Adele called herself a ‘borderline alcoholic’. But is that a real thing?

British singer-songwriter Adele says she has quit drinking, describing herself as a "borderline alcoholic" when she was in her 20s. The Australian national alcohol guidelines say healthy men and women should drink no more than ten standard drinks a week and no more than four a day. If you drink over those guidelines you are more likely to experience a number of long- and short-term problems including alcohol dependence, cancers, diabetes and heart disease. Signs you may have a problem with alcohol include: having trouble stopping once you start drinking wanting or trying to cut back but slipping up frequently spending a lot of time drinking or recovering from drinking having cravings to drink alcohol, such as if you come home from work and reach straight for a drink dropping the ball at work, study or home because you've been drinking, such as not being able to do your work because you're hungover continuing to drink alcohol even though you know it's causing problems with your health, friends, work or relationships giving up or reducing social and work activities to drink instead drinking when it's not safe, such as before driving or swimming.