Drug and Alcohol
Alcohol
Sensible drinking levels are:
No more than 3 to 4 units of alcohol per day for men and no more than 21 units a week.
No more than 2 to 3 units of alcohol a day for women, and no more than 14 units a week.
A unit of alcohol is:
However, some strong beers may contain up to 2.5 units of alcohol per half pint. Also many home measures are much bigger than the standard pub measure, so it is important to be aware of how much you are drinking.
A small amount of alcohol can be good for you - eg 1 to 2 units a day can protect you from heart disease. Drinking in moderation can therefore be part of a healthy diet. But regularly drinking more than the recommended sensible drinking levels can seriously damage your health.
Alcohol Concern's website, www.howsyourdrink.org.uk, has been created to help anyone who has ever wondered whether they drink too much, or is concerned about a friend's or family member's drinking habits. The site contains information about drinking, the telltale signs of drinking too much, facts on drinking and health and tips on cutting down. It also features a short, interactive test which gives scientifically based recommendations to help people decide whether they need to change their drinking pattern and what kind of help they might need. The site may refer people with more serious drink problems to "Down Your Drink", a six week online programme designed to help them develop safer drinking habits.
Cutting Down
If you feel that you might need to cut back on the amount you are drinking, try the following:
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Go out a bit later in the evening
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Buy lower strength beer
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Try alcohol free alternatives
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Set yourself a sensible limit on each occasion
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Try doing something else to relax
Substance Misuse
If you are concerned about someone you care about you can talk to FRANK. FRANK offers free confidential advice about drugs 24 hours a day and can be contacted on 0800 77 66 00 or www.talktofrank.com
D.A.F.S.
Drugs Alcohol Family Support (DAFS) is committed to providing a professional and condifential service to families and friends of substance misusers in Gwent.
Assisted by the Gwent Specialist Substance Misuse service, they worked towards setting themselves up as a self help group. The group then decided that if it could work for them, perhaps they could be of help to others who found themselves faced with the nightmare situation of finding out a family member is or has been taking drugs.
DAFS provide a free confidential service. They don't judge clients. In fact, many of their volunteers have themselves goen through the trauma of a family members drug of alcohol use.
For more information about DAFS, please contact:
Drug Alcohol Family Support
Swffryd Clinic
Walters Avenue
Swffryd
Gwent
NP11 5HT
Tel.: (01495) 240824
Although they only operate within particular times, they do have a 24 hour answering machine.
Related Documents
Drinking (PDF : 4.5 MB)