By Brian Gammarello, MA, LCADC, CCS, ICCS, Program Director, Recovery and Wellness Unit
Alcoholic drinks are not equal. The amount of liquor, the number of mixers, and the size of the glass or container all add up when factoring how much beer, spirits, or wine you are actually drinking. In addition, different types of beer, wine, malt liquor, or distilled spirits have varied amounts of alcohol content.
In countries around the world, the amount of alcohol in your beverage can also differ. In the United States, one “standard” drink contains roughly 14 grams of pure alcohol, which is found in:
- 12 ounces of regular beer (about 5% alcohol)
- 8 to 10 ounces of malt liquor or flavored malt beverage (about 7% alcohol, for example, hard seltzer or lemonade)
- 5 ounces of wine (12% alcohol)
- 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits (40% alcohol of whiskey, rum, brandy, gin, tequila)
How Much Alcohol is Safe to Drink Daily?
Moderate drinking is considered two drinks or shots a day for a man, and one drink or shot per day for a woman. Drinking alcohol while pregnant is off limits, as there has not been any medical research to prove that drinking any amount of alcohol is safe for a developing fetus.
What is Considered Excessive Drinking?
Physicians and addiction specialists agree that drinking alcohol excessively puts your health at risk for developing liver disease, cancer, stroke, and alcohol use disorder. More than four drinks a day for men and three drinks per day for women is considered excessive drinking. Binge-drinking is defined as consuming five drinks for men and four drinks for women within a two-hour period, according to the National Institutes of Health.
What is Alcohol Use Disorder?
When drinking alcohol controls your life negatively, you may have alcohol use disorder. A person with alcohol use disorder experiences an intense focus, an addiction, which can lead to significant impairment in daily functioning.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) of Mental Disorders – which healthcare providers use to accurately diagnose mental health and brain-related conditions – defines the criteria for alcohol use disorder as:
- Wanting to cut down or stop drinking more than once, or tried to but couldn’t
- Wanting a drink so badly they couldn’t think of anything else
- Continuing to drink even though it was causing trouble with family, friends, job
- Getting into situations more than once while drinking that increased their chances of getting hurt (driving, swimming, using machinery, having unsafe sex)
- Realizing that the usual number of drinks has much less effect than before
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms (restlessness, nausea, sweating, a racing heart, seizure)
What Should I Do if I Think I Have Alcohol Use Disorder?
Your primary care doctor or nurse practitioner can discuss professional assistance and community resources with you. If you are in crisis, call 911 or have someone take you to a hospital for emergency care. You can also call or text 988 for crisis help.
If you choose to enter a withdrawal management program (also known as detoxification), Valley Health System’s Recovery and Wellness Unit in Ridgewood offers comprehensive compassionate withdrawal management services for alcohol, opioid, and benzodiazepine use disorders. Withdrawal management helps individuals navigate the acute withdrawal phase of treatment, while also addressing any medical or psychological complications that may arise. Withdrawal management is an essential first step in the journey toward recovery from substance use or addiction.
If you are in crisis, text or call 988.
For more information, call 201-612-4949.