WHEN we think of alcoholics, it tends to bring to mind images of people slumped by a wall with a bottle in a brown paper bag. And heavy drinking might conjure up images of hooligans brawling the street, Carling can in hand, football shirt in the other. But there is another group that has a serious problem with alcohol, a problem that may well shorten their life: middle-aged women.
Latest NHS figures show that 23 per cent of women aged 55-64 drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week - which is equivalent to around six medium-sized glasses of wine. This is the amount known to increase cancer risk dramatically, and chances of getting addicted. But many fail to recognise they have a problem because their body hasn't yet become reliant on alcohol, causing the telltale shakes.
Read more on alcoholism Doctors often use a simple test to help spot a 'functioning' alcoholic , which is someone who's dependent on alcohol but is still able to function relatively effectively in their daily life. It's called the CAGE test and involves asking the patient four key questions about their drinking habits. The test, developed by US psychiatrist Dr John Ewing in 1984, is thought to be up to 93 per cent accurate for identifying an alcohol addiction, The questions are as follows: Most read in Health 1.
Have you felt the need to C ut down on your drinking? 2. Do you feel A nnoyed by people complaining about your drinking? 3. Do you ever feel G uilty about your drinking? 4.
Do you ever drink an E ye-.
