
When a doctor asks how much you drink, they’ll nod at whatever answer you give them.
And then they’ll double it.
It’s called the “alcohol multiplier”, and decades of research suggests that the average patient will downplay their alcohol consumption, either because they genuinely don’t keep track, or for fear of judgement from their GP.
I wonder, though, if we tell each other the truth.
When a friend remarks that she had too much to drink on Friday night, did she have three glasses or 14?
When another says she has a drink with dinner, is that one standard unit, or closer to a full bottle?
What is a ‘normal’ amount of alcohol consumption, and what happens when what’s ‘normal’ also look a lot like a problem with alcohol?
I spoke to eight millennial women about their alcohol habits, and here’s what I discovered.
Your body after one year without alcohol. Post continues.
Harriet, 25
“I have upwards of five drinks a night. Based on that, I’d say I easily drink somewhere around 40 standard drinks a week. I do worry about how much I drink… especially right now.”