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CANBERRA, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Many Australians believe they are consuming too much alcohol and want to drink less, according to the latest Global Drug Survey.
The international survey, which involved almost 5,000 Australian participants, revealed 23.7 percent of Australians had reportedly hurt themselves or others as a result of their drinking, while 42 percent wanted to drink less.
It also found that 15.4 percent of Australian respondents consumed alcohol four or more times a week, 39.4 percent two to three times per week, and 24 percent had six to eight or more drinks in one sitting weekly.
While 13.7 percent of Australian participants said they needed help to drink less, alarmingly only 4.2 percent said they were willing to take steps to seek the appropriate help.
From November to January, between 4,500-4,900 Australians were surveyed regarding their drug and alcohol using patterns and experiences.
And while the findings are not nationally representative, the survey has been used to identify emerging trends and drug-taking behaviours.
Nadine Ezard, the clinical director of St Vincent Sydney's alcohol and drug service said she was concerned over the lower number of respondents who intended to seek help after a higher number said they wanted to drink less.
"We also need to get the message out there that it's OK to ask for help, because there is a lot of stigma still around asking for help for drinking," she told The Guardian on Tuesday. Enditem
