Alcohol - A Summary

What are the safe limits of alcohol drinking?

• Men - no more than 21 units per week (and no more than 4 units in any one day).
• Women - no more than 14 units per week (and no more than 3 units in any one day).
• Pregnant women, and women trying to get pregnant, should not drink alcohol at all.

In general, the more you drink above these limits, the more harmful alcohol is likely to be. Also, binge drinking (for example, 10 units twice a week) can be harmful even though the weekly total may not seem too high.

One unit of alcohol is 10ml (1cl) by volume, or 8g by weight, of pure alcohol. For example:

• One unit of alcohol is about equal to:
  • half a pint of ordinary strength beer, lager, or cider (3-4% alcohol by volume), or
  • a standard pub measure (50ml) of fortified wine such as sherry or port (20% alcohol by volume).
• There are one and a half units of alcohol in:
  • a small glass (125ml) of ordinary strength wine (12% alcohol by volume), or
  • a standard pub measure (35ml) of spirits (40% alcohol by volume).
• Note: many wines and beers are stronger than 'ordinary' standard strength.

What problems can develop if I drink too much alcohol?

You have an increased risk of developing illnesses

For example:

• Serious liver disease (cirrhosis or hepatitis).
• Stomach and pancreas disorders.
• Depression and anxiety.
• Sexual difficulties.
• Muscle and heart muscle disease.
• High blood pressure.
• Damage to nervous tissue.
• Accidents - in particular injury and death from fire and car crashes.
• Some cancers (mouth, gullet, liver, colon and breast).
• Obesity (alcohol has many calories).

You may become alcohol dependent

This means that if you stop drinking alcohol for a day or so, you suffer unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. For example: feeling sick, trembling, sweating, craving for alcohol. So, you end up drinking alcohol every day to avoid these symptoms.

You can damage others

Many families have become severely affected by one member becoming a problem drinker. Emotional, financial, and psychological distress often occur in such families. Often the problem drinker denies or refuses to accept that the root cause is alcohol.

Tackling the problem of heavy drinking

Many people can quite easily cut down on heavy drinking. Try drinking low alcohol beers, pacing the rate of drinking, or drinking on fewer days of the week. For some people it is more difficult.

• Accepting that you may have a problem can be the biggest step to returning to sensible drinking. Counselling and support from a doctor, nurse, or counsellor often helps.
• A 'detoxification' treatment may be advised for some people.
• Referral for specialist help is needed in some cases.

Further resources and sources of help

Drinkline - National Alcohol Helpline Tel: 0800 917 8282
Offers help to callers worried about their own drinking and support to the family and friends of people who are drinking. Advice to callers on where to go for help.

Alcoholics Anonymous PO Box 1 10 Toft Green, York, YO1 7ND
Helpline: 0845 769 7555 Web: www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk
There are over 3000 meetings held in the UK each week with over 40,000 members. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking.

AL-Anon Family Groups 61 Great Dover Street, London, SE1 4YF
Tel: 020 7403 0888 Web: www.al-anonuk.org.uk
Offers support for families and friends of alcoholics whether the drinker is still drinking or not.

Know Your Units campaign From the NHS
Web: www.units.nhs.uk
Aims to tell drinkers how many units are in their drinks and help them stick to their limits.

Department of Health - Their alcohol misuse page
Web: www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publichealth/Healthimprovement/Alcoholmisuse/index.htm
Includes information on the National Alcohol Strategy, and policy and advice on sensible drinking and the prevention of alcohol misuse.