Irish men's pattern of drinking
Hazardous drinking can increase the risk of alcohol-related harms for the drinker – specifically the likelihood of poisoning, accidents, or falls – as well as alcohol-related conditions such as cancer and heart disease.
Irish men have very high levels of alcohol consumption and also a consistent pattern of binge drinking, defined as drinking at least six standard drinks on one drinking occasion, which is especially dangerous to health and wellbeing.
- Alcohol is the world’s leading risk factor for death among males aged 15-59, according to the WHO.
- One in four deaths of males aged 15-39 in Ireland is due to alcohol.
For further information on the health risks associated with alcohol, click here
Irish men's alcohol consumption
The lower-risk weekly recommended guideline for alcohol consumption for men is no more than 17 standard drinks a week, spread out over the course of a week, with at least two to three alcohol-free days.
The Health Research Board’s Alcohol Overview Series 13 (2024) states that:
- More than one-half (51.1%) of all drinkers were classified as hazardous drinkers; this was more common among males (65.7%) than females (34.2%), particularly younger males.
- Males were more likely to binge drink on a typical drinking occasion (37%) compared with females (12%), and this difference is reflected across all age groups.
- Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) was more common among male drinkers (24.8%) than female drinkers (15.1%). 37% of males aged 15-24 and 37.1% of males aged 25-34 were classified as having AUD.
The Health Research Board’s Alcohol Overview Series 11 (2021) states that:
- Almost one in four men (22.8%) consumed their weekly lower-risk limit (17 standard drinks) or more in a single sitting on their heaviest drinking occasion in the past year. This was highest in the 25-34 age group (33.4%), followed closely by the 15-24 age group (32.2%).
- Almost four in five (78.1%) 25–34-year-old males met the criteria for hazardous drinking.
Boost your health with the help of Alcohol Action Ireland’s information leaflet Men & Alcohol: Making the Drink Link , which includes key facts that are good to know and lists some handy tips to help cut down your alcohol intake.
Alcohol and cancer in men
- Between 2001 and 2010, 6.7% of male cancer deaths in Ireland were attributable to alcohol – that’s 2,823 men.
- Among Irish men, the majority (63.6%) of alcohol-related cancer deaths were in the upper-aero digestive tract (e.g. mouth and throat cancer).
- In Ireland the proportion of alcohol related deaths from cancer for men is higher than the European average, at 20.7% for Irish men (versus 17% in Europe).
For more on alcohol and cancer, click here
Alcohol and suicide
The link between alcohol and suicide has been well established. Alcohol is a factor in more than half of completed suicides in Ireland and four times more men than women die by suicide.
The All-Ireland Young Men & Suicide Project Report, found that “alcohol and substance misuse tend to be higher in young men and are associated with increased suicide risk”, while impulsive behaviour associated with alcohol use was also highlighted as one of the main risk factors for suicide among young men.
Dr Bobby Smyth, a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist and AAI vice-chair, described the typical sequence of events in a suicide where alcohol is a factor: “The majority of young men who take their own lives are intoxicated at the time.
“While we may choose to believe that people take alcohol in order to complete the act of suicide this is rarely the case.
“The typical sequence of events goes as follows: you are in bad form for whatever reason, often to do with relationships. You decide to have a few drinks to help you forget about it, as our culture encourages you to do. It doesn’t work. You think about it even more. You do or say something, perhaps in an effort to sort out the relationship problem; but you are drunk, so it doesn’t work out so well. You feel worse. You decide to drink some more.
“As you get more drunk the future is foreshortened. You are impulsive and have greater difficulty thinking of solutions. Life seems suddenly impossible and unbearable. Suicide begins to look like a solution and in your disinhibited, disorientated state you act on it.”
- You can read Dr Smyth’s piece on alcohol and mental health, from which the above extract is taken, in full here.
For more on alcohol and mental health, click here
Reducing the risks from alcohol
Men are advised to drink no more than 17 standard drinks a week. It is also important to have at least two days a week free from alcohol.
The low-risk guidelines apply to healthy, adult men in the 18-65 age range. They do not apply to all men. If you are a younger or older man, you will need to drink less.
Keeping an eye on your drinking is important if you want to keep health risks to a minimum. You don’t need to have a drink problem to benefit from drinking less. Reducing your alcohol intake has many advantages including:
- Increased energy
- Better sleep
- Less weight gain
- Increased stability in mood
What is a standard drink?
Standard drinks contain about 10g of pure alcohol
One standard drink is:
- A half pint of lager
- A single measure of spirits
- A small glass of wine (around 100mls)
- A bottle of any alcopop
- A bottle of wine constitutes 8 standard drinks
How do I know if drinking could be damaging my health?
If you regularly drink heavily, think you might be dependent on alcohol or are concerned about your drinking, you might like to seek support. Your GP will be able to guide you through the help available to find something that suits you.
You can also contact the HSE’s Alcohol and Drugs Helpline for information on support services, Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5.30pm, on 1800 459 459
You might also find the following websites helpful
- Mental Health Ireland www.mentalhealthireland.ie is a national voluntary organisation which aims to promote mental health and support persons with a mental illness.
- www.yourmentalhealth.ie aims to improve awareness and understanding of mental health in Ireland.
- The Samaritans www.samaritans.ie aims to improve people’s emotional health in order to create a greater sense of well being.
- Aware www.aware.ie is the national voluntary organisation providing support through depression
