COPING WITH...Drinking too much

Even with a dry January, alcohol poses health risks all year round, says Dr Melanie Wynne-Jones

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Alcohol in moderation can be enjoyable and sociable, but too much can damage our health and relationships, or lead to accidents, violence (in and outside the home) and have other serious consequences. Even if you don’t drink much yourself, someone you know or love could be overdoing it.

Latest statistics suggest that a third of men and a sixth of women – especially people in late middle-age – may be drinking at harmful levels. Alcohol is linked to over a million hospital admissions a year in England alone, with over 5,500 deaths being attributed to disease caused by drinking excessive amounts of alcohol.

How alcohol affects our health

The outward signs (a red, puffy face, weight gain, feeling excessively lethargic, muscle aches, shakiness, palpitations, insomnia and hangovers) can take time to develop.