Dr Frei, who works at Southern Health's addiction medicine unit, said the unit treated about 1000 patients with alcohol addiction each year - about half of its patients.

On top of that, there are growing numbers who are combining a drinking habit to an addiction with prescription medicine, such as pain killers.

Dr Frei described addiction as a clinical disorder, which like asthma, diabetes or depression, is characterised by relapses.

Alcohol addiction is physical. It causes changes to the brain, the nervous system, the whole body. For some addicts, going cold turkey can produce severe seizures and confusion.

But for others, detoxing at the hospital is quick, though dramatic, Dr Frei said. More important is the long-term plan that will support the patient.

"You may be sober for a long time then the stresses of life might throw something unpredictable in your path."

Dr Frei's work is counter to powerful marketing by the alcohol industry and public attitudes to drinking.

"Alcohol's a legal drug and an entrenched part of the Australian culture. Drinking is the way we celebrate ourselves as we saw with the Brownlow Medal celebrations.

Some still think we're like the PC fun police taking away all the pleasures of life but our message for people is being aware of the responsibilities they have for their health."

More than two standard drinks a day can significantly increase a person's health risks.

But health authorities have staged a less aggressive approach to warnings about alcohol's health consequences compared to smoking.

One reason could be that the costs to the health system aren't as severe for drinking as smoking. But mental and behavioural dysfunction for alcoholics is much more severe, Dr Frei said.