One in three of us is a high-risk drinker – These surprising signs will reveal if you’re one of them – 2024-04-29 07:14:49

Finns drink alcohol less often to get drunk, but they drink alcohol more regularly.

Director of substance abuse services in Mehiläinen Kaarlo Simojoki according to more than 30 percent of the adult population are high-risk alcohol users.

According to Simojoki, the reasons for drinking are often intertwined with the pressures of working life. According to the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health’s Miten Suomi voi follow-up study, approximately one in four employed people is at risk of increased or probable burnout.

– About 600,000 Finns are at risk of burnout, Simojoki states.

The limits of risk when using alcohol are reached especially sensitively if a person needs a quick relief from their busy everyday life. Alcohol can make you feel relaxed for a while after a hectic day, but at the same time alcohol reduces the quality of sleep the next night.

When you’re exhausted, it can be tempting to grab a glass.

The amount of your own alcohol consumption can surprise you. Adobe Stock / AOP

Sex and food

Based on the data collected by Mehiläinen, it seems that insomnia and burnout are on the rise in Finland.

– Life can seem to be all about doing, Simojoki describes.

The most burnout symptoms are in 30-40 year olds, while according to this data, insomnia is the biggest problem in 40-50 year olds. According to Simojoki, mental health disorders are also often related to alcohol use.

Not all effects of alcohol are necessarily thought of. Alcohol can, for example, increase erectile dysfunction.

– Alcohol is a poison for sexuality, Simojoki states.

According to him, there is a clear connection between stress-related weight problems and alcohol use. When stressed, consuming alcohol can often be accompanied by eating treats.

“There is no problem”

Simojoki suspects that in health care, the actual amount of a patient’s alcohol consumption may still be lacking the necessary attention.

The doctor does not always ask the patient enough questions about alcohol use, and the patient himself may have a relatively rosy perception of his own alcohol use.

– How many times have I heard the phrase from a patient that I don’t have a problem because I don’t drink spirits!

According to Simojoki, alcohol consumption among working-age people is a growing, serious challenge.

– For example, the most common cause of death for women aged 45–64 are alcohol-related diseases and alcohol-related poisoning, Simojoki states.

In the video at the beginning of the story, Simojoki explains the signs that tell you that alcohol consumption is at the risk limit.