Alcohol - the facts
Alcohol is a depressant drug that is highly addictive and can cause short term health risks such as;
· Sexual difficulties (impotence)
· Loss of consciousness and memory
· Slowed breathing & heartbeat
· Suffocation through choking on own vomit
· Potentially fatal poisoning
· Risk of, injury from falling, STDs and pregnancy from unprotected sex
In the long term, alcohol can contribute to a variety of problems, including damage to an unborn child, liver disease, osteoporosis (thinning of the bones), pancreatitis, stomach ulcers, infertility, heart disease, raised blood pressure, stroke, dementia and brain damage.
Alcohol is also one of the most well established causes of cancer and excess alcohol consumption increases the risk of mouth, oesophageal, liver, breast and bowel cancer.
So enjoy alcohol safely and reduce the risks to your health.
How to make your night out a night to remember for all the right reasons….
· Eat before drinking - food slows down how fast alcohol gets into your bloodstream. It also gives you more energy and lessens the effects the next day.
· Do not start drinking at home while you are getting ready to go on a night out - wait to enjoy drinks when you are socialising.
· Set a drinks limit - decide a limit in advance and then stick to it.
· Try starting off your night with a non-alcoholic drink - a soft drink or water. It will quench your thirst before you move on to alcohol.
· Consider alternating between an alcoholic drink and a non-alcoholic drink or at least throw in a non-alcoholic one once in a while to keepyour body hydrated. It will lessen the effects the next day.
· Stay hydrated - drink more water, particularly when you are dancing.
· Pace yourself - avoid drinking in rounds as this can mean drinking at a faster pace set by someone else in the group. You can end up drinking more than you intended as you accept people returning your kindness after you have bought them a drink.
· Be your own person - you should never feel as though you have to drink something if you do not want to. If you do not feel like another drink, or want to drink at your own pace, real friends will respect that.
· Keep track of how much you have been drinking - it is hard to say "That's my limit tonight" if you do not know how much you have had. It may help to find out how many units are in your favourite drinks before you head out.
· Sit down to enjoy your drink - people drink at a faster rate when standing up.
· Drink lighter beers - strong continental beers are popular, but can make for a messy night and a bigger hangover. The difference between a pint of 5% lager, and a 3.5% or 4% one is a whole unit.
· Drink more non-alcoholic mixers - diluting a drink with another mixer will make it last longer, and lessen the effects.
· Drink smaller drinks - it is better to drink smaller measures of drinks if you have the choice - especially with wine. A large glass of wine in most bars is equivalent to a third of a bottle!
Useful Contact Numbers in Walsall
Lantern House - Adult Drug & Alcohol Service
01922 858463
T3 - Young Person's Substance Misuse Service
01922 637505
Addaction - A community-based harm reduction service for people involved with problematic drug and alcohol use.
01922 646 262