His house is always gloomy with smoke. A single tungsten light grows dim, casting hundreds of shadows. The floor bonds with layers of dust. Beer cans and alcohol bottles, empty and full, crowd the tables and cover the house.

Ole (60), started drinking as a teenager.
“When I was young, I drank half a bottle of whisky or vodka and a few cans of beer almost every day,” he said.

Danish Health Interview Survey 2005 says that harmful and heavy alcohol use in Denmark is higher than earlier estimates. People who begin drinking early in life risk developing alcohol problems, substance addiction and substance dependence, including alcoholism and drug-use, later in life.

As a single man, living in the outskirts of Aarhus, Denmark, Ole spends most of his time alone. “Every morning when I open my eyes, I want someone to hold me in her arms, kiss me and ask me to stay a bit longer with her in the bed,” Ole said. “But, I know it‘s difficult to tolerate me.”

Loneliness have also been linked to poor health behaviors, including drug and alcohol abuse, smoking, and inactivity.

“I do not have a drinking problem,” Ole said. “But, I cannot imagine a day without a drink.”