Alcohol

Summary

Alcohol is a drug that can change the way your brain and body work. It is found in drinks such as beer, wine, cider and spirits. Alcohol is a depressant, which means it slows down activity in the brain and nervous system. It can affect how you think, feel, behave and make decisions.

People drink alcohol for lots of different reasons. Some people enjoy the taste or the social side of drinking, while others may drink because they feel pressured by friends, want to fit in, are curious or are trying to cope with stress or difficult emotions. Drinking can sometimes feel like it helps someone relax or feel more confident, but these effects are temporary and alcohol can also make difficult feelings worse.

Alcohol can affect people differently depending on how much they drink, how quickly they drink, their age, body size, whether they have eaten, and whether they are taking other drugs or medicines. Drinking a lot in a short period of time can lead to someone becoming very drunk, which can affect their judgement, coordination, speech and ability to make safe decisions. Very heavy drinking can cause alcohol poisoning, which can be life-threatening.

For children and young people, alcohol can carry additional risks because the brain and body are still developing. Drinking at a young age can affect decision-making and increase the risk of accidents, injuries, risky situations and developing unhealthy drinking patterns later on. Alcohol can also affect sleep, mood, concentration and relationships.

Alcohol can become a problem when someone feels they need to drink, finds it difficult to control how much they drink, or continues drinking despite it causing problems. Regular heavy drinking can lead to dependence, meaning the body becomes used to alcohol and stopping suddenly can sometimes cause serious withdrawal symptoms.

Types of alcoholic drinks

Alcoholic drinks contain different amounts of alcohol. The strength is shown as ABV (alcohol by volume), which tells you what percentage of the drink is pure alcohol.

Common examples include:

• Beer and lager – often around 3–6% ABV, although some are much stronger.
• Cider – often around 4–6% ABV, but can vary considerably.
• Wine – commonly around 11–14% ABV.
• Spirits – such as vodka, gin, rum and whisky, usually around 40% ABV.
• Alcopops and premixed drinks – can vary widely in strength and may contain spirits mixed with soft drinks or other ingredients.
• Cocktails – can contain one or more types of alcohol, meaning their strength can be difficult to judge.

What are alcohol units?

An alcohol unit is a way of measuring how much pure alcohol is in a drink. In the UK, 1 unit contains 10ml (8g) of pure alcohol.

The number of units depends on both the strength of the drink and how much of it there is.

Drink	Approximate amount	Approximate units
Beer/lager (4% ABV)	330ml can	1.3 units
Cider (5% ABV)	500ml can	2.5 units
Wine (13% ABV)	175ml glass	2.3 units
Wine (13% ABV)	250ml glass	3.3 units
Spirits (40% ABV)	25ml measure	1 unit

How to help myself

If you’re drinking alcohol and are worried about it, you don’t have to wait until it becomes a serious problem before asking for help. Start by thinking about when and why you drink. You might drink because you’re curious, want to fit in, feel pressured by friends, want to feel more confident, or use alcohol to cope with stress or difficult emotions. Understanding your reasons and noticing situations where you’re more likely to drink can help you decide what you want to change.

If you want to cut down or stop drinking, think about the situations that make it difficult and plan what you could do instead. You might spend time with people who support your choices, avoid situations where you feel pressured to drink, or have something else to do when you’re stressed or bored. Finding other ways to cope, such as listening to music, gaming, exercising, getting outside, being creative or talking to someone, can help if alcohol has become a way of managing difficult feelings.

Talk to someone you trust if you’re finding things difficult. This could be a parent or carer, friend, teacher, school nurse, youth worker, GP or another trusted adult. You don’t need to know exactly what to say — you could simply tell them that you’re worried about your drinking. Being honest with a healthcare professional about how much and how often you drink can help them understand what support you need.

If you have been drinking heavily or regularly, don’t try to suddenly stop without speaking to a healthcare professional first. Alcohol dependence can cause withdrawal symptoms, which can sometimes be serious. A GP or alcohol support service can help you work out the safest way to make changes.

If you drink and then feel embarrassed or regret something you’ve done, try not to beat yourself up. Use it as an opportunity to understand what happened and what you might do differently next time. You can always ask for help, even if you’ve tried to change before.

