Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%..

Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.

DR. WALLACE: I’m 22 years old and have recently discovered that I love drinking wine. I used to be the kind of person who would only have a drink or two occasionally on weekends when going out with friends.

However, ever since I’ve discovered my affinity for wine, I’ve started to enjoy a glass or two each night, and I’m beginning to wonder if that’s too much or too often. At the end of the day, pouring myself a glass of wine and watching my favorite TV show or reading a good book seems to be the perfect way to unwind, but I’m concerned that this habit could be unhealthy.

I never drink to excess, and I’ve honestly never been drunk before, so I’m good at moderating my daily alcohol intake, but sometimes I wonder if drinking daily is a problem in itself. I don’t feel addicted to or dependent on alcohol at all, but rather I look forward to enjoying it on a daily basis, similar to how most people look forward to having their daily cup of coffee in the morning. All of this being said, do you feel there is a need for me to curb my drinking habit? — Enjoy a Glass or Two, via email

ENJOY A GLASS OR TWO: It’s good that you have not found yourself drunk during the times you’ve consumed your wine, but that fact does not guarantee that you won’t escalate your consumption in the future.

A glass or two does not in and of itself cause a problem on any given day, but the constant daily consumption over time indeed does add up. I suggest that you limit your frequency first. Start by enjoying a sip or two only every other day at most. See how you feel about this as you go forward. On the odd days that you’ll stay “dry,” do you feel deprived? Do you feel you’re missing out? Do you become grouchy? At the age of 22, I recommend that you do your utmost not to slip into long-term habits that can sneak up on you stealthily.

After you cut back to every other day, limit your consumption on the days that you do imbibe to just one medium glass. Don’t play the “one glass” game by filling it to the rim.

Then from there I’d further suggest that you ultimately cut back to just a glass here and there, usually only on the weekend, so that it becomes a change-of-pace treat and not a daily crutch for you to relax. And speaking of relaxing, you should look into the many other ways to relax that are available to you. Yoga, meditation, exercise, hobbies and various forms of socialization all can provide you much more healthy methods to relax that you can participate in regularly that can provide you stable, organic relaxation rather than using a substance like alcohol to accomplish this.

You did ask me for my opinion, and I am of the belief that extremely moderate or no alcohol consumption at all provides the best path toward a healthy life. Over the many years I’ve been writing this column I’ve heard many stories from individuals who started out with only “a glass or two each night” that ultimately escalated and did not end well. Life will eventually deal more stress your way than you’re experiencing now, so I heartily recommend that you seek out other stress-reduction methods beyond alcohol so that you can be prepared to safely deal with it when it inevitably arrives someday.

Alcohol is a substance that can easily become a problem for any human being at any time. Yes, there are some individuals who live a lifetime unaffected by small, occasional consumption episodes that do not bring them any harm. However, there are many others who develop physical, mental and even emotional problems due to increased alcohol consumption or even alcohol dependency that during the early stages of enjoying a drink or two did not exist.

My rule of thumb when it comes to alcohol is that it can be quite dangerous to anyone at any time. It only takes a momentary lapse to trigger an event or series of events that can irreparably change the drinker’s life — or the lives of others, even strangers around them.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at rwallace@thegreatestgift.com. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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