leaflet - alcohol and its effects

and its

Visit www.coventry.gov.uk/alcohol

If you would like this information in another format or language please telephone 024 7683 2422

References

For free confidential advice about alcohol you can contact or drop into;

The Recovery Partnership (alcohol service for adults)Ironmonger RowCoventry CV1 1FDTel: 024 7663 0135Web: www.cw-recovery.org.uk

Compass (alcohol service for young people)Tel 0800 121 4043Email [email protected]

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)Tel: 0845 7697 555 (National alcohol helpline)

DrinklineTel: 0800 917 82 82 (National alcohol helpline)

Your GP will also be able to arrange support services for you based on your individual needs.

Alternatively you can visit www.coventry.gov.uk/alcohol where you can find out all sorts of useful informationabout alcohol from working out the units in your favourite drink to taking a short questionnaire to find out if you are at risk or not.

1 - www.nhs.uk/livewell/alcohol 2 - www.drinkaware.co.uk

3 - Academy of Medical Sciences (2004) Calling Time: The Nation's Drinking as a Major Health Issue. London: AMS

4 - Department of Health (2005) Alcohol Needs Assessment Research Project (ANARP): The 2004 national alcohol needs assessment for England

5 - Alcohol use disorders (2010) NICE

6 - Department of Health (1993) Health of the Nation Key Area Handbook: Mental Health. London HMSO

7 - Gilchrist, E. et al (2003) Domestic violence offenders: characteristics and offending related needs, Findings, 217, London, Home Office.

8 - Turning Point (2006) Bottling it up: The effects of alcohol misuse on children, parents and families, London Turning Point.

The effects of alcoholAlcohol affects the body and mind in many ways.

Listed below are just some of the short and long term physical affects of excessive drinking.1

Short term: - sexual difficulties like impotence - slowed breathing and heart beat - loss of consciousness - poisoning

Long term - certain types of cancer - liver disease - high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes - skin problems - damage to unborn child

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You don't need to be an alcoholic to suffer from alcohol-related problems. Alcohol’s hidden harms usually only emerge after a number of years of drinking more than the recommended levels. And by then, serious health problems can have developed.1

Did you know that either on its own or in conjunction with other factors, alcohol is estimated to be responsible for at least 33,000 deaths in the UK each year.3

The physical health risks of alcohol are explained further in our 'Alcohol and its effects on the body' leaflet.

But as well as the physical effects of alcohol, drinking too much can also have a huge impact on your lifestyle - things like your relationship with your family and the likelihood of becoming overweight and unfit. Turn the page to find out more about the effects of drinking on your lifestyle and how much is too much.

More than a quarter of adults drink above saferecommended levels of alcohol and one in 25 are drink-dependent.4,5

ParentingAfter drinking too much a parent can become emotionally unavailable, inconsistent and unpredictable. This can lead to inactive parenting or neglect, where children are not supervised, nurtured or supported. Studies show

StressWhile many people drink to help relieve stress, drinking too much – or too often – can often have the opposite effect. Excessive alcohol consumption takes it toll on your energy levels, mood, and sleep as well

Take this quick questionnaire to find out if you are at risk or not.

1. How often do you have a drink containing alcohol?

Never Once a month or less 2 - 4 times a month2 - 3 times a week 4 or more times a week

2. How many units of alcohol do you have on a typical day when you are drinking? (Single spirit measure 1 unit, pint of beer 2 units, small glass of wine 2 units)

1 or 2 3 or 4 5 or 6 7 to 9 10 or more

3. How often do you have six or more units on one occasion?

Never Less than monthly Monthly Weekly Daily or almost daily

How often during the past year have you…….

4. Found that you were not able to stop drinking once you had started?


5. Failed to do what is normally expected from you because of drinking?


6. Had a drink in the morning to get yourself going?


7. Had a feeling of guilt or remorse after drinking?


8. Been unable to remember what happened the night beforebecause you had been drinking?

Never Occasionally Monthly Weekly Daily

9. Have you or somebody else been injured as a result of your drinking?

No, this has never happened Yes, but not in the past yearYes, during the past year

10. Has anyone ever been concerned about your drinking or suggested you cut down?

No, never Yes, but not in the past year Yes,during the past year

Name..............................................................Tel...................................Email......................................................................................................Address.................................................................................................

To find out your results please tear off the questionnaire, fold the page in half, moisten edge and seal, then return via free post.

Data Protection Act 1998 The Data Controller is Coventry City Council. The details you provide on this form will only be used to calculate your resultsand send back your results. No personal data will be shared or published.

Please Tick your answer

..............................................................................................................

RelationshipsFamily members often bear the brunt of someone's excessive drinking. The flipside to the feel-good state that alcohol can create are the angry moods that may start to appear after you've drunk too much. Scientists have linked aggression tothe consumption of too much

ObesityWine, beer, cider and spirits are made by fermenting and distilling natural starch and sugar. Being high in sugar means alcohol contains lots of calories – seven calories a gram in fact, almost as many

alcohol - so it’s not surprisingthat you’re more likely to argue after drinking. While alcohol does not cause domestic violence, there is evidence that where the domestic violence exists, alcohol is often present. One study found that 73% of perpetrators had been drinking at the time of the assault.7

children affected by parental alcohol misuse can feel confused, lonely and isolated. They often tend to see parental alcohol problems as in some way their fault and feel guilty about it. Children who regularly see their parents drink are twice as likely to binge on alcohol themselves.8

as pure fat! In addition as our bodies can't store alcohol, when we drink they process the alcohol first – interrupting other bodily processes and reducing the amount of fat burned for energy.2 Now that's a double whammy!

as your long term health. Alcohol interferes with your sleep pattern and so leaves people more tired than usual aftera night of drinking2. It is also well understood that, at the more extreme level, people who drink heavily are far more likely to suffer from mental illness.6

How much is too much?

Visit www.coventry.gov.uk/alcohol Visit www.coventry.gov.uk/alcohol

Medical experts advise that people should not regularly drink more than the daily unit guidelines of 3-4 units of alcohol for men (equivalent to a pint and a half of 4% beer) and 2-3 units of alcohol for women (equivalent to a 175 ml glass of wine).

‘Regularly’ means drinking every day or most days of the week.

While many people don't have a realistic idea of how much they're drinking, there are plenty of tools available to help you keep tabs on your consumption (including tools at www.coventry.gov.uk/alcohol). Some of these tools also help you keep a count on your calorie intake as a result of your drinking. For example, did you know...

3 large (250ml) glasses of white wine (13% strength)

555 calories or 1.9 burgers or

56 min run2

10 units

4 pints of lager (5% strength)

977 calories or 3.3 burgers or

98 min run2

11.4 units

leaflet - alcohol and its effects

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