-called safer levels of alcohol consumption or about its protective effects, we are ignoring the bigger picture of alcohol harm in our Region and the world. Disadvantaged and vulnerable populations have higher rates of alcohol-related death and hospitalization, as harms from a given amount and pattern of drinking are higher for poorer drinkers and their families than for richer drinkers in any given society.
What is considered 1 drink?
But as you continue to drink, you become drowsy and have less control over your actions. In some people, the initial reaction may feel like an increase in energy. Alcohol use may begin in the teens, but alcohol use disorder occurs more frequently in the 20s and 30s, though it can start at any age. This may result in craving alcohol to try to restore good feelings or reduce negative ones. Consider talking with someone who has had a problem with drinking but has stopped. Listen to relatives, friends or co-workers when they ask you to examine your drinking habits or to seek help.
Alcohol use disorder
- This regional workshop was planned to address the challenges of illicit tobacco trade and unrecorded alcohol consumption in the countries of the Region….
- Heavy drinking, including binge drinking, is a high-risk activity.
- Other ways to get help include talking with a mental health professional or seeking help from a support group such as Alcoholics Anonymous or a similar type of self-help group.
- In some situations, the risk of drinking any amount of alcohol is high.
Although it is well established that alcohol can cause cancer, this fact is still not widely known to the public in most countries. Despite this, the question of beneficial effects of alcohol has been a contentious issue in research for years. Alcohol causes at least seven types of cancer, including the most common cancer types, such as bowel cancer and female breast cancer.
Risks of moderate alcohol use
You might not recognize how much you drink or how many problems in your life are related to alcohol use. Because denial is common, you may feel like you don’t have a problem with drinking. This disorder also involves having to drink more to get the same effect or having withdrawal symptoms when you rapidly decrease or stop drinking. Tackling the harmful effects of alcohol locally in the city of Tarumã, Brazil
No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health
- In the past, moderate drinking was thought to be linked with a lower risk of dying from heart disease and possibly diabetes.
- More on alcohol
- If you’re concerned about someone who drinks too much, ask a professional experienced in alcohol treatment for advice on how to approach that person.
- The 2010 WHO Global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol and the 2022 WHO Global action plan are the most comprehensive international alcohol policy documents, endorsed by WHO Member States, that provides guidance on reducing the harmful use of alcohol at all levels.
- In 2019, the worldwide total consumption was equal to 5.5 litres of pure alcohol per person 15 years and older.
- Moderate alcohol use may not mean the same thing in research studies or among health agencies.
For men, heavy drinking means more than four drinks on any day or more than 14 drinks a week. For women, more than three drinks on any day or more than seven drinks a week is heavy drinking. Heavy drinking, including binge drinking, is a high-risk activity. For example, any amount of drinking increases the risk of breast cancer and colorectal cancer. It also causes harm to the well-being and health of people around the drinker.
WHO has identified that the most cost-effective actions to reduce the harmful use of alcohol include increasing taxes on alcoholic beverages, enforcing restrictions on exposure to alcohol advertising, and restrictions on the physical availability of retailed alcohol. Surrogate and illegally produced alcohols can bring an extra health risk from toxic contaminants. Alcohol as an immunosuppressant increases the risk of communicable diseases, including tuberculosis and HIV. In this context, it is easy to overlook or discount the health and social damage caused or contributed to by drinking. When it comes to alcohol, if you don’t drink, don’t start for health reasons. In the United States, people younger than age 21 are not legally able to drink alcohol.
Overall, harmful use of alcohol is responsible for 4.7% of the global burden of disease. Drinking moderately if you’re otherwise healthy may be a risk you’re willing to take. During pregnancy, drinking may cause the unborn baby to have brain damage and other problems. Heavy drinking also has been linked to intentional injuries, such as suicide, as well as accidental injury and death. That usually means four or more drinks within two hours for women and five or more drinks within two hours for men. As consumption goes up, the risk goes up for these cancers.
Globally, the WHO European Region has the highest alcohol consumption level and the highest proportion of drinkers in the population. In the EU, cancer is the leading cause of death – with a steadily increasing incidence rate – and the majority of all alcohol-attributable deaths are due to different types of cancers. However, latest available data indicate that half of all alcohol-attributable cancers in the WHO European Region are caused by “light” and “moderate” alcohol consumption – less than 1.5 litres of wine or less than 3.5 litres of beer or less than 450 millilitres of spirits per week.
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Drinking alcohol is a health risk regardless of the amount. There are 230 different types of diseases where alcohol has a significant role. The harmful use of alcohol results in the death of 2.6 million people annually.
Over 3 million annual deaths due to alcohol and drug use, majority among men Alcoholic beverages are classified as carcinogenic by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and increase the risk of several cancer types. Alcohol is the leading risk factor for premature mortality and disability among those aged 20 to 39 years, accounting for 13% of all deaths in this age group. Harmful use of alcohol is accountable for 6,9 % and 2.0% of the global burden of disease for males and females respectively.
If you already drink at low levels and continue to drink, risks for these issues appear to be low. It means on days when a person does drink, women do not have more than one drink and men do not have more than two drinks. Moderate alcohol use may not mean the same thing in research studies or among health agencies. Here’s a closer look at alcohol and health. While the risk is low for moderate intake, the risk goes up as the amount you drink goes up. Global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol