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The health system is about to be swamped by hundreds of thousands of Australians with alcohol-related brain injury, most of them unaware they have a problem.
Research, done for the arbias (Acquired Brain Injury Assessment and Consulting) group by Roy Morgan, says the drinking habits of as many as two million people place them at risk of permanent brain damage.
It says men who have six drinks a day for eight-to-10 years and women who have three drinks a day over the same period are at risk of alcohol-related brain injury.
Arbias CEO Sonia Berton is calling on the Federal Government and the alcohol industry to fund a A$20 million ($22.6 million) education campaign to raise awareness and provide treatment for the problem.
"It's time people were told," Berton said. "Alcohol-related brain injury affects as many as one in eight."
One of the reasons the problem was so pervasive was a binge-drinking culture. "Many people are unaware they are living with alcohol-related brain impairment until the damage is severe," Berton said.
"Because Australia has moved to a binge-drinking culture, something has to be done. In the next 10 years, treatment providers will be swamped with alcohol-related issues."
Arbias, whose work is supported by the Australian Drug Foundation, the Mental Health Council of Australia and the Alcohol Education Research Foundation, yesterday launched its Hangover For Life campaign to draw attention to the extent of the problem.
The arbias research shows few people are aware of how much they can drink before they become permanently affected.
Clinical psychologist and arbias board member Martin Jackson said the community suffered from an "incredible lack of knowledge" on the issue.
"People often get brain damage long before they actually get sick," Dr Jackson said.
"By the time these people show up in the health system, unfortunately they have often lost jobs, families and their thinking abilities.
"People don't realise how easy it is to drink at hazardous levels - a bottle of wine with dinner every night is potentially hazardous."
- AAP