How to help a loved one

If someone you care about is drinking alcohol, try to support them without judging or shaming them. Young people may drink because of curiosity, peer pressure, wanting to fit in, or because they are using alcohol to cope with stress or difficult feelings. Let them know you’re there to listen and give them a safe space to talk about what is happening. You could gently ask how their drinking is affecting them rather than focusing only on telling them to stop.

If they want to make changes, help them think about when and why they drink and what situations make drinking more likely. You could support them to avoid situations where they feel pressured, spend time with people who respect their choices and find other ways to cope with stress or difficult emotions. Encouraging activities they enjoy and spending time with them can also help them feel supported without making alcohol the focus of every conversation.

Try not to lecture, threaten or embarrass them. If they have been drinking, wait until they are sober and calm before having a serious conversation. If you’re worried about their drinking, encourage them to speak to a trusted adult, GP, school nurse, youth worker or alcohol support service. You can offer to go with them or help them explain what has been happening.

If they are drinking heavily or regularly, don’t encourage them to suddenly stop without professional advice. Someone who has become dependent on alcohol can experience serious withdrawal symptoms, so a healthcare professional can help them make changes safely.

If someone has drunk a lot and is unconscious, difficult to wake, having a seizure, vomiting repeatedly, breathing slowly or irregularly, or looks pale or blue, call 999. Stay with them, keep them safe and follow the emergency operator’s instructions.

Myth Buster

Myth: Alcohol is a good way to manage stress.

Truth: Alcohol can make someone feel relaxed or more confident for a short time, but these effects wear off. Alcohol can also affect sleep and mood, and using it regularly to cope with difficult feelings can make those feelings harder to manage over time.

Myth: If you only drink socially, there is no risk.

Truth: Drinking a lot in a short period of time can still lead to accidents, injuries, alcohol poisoning and risky decisions. Drinking socially can also become a pattern that is difficult to control, even if someone doesn’t drink every day.

Myth: You can tell how much alcohol has affected someone by looking at them.

Truth: People respond to alcohol differently, so someone’s appearance doesn’t always show how affected they are. Someone who seems awake or can still talk may have dangerously high levels of alcohol in their body. If someone is very confused, repeatedly vomiting, having a seizure, difficult to wake or breathing abnormally, they need urgent medical help.

Myth: Alcohol helps you make better decisions.

Truth: Alcohol can reduce inhibitions and affect judgement, coordination and reaction time. This can make it harder to recognise risks, communicate clearly and make safe decisions, particularly in unfamiliar or difficult situations.

Myth: You can always just stop drinking.

Truth: Someone who drinks heavily or regularly can develop alcohol dependence. Suddenly stopping can cause withdrawal symptoms, which can sometimes be serious or life-threatening. If someone thinks they may be dependent on alcohol, they should speak to a GP or alcohol support service about the safest way to reduce or stop.

Myth: People who struggle with alcohol just need more self-control.

Truth: Alcohol can be addictive, and people may also use it to cope with difficult experiences or mental health problems. Struggling with alcohol isn’t simply about willpower. Blame and shame can make it harder to ask for help, while understanding and appropriate support can make it easier to make changes.

Support

There are different types of support available if alcohol is affecting someone’s wellbeing, relationships, school or everyday life. You don’t have to wait until drinking becomes a serious problem before asking for help, and you don’t necessarily have to be ready to stop completely.

A trusted adult can be a good first step. This could be a parent or carer, teacher, school nurse, youth worker, family member or another adult who makes you feel safe. They can listen without judging, help you understand what’s happening and support you to access further help.

GPs and healthcare professionals can provide confidential advice about alcohol use, mental health and physical health. They can help someone understand whether they may be developing dependence and refer them to appropriate services. For young people, schools and colleges may also have counsellors, pastoral staff, safeguarding leads or school nurses who can help.

Young people’s drug and alcohol services can provide specialist support around alcohol and other substances. Depending on the service, this might include one-to-one support, understanding drinking patterns, managing difficult emotions, reducing or stopping alcohol use, and support for difficulties at home, school or with friends. Local services vary, so a GP, school or local service finder can help someone find the right support.

Peer and community support can also be useful. Services such as Alcoholics Anonymous and SMART Recovery offer support from people with experience of alcohol-related difficulties, while family-focused services such as Al-Anon and Adfam support people affected by someone else’s drinking.

