Is my drinking a problem?
If you are worried about your drinking, there is usually a reason. Look at what is happening when you drink, what has changed, and whether alcohol is starting to affect the rest of your life.
How much are you drinking? How much, how often, and whether drinking has become part of your normal routine.
People often underestimate how much alcohol they drink because home measures are larger than standard measures, drinks are topped up, or several days merge into a weekly total.
How often you drink matters too. Drinking every day, regularly drinking more than you intended, or needing alcohol to relax or sleep can all be signs that alcohol is taking a bigger place in your life.
Read about alcohol, units and what it does to you →Signs alcohol is becoming a problem The signs often show up in what happens before, during and after you drink.
Drinking more than you intended.
Finding it difficult to stop once you have started.
Blackouts or gaps in your memory.
Hiding alcohol or lying about how much you drink.
Drinking alone or earlier in the day than you used to.
Arguments, missed work, money problems or risky behaviour connected to drinking.
Needing more alcohol to get the same effect.
Trying to change your drinking and finding you cannot keep to it.
If several of these sound familiar, you do not have to wait until things get worse before asking for help.
Drinkline Scotland — 0800 7314 314 (free and confidential) Call Alcoholics Anonymous — free helpline 0800 9177 650 ↗ Find alcohol help and local services in Scotland ↗Could you be dependent on alcohol? Dependence changes what is safe to do next.
Dependence can mean needing alcohol to feel normal, drinking in the morning, strong cravings, or getting symptoms such as shaking, sweating, nausea or severe anxiety when alcohol wears off.
If any of that sounds familiar, do not suddenly stop drinking without medical advice.
Contact your GP practice or a local alcohol service and tell them you are worried you may be dependent. They can assess your withdrawal risk and help you decide what is safe.
Read about alcohol dependence → Find local alcohol and drug services in Scotland ↗What has changed? Health, relationships, work, money and behaviour can all show that alcohol is causing problems.
Health: sleep, injuries, mood, memory, weight or feeling generally worse.
Relationships: arguments, secrecy, broken promises or worry.
Work and money: absence, poor concentration, overspending or debt.
Behaviour: taking risks or repeatedly doing things you regret.
What happens now? If alcohol is already worrying you or causing problems, there are clear next steps.
What you do next depends on how you are drinking and whether you may be dependent. If dependence is possible, stopping suddenly can be dangerous.
You can start with your GP, Drinkline Scotland or a local alcohol service. If you want to talk to people who have stopped drinking themselves, Alcoholics Anonymous can put you in touch with someone locally and has meetings across Scotland.
Read about stopping drinking → Drinkline Scotland — 0800 7314 314 Call Find an AA meeting near you ↗Stopping safely If you may be dependent, do not suddenly stop drinking without medical advice.
Alcohol withdrawal can be dangerous. Shaking, sweating, nausea, severe anxiety, hallucinations or seizures after reducing alcohol need medical attention.
If you are dependent and experiencing withdrawal, contact your GP practice. If it is urgent and your GP is closed, phone NHS 24 on 111. If you have a seizure, severe confusion, hallucinations, collapse or another life-threatening emergency, phone 999 or go to A&E.
Read about withdrawal → NHS 24 — phone 111 for urgent care when it is not life-threatening Call