According to recently published data ((March 2022)) from the Australian Bureau of Statistics ((ABS)), one in four people aged 18 years and over, exceeded the alcohol consumption guideline of ten standard drinks per week in 2020-21.
But at what point does drinking become a problem? And how can you tell if a loved one suffers from alcoholism, which is a chronic disease?
Helen Gillies is the CEO at Al-Anon Family Groups Australia, a network that supports families and friends of alcoholics.
Ms Gillies says mood swings and behavioural changes are some of the signs that someone may have developed alcohol dependence.
Eleanor Costello is the Evidence Manager at the Alcohol and Drug Foundation, a government-funded oganisation that aims to minimise the harm caused by alcohol and other drugs.
She says low energy and little appetite may be other physical signs.
"You might notice their energy levels are different and they don't engage the same way. Engagement in things like work or school that may have been really important before, might change, work might not be going so well. They might be calling sick on Mondays."
Seeing a loved one change due to excessive alcohol consumption can be extremely painful and confusing.
Ms Costello explains that drinking excessively, for a prolonged period, can alter the brain’s chemistry, and hamper its development in young people.
Data shows that people from migrant backgrounds in Australia are more likely to abstain from alcohol or drink less.
Over half of people who mainly spoke a language other than English were abstainers or ex-drinkers, compared with 19.2% of primary English speakers.
Help is available in several languages on the Alcohol and Drug Foundation website.
For help call or click on the links below:
