Is three bottles of wine a week too much?

[PinkOrchidDream]

My husband, not me. Since I've been pregnant, so abstaining from drink altogether, I've been more aware of his drinking. It's by no means a problem judging by his behaviour but I just wondered if this is (obviously a bit unhealthy) but normal for some. It's spread out over the week so he doesn't binge at weekends.

I like a drink but I’d say that’s a bit too much, in my opinion.

I confine my drinking to one day per week, usually Friday or Saturday. It means it’s a treat and I drink less overall.

Thats a shame you felt [quitting] wine was to avoid killing yourself, you must have consumed a lot , glad you have sorted that out for yourself

I didn't do it myself. I went to outpatient rehab and did SMART recovery.

What I should stress is I didn't drink excessively compared to my peers for many years.

Then I just kept a list of people in my head that drank the same or more than me to continually reassure myself I was "normal".
The list got shorter - but didn't vanish completely. I didn't have a catastrophic "rock bottom" either.

I've learned so much in recovery but the main thing is how desperately we as a society need to normalise talking about all stages of alcohol dependency (from "god I could do with a drink!" all the way to vodka on Cornflakes, and early intervention

Alcohol dependency is SO ridiculously stigmatized its a highly addictive neurotoxin. Looking back, it's astonishing how seriously I would take a doctor's label on some tablets saying "May cause dependence" but it never crossed my mind with alcohol!

OP, this post isn't about your DP btw, I was just making a point to the poster I'm replying to.

I was drinking that much during homeschooling lockdown. Half a bottle of wine is a nice pleasant buzz without many after effects for me; I appreciate everyone is different.

Cutting down on calories so now I limit myself to one bottle a week normally drunk over the weekend. I'd suggest he limits himself to weekends if you're concerned.

it's around 30 units of alcohol. so around twice the recommended units (UK).

• but it's also a couple of glasses a night, so maybe not that much assuming not binge drinking in a single night). I guess it's a personal decision, and worth considering is is a 'must have' or 'nice to have'?

Given that I have two glasses a week and am tipsy after 1.5, it sounds like a lot to me but I think it's probably all relative

@Coldwine75

No it doesnt make it more likely , i know of people dying from cancers who didnt drink at all and ate healthily all their lives, my Grandad included.

THAT WAS LITERALLY MY POINT. It’s about RISK. Yes you might know people who have driven without a seatbelt on their whole life and been fine. It doesn’t mean it’s sensible.

I don't think it is massively excessive but getting close to. Years ago in my 30's and early 40's I was knocking back a bottle a night and more at weekends - it was the norm for my social circle. I've moderated considerably to a bottle a week and a couple of beers and non alcoholic ones. I've not suffered any health problems from my earlier excesses but I was putting myself at risk.

My GP gave me a telling off when I told her I ocassionally drink two small glasses of wine in one night - she said that was "dangerous drinking"!!

It’s too much for long term health. I think we drink that between us and I think that’s too much for long term health.

These threads all go the same way.

The Pact was particularly ridiculous for wine consumption. Practically every bloody shot had wine in it.
Oh and Innocent, another one where they were constantly slurping.

This whole wine thing is everywhere.

I know people who drink 3 bottles a night, never mind per week.

Sounds like a lot to me. Does he drink every day? I don't drink much at all so don't know if it's 'normal' but I don't know anyone who drinks every night unless they have a problem.

It does sound like quite a lot to me but it’s all very subjective isn’t it? Like others have said, how does he handle it and can he stop?

My dp drinks (what I consider to be) too much and like you I only really realised when I stopped drinking due to pregnancy.
We did dry January together this year and he said ‘I honestly don’t think I’ll go back to how I was before, I just don’t need it’ yet by March we were back to square 1.

I think a lot of it is habitual rather than dependency but that doesn’t make it an easy nut to crack and I am much more worried about it than he is.

I’m trying not to nag him and go on about it but I worry about him and want him to change. Sorry this isn’t more help, I just wanted to say that you’re not alone as our situations sound quite similar!

I found I was drinking up to three bottles a week - it happened without me really realising. I felt rubbish most of the time. Have now cut back to 1 maybe 2 bottles a week and really don't want to go back to that level. I think it's too much.

@TheKeatingFive

Alcohol is cancerous

Lots of things are. People don’t tend to get so worked up about them, funny enough.

severe affects on the heart and liver

In these quantities ‘severe’ is seriously overstating it. But equally, lots of things do also. Significant numbers of people eat terrible diets putting far more pressure on their hearts than the quantities of wine being discussed on here.

But I'm not advocating bad diets am I, so I'm not sure what your point is.

People get very defensive about alcohol, says more about them than me.

@Coldwine75

Keating 5 i agree, obesity , smoking , even stress have a lot more damaging effects than a few bottles of wine a week. 2-3 bottles a week is not that bad at all. I wish people would just open their minds a bit more. Cancer is caused by many things, and many unknowns !!

You're deluded

@Mrbob

And coldwine I think the fact you are so defensive makes me think that you possibly know you are drinking too much

Yes this. The lady doth protest too much

@TheKeatingFive

Well I know of at least two people dying of liver failure in their 50s who didn’t drink at all, so it’s not a straightforward causal relationship by any means.

You're trying to deny that alcohol isn't a causal factor in liver failure now?!

@Coldwine75

It worries me that so many are oblivious to the dangers of smoking , and being overweight

No one is oblivious to those dangers

@Cowbells

I think it's a lot but it's pretty much what DH drinks per week. But he is 6'1 and well built. And he does Dry Jan without effort, so he's not actually dependent on it.

Classic! Bingo!

It depends how much he cares about being in optimal health I guess. I can't see how someone could be in their best health drinking 3 bottles of wine a week.

He will definitely have some effects on his body from regularly drinking that amount of alcohol over a prolonged period.

Lots of people will probably say it's normal, but lots of people drink too much really.

It is 9 large glasses a week. Over the guidelines I think. But not too much at all for a man in my view.

One bottle a week is more than enough for anyone.
I really don't get a pp's arguement that 2 glasses a night is better than binge drinking all 3 bottles in one night. You're consuming the same ammount of alcohol, regardless if its on one night or spread over the week. Drinking a glass every single night is not healthy, its excessive.

@notanothertakeaway

I probably drink 3 bottles per week. It is too much. I found a questionnaire online where you post your weekly consumption, and was surprised to see that it's more than 92% of the population drink

That surprises me. I'd expect that to be more than most people drink, so more than 50% of people, but I'm actually surprised that it's more than 92%. Maybe it's just that all my friends are utter pissheads?

@Coldwine75

Has anyone else noticed, every drama on tv now people are always drinking wine , with meals, in the evening , its normal life now!

I was thinking this yesterday. It's really annoying because quite often I haven't thought about drinking then I see someone drinking on TV and I want a glass!

They all seem to come home from work and pour one too