Is drinking a bottle of wine four nights a week a problem?

Yes and yes

It's not a problem as yet, but it could be a problem if you can't stay dry for a week. I had to decide to cut down gradually and I can go 5 days without alcohol. I decided to do it because I was worried and glad I did x

I come from a background of alcoholics and I'm sure I was heading that way myself at one point. I would say anyone who says they drink to relax has an unhealthy idea about alcohol.

To me the quantity doesn't matter, it's the mindset around the drinking.

An ex used to have a beer a night "to relax", and it made subtle but uncomfortable changes to his behaviour.

In the end I took an "if you can't beat them, join them" approach which was also stupidly unhealthy but I genuinely thought I was the problem and how bad could it be.

My mum will drink a large amount any night she isn't working the next day and whenever she talks about work she will say how hard and stressful it's been, and use being stressed as a justification for buying whatever booze she's fancying that day, and is a massive grouch if she doesn't get it.

I think alcohol can be great at celebrations, or even ceremonies and festivals whether it's a big wedding, christmas, a toast at someone's birthday, a summer bbq, but I don't think it's good for it to be part of someone's weekly or daily shop to be quite honest.

It doesn't sound as though you're dependent (yet), but you're greatly increasing your risk for developing cancer.

I would definitely say you have a problem

It’s a lot. Can you cut down to one or two glasses a time instead? If you can’t do that then yes, you have a problem.

I drink 2.5 - 3 bottles of wine over a week. I do often worry about it but enjoy wine very much. I could easily stop and have before, but it’s hard to figure out how to manage pleasure vs dependency! I totally get it. Also very high functioning, kids and an intense job.

could you aim to halve it?

I would strongly recommend you cut back and get help if you find it hard.

4 bottles is 3 litres of wine, at 12.5% volume that would be close to 300g per week of pure ethanol. That sharply increases your risk of severe liver disease (about 3x vs people who drink within the recommended range IF your baseline health is otherwise OK). Liver disease is relatively common in the general population so an 3x increased risk is worth worrying about. You are also increasing your risk of cancer and shortening your life.

For me, volume doesn’t equate to dependency. Yes that volume is physically bad for you. But if op can happily take it or leave it then she isn’t an alcoholic. It’s really unhelpful to throw labels like that about willy nilly.

Sometimes people struggle to give up the things they enjoy even if they know it’s not great for their health. Crisps is another one of my many vices. It doesn’t make them addicted.

Keeping busy with something else is a good way to pass the time when you’d usually be drinking. Once the ‘wine hour’ has passed I’m not really bothered anymore. It can be habitual.

Yes, it's a problem. Far too much.

Yes, that is a reliance. Ask yourself why you need to have a bottle of wine the majority of the week. X

Yes it's a problem.

Add to that your massively increased cancer risk. 52% breast cancer risk increase according to a recent study.

You misunderstand. He wasn’t drunk on duty, at least not as far as I’m aware. The reference to “before breath alcohol analysers” was to point out the irony that he was going to take blood from people who were drink driving, for evidential purposes. Not that he was driving drunk himself, I don’t think he was. I suppose I could be wrong about that.

My reason for telling the story is to point out that “functioning” does not mean someone doesn’t have a problem with excess drinking.

My father’s drinking wrecked his health - he died 20 years younger than either of his parents.

Does it matter? It’s too much whether male or female. The 14 unit maximum applies to men too

I think I voted the wrong way but yes I think you have an alcohol problem.

alcohol is poison

@Dersnannienow I think it depends.

Are you thinking about alcohol when you’re not drinking it? Can’t wait to get home to get it opened? On the 3 nights you don’t drink is that because you feel you should have a break and are feeling hung-over from 4 nights of binging but by night 4 you think you’ve done quite well so you can now open a bottle? And the cycle repeats?

If the above is happening, then yes, you do have a problem.

If however, you never think about alcohol other than when you’re drinking it and can go without then no, you don’t have a problem.

This summer I saw my drinking of wine massively increase. I really enjoy a nice bottle. I have started my sommelier training. It isn't a passing fancy, I love wine and it's history.

I've been off work with a newly diagnosed lifelong disease causing issues. Been having family issues.

It was 'usually' 1 or 2 bottles every other night, I'd be in long distance video call with my best mate and it felt okay because of that. I scared myself when I drank 3 bottles over the course of around 16 hours, 2 of which were on call to my friend.

I have now cut down massively. I could. I didn't struggle with it, but I absolutely would have done had I gone on any longer.

I now drink none alcoholic prosecco (the good stuff is expensive) and 5% moscato. One of each one night a week and buy one really nice bottle of wine a week to truly enjoy. I wasn't enjoying the wine after the first bottle, I was drinking because it was there. I didn't necessarily want it.

I've also started drinking those trip drinks, which is driving me mad, because they feel so expensive because they are just cans 😆 but they are cheaper than the wine I was drinking! I put frozen berries and orange slices in a nice glass with lots of ice.

For your health and longevity, find a way to cut down before you're me waking up on the sofa, no memory of the night before, 3 bottles empty and not even remembering opening the 3rd.

Sending you love.

If you are drinking wine to relax multiple times a week, it’s a problem. Alcohol uktimately is a mind altering drug. People don’t like saying or hearing that but it’s true. Alcohol is doing a few things in your brain that give the illusion of relaxation. When alcohol hits your brain it is effectively slowing your brain activity down, basically sedating you, a bit like Valium does. At the same time it’s releasing dopamine, which makes you feel good (and leaves you wanting another dopamine hit).

alcohol is also quieting down the bit of your brain that regulates anxiety. So it is basically quietening worries. But it isn’t resolving anything! And long term it is raising cortisol levels which heightens stress.

wine / alcohol isn’t seen the same way as other drugs because it’s legal and socially accepted. But try saying ‘I take cocaine four times a week to make me feel better’ or ‘I drop lsd four times a week to feel good’…. It’s a problem. Obviously it’s a problem.

this used to be me, basically, I also thought it wasn’t a problem. Coming up four years sober at the end of the year, best decision ever.

That’s a huge amount!!! Go cold turkey for a week. If you can’t do it you have a problem. And if you do it successfully, hopefully you’ll realise how amazing your body feels not having all that alcohol inside you.

It also increases the risk of breast cancer in woman one of the reasons I quit it I saw a poster in the GP surgery I didn't really drink that much but it's just not worth it !

I think it is a problem.

4 bottles a week is a lot.

This will end up taking a toll on your body.

Question though - do you want to drink less OP?
X

Re your middle paragraph - one of the features ( in fact, part of the definition) of substance use disorder is continuing heavy use despite negative consequences, and the inability to cut down or stop despite trying.

I identify as a compulsive overeater and believe it to be a form of addiction. I knew that industrial quantities of crisps and chocolate were damaging my health, my self-esteem and much else. But I could not stop. Or, to be more accurate, I could not moderate my intake and consume an amount which would not have been harmful. I had to take the abstinence route, with a lot of help.

Life is better on the other side. Instead of thinking about what I’ve lost in terms of joining in when everyone else is having cake, I think about what I’ve gained in quality of life.

The acid test for anyone considering whether their consumption of any particular substance is problematic is to try and do without it and see what happens. The harder they find it, the stronger the liklihood they are in fact addicted. Also be aware of the phenomenon of addiction transfer….. the alcoholic who stops drinking, but eats too many donuts, or when they stop the donuts, they increase their consumption of caffeine.

Oh dear @dogsaremybusiness
oh dear