One consultant has said people should consider alcohol-free days, or lower strength alternatives.
Professor John Ryan, Consultant Hepatologist at Beaumont Hospital, was speaking as liver disease is now one of the top five killers of patients.
More than half of adults are also living with chronic liver disease.
Prof Ryan told Newstalk Breakfast COVID drinking habits seem to have stayed around.
"Particularly during COVID we got into a habit of having maybe a glass of wine in the evenings, and that can turn into half a bottle of wine and then a bottle of wine," he said.
"Over seven days, that could be 70 units of alcohol - it adds up very quickly.
"A lot of people that I'd see... and they have very significant liver disease or even cirrhosis, they kind of wished that they had realised this and kind of stopped it in time.
"For those people who are susceptible, COVID certainly excelerated a lot of it.
"You just don't even realise it, and it's everywhere and it's so ingrained in our culture I suppose."
'A huge benefit'
Prof Ryan said non-drinking days can be key.
"If someone has cirrhosis or very advanced liver disease, they just really can't drink at all," he said.
"If you have an element of fatty liver disease or a milder form of liver disease, you would advise that someone would - say - just don't drink anything from Sunday to Thursday.
"It's a huge benefit - your body would then have a little bit of breather, or your liver has a breather.
"Why don't you get a zero percent alcohol, that's a good alternative - or if you're going to go out, try to look for lower strength alternatives.
"All those kind of things do add up to reduce the harm," he added.
Listen back to the full interview below:
