Why we drink alcohol

Alcohol has been around since Man first discovered fermentation in rotting fruit thousands of years ago and the ancient Sumerians became the first brewers in around 4000 BC.

It is a mind-altering drug that affects our mood. We use it to celebrate, commiserate, to boost our confidence, to wind down.

We use it to overcome self-consciousness, give us 'Dutch courage' and help us loosen up in social gatherings.

Sometimes we use it to 'drown our sorrows'. In moderation, alcohol can, temporarily, make us feel better about ourselves but it is actually a depressant drug.

More than three or four units of alcohol can begin to adversely affect our mood and can make us feel worse. Then our brain tells us to have another one to buck us up again. The trouble is, even after just a couple of drinks, alcohol affects our judgement.

When we are feeling down, perhaps after a bereavement, relationship breakdown, disappointment, or if we are in physical pain, we might turn to alcohol for comfort. Most of us have done it but we soon find there's no solution in the bottom of an empty glass.

"It's not a question of moralising or being judgemental. It's good, from time to time, for everybody to check their alcohol intake." - Cllr Pat Karney, Manchester Social Strategy Committee

When we drink alcohol

Lot's of us like a drink with a meal. It may be a lunchtime pint or a glass of wine with dinner.

Many enjoy a beer after work to socialise with colleagues and share a joke or a gripe about the boss. We may be tired after a hard day or want to congratulate each other on a job well done.

We probably look forward to a cold beer after a workout, a glass of wine once the kids are asleep, or a cosy night cap before bed.

It might be a midweek night out with pals, or a quick one after the theatre, and at the weekend we can really let our hair down.

It doesn't have to be a special occasion. Drink has become an intrinsic part of British culture. Our grandparents probably drank alcohol far less often than we do. It was, relatively, more expensive back then so most people were more likely to use alcohol as an occasional treat.

We don't need an excuse anymore to have a drink but if we find we are drinking every day, we're in danger of drinking more than we should.

Even if we stay within the recommended daily limit, but we drink every day, our bodies will develop more tolerance to alcohol. This means we will gradually need to drink more to feel the effects.

That's why it's recommended we have one or two alcohol-free days every week.