And how to get back on track

So what can you do if you are worried your drinking is getting out of control? The trouble with drinking more is your tolerance goes up, meaning you can drink greater quantities without feeling its effects or getting that pleasant buzz.

“People tend to think of alcohol dependency as black or white and presume they know what it looks like,” says dr nick Sheron, a liver specialist from Southampton University. “But everybody who is drinking on a regular basis, reasonably heavily, will have a degree of alcohol dependence.

“For most people, you can ‘reset’ your whole system by having an alcohol-free period. and people feel better for it. I can tell as soon as they walk through the door by their facial appearance. The difference is dramatic.”