Experts warned today of a “hidden epidemic” of alcoholism among a demographic that would probably not be expected to be affected.
Middle-aged and retired people are drinking harmful levels of alcohol and are putting themselves at risk for a range of diseases, including cancer and depression, as a result.
The latest NHS figures show that 23 per cent of women aged 55 to 64 drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week, the amount known to dramatically increase the risk of cancer and the chances of developing dependency.
But many do not recognise they have a problem because their body has not yet become dependent on alcohol, which causes the telltale tremors, psychiatrist Dr Max Pemberton warned in the Daily Mail this week.
But experts have revealed a simple test that doctors use to detect a hidden, “functioning” alcoholic.
Doctors have been using the CAGE test (which stands for Cut, Annoyed, Guilty, and Eye, relative to each question) to identify alcoholism since the late 1980s.
The tool, called the CAGE test, involves asking the patient four key questions about their drinking habits.
The questionnaire, developed by American psychiatrist and addiction specialist Dr. John Ewing in 1984, is believed to be 76 to 93 percent accurate in identifying alcoholism, according to a 2014 review published in Occupational Medicine.
According to Dr. Pemberton, questions include:
Have you ever felt the need to cut down on your drinking? Have you ever been annoyed by people criticizing you for your drinking? Have you ever felt guilty about drinking? Do you need to drink first thing in the morning to calm your nerves or relieve a hangover?
“Answering yes to two or more of these questions means there could be a problem that can’t be explained simply as summer fun,” he said.
According to studies, people who consumed one or two drinks four or more times per week had a 20 percent higher risk of premature death, compared to those who drank only three times per week or less.
In an article published in today’s Daily Mail, Dr Pemberton said: “When I ask them about their alcohol consumption, they often don’t realise they have a problem because things haven’t got to the point where they are physically dependent on it, where the body becomes dependent on alcohol and the tremors come on if they don’t drink.”
Earlier this year, official figures revealed that alcohol deaths hit an all-time high in December 2022, rising to more than 10,000 and 32.8 percent higher than pre-pandemic levels.
By comparison, just under 6,800 alcohol-related deaths were recorded in total a decade ago.
While there were more alcohol-related deaths among men than women overall, the biggest jump was among women aged 50 to 54.
The number of Britons in this category who died from alcohol-related causes rose from 17.8 per 100,000 people to 26.3.
People who are concerned that they may have an alcohol problem should visit their GP, who will be able to carry out an assessment and refer them to specialist clinics for advice and help with withdrawal.
Withdrawal symptoms, which include anxiety, tremors, vomiting and a rapid heart rate, usually disappear within a week, according to the NHS.