Did anybody see the Panaroma about binge drinking last night?

[Orangelight23]

Real eye opener for me. Women in their 30s being diagnosed with liver disease. I must admit I have myself been drawn into wine culture and drinking wine to relax.

It's made me have a real think about my alcohol intake to be honest.

I quit drinking and it’s honestly the best thing I have ever done for myself. I don’t miss it at all.

I haven’t watched it yet but I did warm my DDs about alcohol consumption when they went off to Uni. Showed them news stories about people in the 20’s being diagnosed with liver failure etc due to alcohol.

One got into drinking while working in a bar but has stopped now for her health. Luckily she is a strong character and can stand up to peer pressure.

I was employed in crematoria from 1992 until recently, so I would constantly see causes of death. When I started out, lung cancer was the big killer of "younger" people. It was truly shocking to see how this changed over the last 10-15 years to be alcohol related deaths.

That is so scary isn't. I have definitely sleep walked into bad habits when it comes to alcohol.

Ive seen loads of young people with liver disease in the hospital I work at. Alcohol is not good for you in any amount. It only takes two large glasses of wine a few times a week to do it.
I gave up drinking several years ago.

We are here for a good time, not a long time!
You could watch a documentary on just about anything and come to the conclusion it will kill you, there was a thread on here not long ago about wood burners being a scourge on society giving everyone in the vicinity lung cancer. Same with candles apparently.

We've had threads in s&b about powder foundation giving you cancer, some people apparently feel like they are dying if they get within ten feet of someone wearing perfume or going into a house with plug in air fresheners.
The fact we are alive means we are going to die at some point! I don't want to live avoiding anything I enjoy just to extend my life (or not) by a few years.
Obviously I don't drink myself to oblivion (very often) but I am definitely not giving it up!

Yeah I get that and I guess I do agree with a lot of it.

If I'm honest I can't see myself giving it up but I think I could definitely be a bit more aware of how much I am drinking and reducing my consumption.

It’s not even 2 large glasses several times per week. 2 large glasses is 6 units and, for a woman, is considered binge drinking. Even once a week this would have serious negative effects on your health.

I'm going to get that on catch up although I'm not sure I dare after the weekend I had.
Completely agree that it's so easy to get into the wine habit & hard to get out.

I wonder what percentage of 30-something 'social drinkers' this actually happens to though. About half the people I know drink to this extent, and none of them have had liver issues (yet). Even if it makes up a high proportion of younger adult deaths it must be relatively rare?

Yes it's crazy because if you offered me a vodka or beer or something just sat in the house I'd say oh no thanks, but a glass of red at the end of the day then absolutely. Then one turns into 2 and so on.

My friend died of liver disease this year. She was 56. I wouldn't have described her as a very heavy drinker.

I think that’s the key isn’t it. If I’d have carried on drinking in my 30s the way I did in my teens and 20s then I’m sure I’d be one of those being diagnosed in my 30s. I still drink more than I should (as ideally we should drink none!) but aim to stick within 14 units. I don’t want to cut it out completely as agree with the PP who says we’re here for a good time not a long time.

But I know that not everyone can moderate because it is so addictive. I constantly have to check in on myself to check I’m not on a slippery slope.

I’ll definitely drink too much over the festive period but will then use dry january as a reset and go back to moderating for the rest of the year.

I'm not sure why that should be particularly eye-opening though – a large glass is 250ml, so 2x large glasses of wine is more than half a bottle. If someone was going through that a few times a week – that's 2-3 bottles a week at least, which surely anyone knows is far too much, even without a Panorama bombshell.

And come here as a serious wine lover!

I think loads of people drink 2-3 bottles a week without a second thought. I'm not saying that's right but I think it's an easy habit to get into without considering the impact on your health.

I might give this a watch. There was a documentary about 20 years ago with Richard Hammond, where he did a sort of video diary of his drinking over a week. Then he had to speak to a doctor who was telling him of all the dangers etc and Hammond was very “but everyone I know drinks this amount so it can’t be that bad!” I can’t quite remember what his conclusions were, if any.

It’s on YouTube if anyone is interested.

Who is 'loads of people'? Students or people in early 20s? The only people I know who do this are known over-drinkers or functioning alcoholics.

Could not would!

I drink more than that regularly, I don't have any health issues

So do I

The pearl clutchers will be out soon

I definitely drink too much (according to government guidelines) happy to continue.

Mumsnet switched from a bottle of wine a night for all is the norm to everyone is an alcoholic in the last decade or so.

I find it funny.

My type of girl!

I'm terrified to watch the programme as I can imagine what's in it and I know it will scare me as I drink way too much. I know I need to cut back but I find it so difficult. Going to have to try harder though.

I'm sorry you lost your friend, but I would imagine you had no real idea how much she actually drank. People who drink too much can be very secretive about it.

Interestingly, 'only' between 10 - 25% of alcoholics develop liver cirrhosis which surprised me as I assumed it was inevitable in most if not all cases of those thar didnt quit.

Not that I'm trying to downplay as liver disease is only one negative effect of many due to drink.

I actually think students and people in their early 20s drink far less than me and my friends do (all in our late 30s / early 40s). I think we're the group most partial to a glass of wine or two in the evening and thinking nothing of it!

(Not saying it's ok - I hate it sometimes that I can't break the habit - just know that our generation is far worse than the younger generations!)