Boozy brides and slurpy singles

New research indicates that while marriage curbs men's drinking, it often results in women drinking more. A study from the Universityof Cincinnati showed that, on average, women drink more after heading down the aisle.

Conversely, while married women knock back the booze in an attempt to keep up with their men, husbands tend to drink less after tying the knot, calmed by their wives’ more moderate attitudes towards booze.

But although women's alcohol intake increases after marriage, husbands still drink proportionately more and reported higher levels of drink-related problems. And when relationships come to an end, men are more likely to hit the bottle, while long-term divorced or recently widowed women resume their restrained ways.

If you drink alcohol, do you drink more when you’re single or coupled up? Have you ever tried to ‘keep up’ with your partner or male friends? Do you tend to drink more when you’re happy and settled, or when you’re feeling a bit down in the dumps?

From past experience I would say that the amount I drink stays about the same. However, my drinking habits certainly change. When in a steady relationship I have tended to drink more frequently, but in smaller quantities, while single life has seen me drink less frequently but consume greater quantities in each sitting (or ‘dancing’, to be more accurate).

Although I’m ashamed to admit it, I’ve definitely experienced the pressure to play catch-up with male drinking partners; not consciously, but in an ‘I don’t want to be left behind’ kind of way. I’ve also had times when I’ve drunk far more than was good for me, which has had a number of knock-on effects (none of them desirable).

I think if you do drink, the key is to do so in moderation – a mojito or two with the girls; a beer when the football’s on (if you like that kind of thing); a film and a glass of red with your beloved. It shouldn't ever be about competing or keeping up!

The government recommends that women do not regularly exceed more than two or three units of alcohol (a 175ml glass of wine) in a day.

And British Medical Association (BMA) Ethics Committee chairman Michael Wilks points out that: "Saving up your weekly units so you can drink them all on a Friday night is not the way to interpret the government's advice." He adds: “If you're building up tolerance, that is a warning sign.”

It’s fairly well documented that alcohol can make you more susceptible to serious disease and mental health problems. It can affect your fertility and stop you from sleeping properly. It can also affect relationships, so if you are drinking more to keep up with your man, beware! It could all end in tears.

Last but not least, alcohol consumption affects your appearance. There are around 125 calories in a 175ml glass of wine and more than 500 in a bottle. A vodka and coke/gin and tonic is 120 calories, and you don't even want to think about the calorie count in cocktails. Drinking also affects the quality of your skin, makes you look bloated and can even cause you to smell funny!

So if you think you’re drinking too much or that someone you know is knocking back a little too much of the amber nectar, visit drinkaware.co.uk. It offers useful tips on how to cut back, and offers a handy diary so you can keep track of exactly what you are drinking.

Ephesians 5:18-20 says: “Don't drink too much wine. That cheapens your life. Drink the Spirit of God, huge draughts of him.

“Sing hymns instead of drinking songs! Sing songs from your heart to Christ. Sing praises over everything, any excuse for a song to God the Father in the name of our Master, Jesus Christ” (The Message version).

Read more from Joy in the next issue of Liberti magazine.