How Excessive Drinking Impacts Your Health

Some service members and civilians describe "self-medicating" with alcohol as a way to feel better. Some may use it to cope with stress or may think it is helpful for unwinding after a long day. Either way, alcohol can become harmful when overused.

When alcohol use becomes alcohol misuse, it can negatively impact many areas of your life, including your finances, relationships, and physical health and psychological well being. And it may affect your work performance and mission readiness. This puts your fellow service members at risk and can have major consequences on your military career. Learn what is considered excessive drinking, how it impacts your health and resources for changing unhealthy drinking habits.

How Much Is Too Much?

It might not be clear what counts as excessive drinking. Excessive alcohol use includes heavy drinking and binge drinking. The more alcohol you consume, the more you increase your risk for developing short-term and long-term health concerns.

If you choose to drink alcohol, it should be consumed in moderation. Use the following information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a guide:

Men

  • Moderate Drinking: Up to two drinks per day
  • Heavy Drinking: More than four drinks per day or 15 drinks or more per week
  • Binge Drinking: Five drinks or more over a two or three-hour period

Women

  • Moderate Drinking: Up to one drink per day
  • Heavy Drinking: More than three drinks per day or eight drinks or more per week
  • Binge Drinking: Four drinks or more over a two or three-hour period

Another important factor to keep in mind is what counts as a "standard" drink. Check out the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism's cocktail content calculator tool to see how much alcohol is really in your favorite drink. For example, a single gin and tonic contains around 1.6 standard drinks. Understanding your drinking habits can help you make healthier choices moving forward.

Consequences of Excessive Drinking

Excessive alcohol use can have serious physical and psychological consequences. It can also hurt your relationships, impair decision-making, and cause you to put yourself or others in danger. Since alcohol reduces your inhibitions, excessive use can increase the risk of injuries, accidents, and risky sexual behaviors.

Chronic excessive drinking can lead to physical and psychological health concerns such as:

  • Anxiety
  • Cancer
  • Depression
  • Digestive problems
  • Liver disease
  • Heart disease
  • High blood pressure
  • Sleep problems

Continued excessive drinking can put you at risk for alcohol use disorder. Some symptoms of alcohol use disorder include:

  • Drinking more or longer than intended
  • Trying to cut down or stop, but unable to either cut down or stop consuming alcohol
  • Having a strong urge or need to drink
  • Giving up or reducing important activities because of alcohol use
  • Having withdrawal symptoms (e.g., trouble sleeping, shakiness and nausea) on discontinuing or not drinking alcohol

Consider A Change

Talk with your peers, family, or a provider if you have questions or concerns about your drinking. You can also reach out to resources such as Military OneSource on responsible drinking and options for quitting.

Reaching out for help can keep you mission ready. Call the Psychological Health Resource Center at 866-966-1020 or use the Live Chat. You can speak confidentially 24/7 with a trained health resource consultant for help accessing care.

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UPDATED September 2025