RESOURCES

Alcohol facts

We all like a drink. However, heavy drinking of alcohol can cause all sorts of problems.

Widely used depressant

Alcohol is the most used drug in the UK after tobacco. If it were a new drug it would undoubtedly be banned and made illegal as its effects can be just as devastating as other drugs. The drug acts to depress your central nervous system (CNS) but it makes you feel happy because it depresses your inhibitions first.

Government recommendations

The government recommendations are based on the physical damage that alcohol can do and is currently 21 units per week for women and 28 for men. Look on our resources section to find out how many units you use. If you drink then here are some tips to stay safer.

Alcohol advice

• Diarise how much you do drink and write down how you were feeling at the time.
• Look at your diary and count up your units and see if you use more when you are in a certain mood or something has happened to prompt you to drink.
• Drink water in between alcoholic drinks.
• If you know you are going to drink heavily then ask yourself and plan beforehand who you are going with and how you are getting home. If you have a row during the evening then don't walk home alone.
• Spiking - Most people who get spiked get spiked with more alcohol so don't let people put a double in instead of a single and watch how much you are using.
• DON'T MIX DRINK AND DRUGS especially depressant drugs - this is how most people die as your body just can't cope.

If you are dinking more than you would like or your drinking is causing you problems then contact us.