How much alcohol is it okay to drink in a day?

That's why I clearly noted that I was playing devil's advocate. You didn't answer my question though.

No, but the thing being preferred does. Remember, you started a thread because you doubted whether your behaviour was normal or healthy. If you were completely comfortable with it, the thread wouldn't have been necessary.

If they ate cookies 4 times a day and were thinking of the health implications of doing it for 10 years, yes, absolutely I would.

I have about 3 or 4 drinks a day (probably about 30 units across a week) which I don't think is that many but apparently the recommended maximum is 14 units a week. There's no risk to my health from drinking the extent I do is there?

I'm 20, female, and a uni student so surely I'm only drinking the same amount as an average person my age, it's just that I drink alone across the week instead of going out and getting drunk/having all my weekly alcohol in one go on a Saturday night. I will usually have about half a bottle of wine or a few gin/vodka and tonics in the evening before I go to bed but I never really go out clubbing or get properly drunk.

Being concerned about the health implications of something doesn’t mean I’m addicted to it though, I could and probably will reduce my drinking at some point in the future to avoid the health concerns

That amount of alcohol is not insignificant and could affect your both short & long term health although it’s far from uncommon. In my experience it is certainly normal for students to binge drink 2-3 times per week but drinking 7 days a week is actually pretty uncommon.

Quite a lot of qualifiers there.

Given that nearly everyone in this thread has expressed some concern about what you've said, I hope you'll take that on board even thought it wasn't what you were hoping to hear.

At this point it would probably be worse for my health to give up or reduce drinking because it helps me manage anxiety/panic attacks and the general stress of uni and it gives me a reward for getting through each day.

I do accept that it’s not sustainable super long term though and will probably reduce my drinking after uni

you have a clear problem and are failing to self medicate your anxiety

please speak to your GP

OP your drinking may pose a problem

try this AUDIT self assessment tool

https://auditscreen.org/check-your-drinking/

I don’t think my anxiety is bad enough that a doctor would do anything, especially as I don’t have any serious trauma or anything

At this point it would probably be worse for my health to give up or reduce drinking because it helps me manage anxiety/panic attacks and the general stress of uni and it gives me a reward for getting through each day.

I do accept that it’s not sustainable super long term though and will probably reduce my drinking after uni

You anxiety is severe enough for you to be self-medicating with large quantities of alcohol every day...

I don’t think my anxiety is bad enough that a doctor would do anything, especially as I don’t have any serious trauma or anything

You anxiety is severe enough for you to be self-medicating with large quantities of alcohol every day...

But now we're moving the goalposts from "I hope people reassure me that this is safe/normal" to "well, regardless if there is a consensus in the replies, it wouldn't be safe for me to change my behaviour at the moment anyway".

NB. Why after uni? You're described drinking alone at home, what's going to change about your anxiety post-graduation? As someone that got through uni fine, but suffered anxiety and panic attacks at work, I certainly found the work envornment a lot more stressful!



Exactly, it cant be simultaneously be so bad that it requires multiple drinks a day whilst alone, but so mild that a GP wouldn't want to take any action.

I would feel silly going to a doctor and saying that I have anxiety and panic attacks even though I haven't been through trauma and have quite a privileged life

Sometimes it is difficult to tell if someone is being obtuse or trolling. I'll bow out now but for anyone else in a similar position:

Drink Aware - An independent charity which aims to reduce alcohol-related harm by helping people make better choices about their drinking. Impartial, evidence-based information, advice and practical resources.

Mind - Guidance page on recreational drugs, alcohol and addiction incuding useful contacts

NHS - Alcohol Support

Sometimes it is difficult to tell if someone is being obtuse or trolling. I'll bow out now but for anyone else in a similar position:

Drink Aware - An independent charity which aims to reduce alcohol-related harm by helping people make better choices about their drinking. Impartial, evidence-based information, advice and practical resources.

Mind - Guidance page on recreational drugs, alcohol and addiction incuding useful contacts

NHS - Alcohol Support

wow. it doesn't screw up your sleep? i found if i have 1-2 "units" a night i wake up in the middle of the night hot as a furnace.

Not trolling or being obtuse, obviously I know it’s bad for my health but I can’t face taking away the one thing I look forward to at the minute, which is why I said I’ll think about quitting in a few years.
Thanks for the replies though 🤷🏻*♀️🤷🏻*♀️