If someone has been drinking heavily or regularly, they should speak to a healthcare professional before suddenly stopping. Alcohol dependence can cause withdrawal symptoms that may be serious or life-threatening, so it is important to get appropriate medical advice about stopping safely.

Support is available for the people around someone who drinks too. Parents, carers, siblings and friends can be affected by someone else’s alcohol use and may need their own space to talk, get advice and look after their wellbeing.

Therapy interventions

Therapy for alcohol use may not be about alcohol itself. It can help someone understand why they drink, what situations or feelings lead to drinking, and how alcohol may be affecting their mental health, relationships and everyday life. For young people, the approach will depend on their age, needs and circumstances.

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can help someone understand the links between their thoughts, feelings and behaviour around alcohol. They might identify situations that trigger drinking and develop different ways of managing stress, difficult emotions, cravings or pressure from others.
• Motivational Interviewing (MI) can help someone explore how they feel about their drinking and whether they want to make changes. Rather than telling them what they should do, it helps them consider their own reasons for changing and work towards goals that are meaningful to them.
• Behavioural approaches focus on changing the routines and situations connected to drinking. This might involve identifying triggers, planning for difficult situations, developing alternative activities and finding healthier ways to cope when they feel like drinking.
• Emotion regulation and coping work can be useful when someone drinks to manage stress, anxiety, anger, loneliness or other difficult emotions. Therapy can help them understand these feelings and develop other strategies for managing them without relying on alcohol.
• Therapy for anxiety or low mood may be helpful when someone is drinking alongside mental health difficulties. Addressing these difficulties can help reduce the reasons they may be turning to alcohol as a way of coping.
• Trauma-focused therapy may be considered when alcohol use is connected to experiences such as abuse, neglect, violence or other traumatic events. It can help someone process difficult experiences and develop safer ways of coping.
• Family therapy can involve parents, carers or other family members in supporting a young person. It can improve communication, help family members understand what the young person is experiencing and create a more supportive environment around making changes.

Helplines

Childline
Childline is a free service for young people to talk to a counsellor about anything. The service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Childline is available to anybody who is 18 years old or younger.

Phone: 0800 1111
Opening times: Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
You can also find helpful resources, speak to a counsellor online or send a message on their site.
Website: www.childline.org.uk

For adults concerned about a child, the NSPCC can be contacted 

NSPCC

NSPCC is a children’s charity that works to protect children and prevent abuse and neglect. They provide support and advice for adults about child abuse, neglect, child safety, online safety and children’s mental and emotional wellbeing. 

Phone: 0808 800 5000
Opening times: 10 am–4 pm, Monday–Friday
Email: help@nspcc.org.uk
Email opening times: 11 am–4 pm, 7 days a week
Website: www.nspcc.org.uk

Drinkaware

Drinkaware is a charity providing information, advice and support about alcohol and drinking. They cover issues including alcohol use, drinking habits, alcohol-related harm and concerns about your own or someone else’s drinking.

Phone: 0300 123 1110
Opening times: 9 am–8 pm, Monday–Friday; 11 am–4 pm, Saturday and Sunday
Drinkchat: 9 am–2 pm, Monday–Friday
Website: www.drinkaware.co.uk

FRANK

FRANK is a service providing information, advice and support about drugs and alcohol. It covers drug and alcohol use, effects and risks, peer pressure, addiction, concerns about someone else’s drug or alcohol use and finding local support.

Phone: 0300 123 6600
Opening times: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Text: 82111
Live chat: 2 pm–6 pm, 7 days a week
Email: frank@talktofrank.com
Website: www.talktofrank.com

Shout

Shout is a free, confidential text messaging service that provides support to anyone who is struggling to cope. It can help with a wide range of issues, including stress, anxiety, low mood, loneliness, relationship difficulties, bullying, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, feeling overwhelmed and other mental health challenges.

Text: SHOUT to 85258
Opening times: Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
Website: www.giveusashout.org

The Mix 

The Mix is a charity providing free information, advice and support for young people on all sorts of issues that can affect their lives and wellbeing. This includes mental health, relationships, money, housing, work and education, drugs and alcohol, bullying, social media, family difficulties and many other challenges. They offer information and practical advice to help young people understand what they are going through, make informed decisions and find further support when they need it. 

Phone: 0808 808 4994
Opening times: 11 am–11 pm, 7 days a week
Website: http://www.themix.org.uk
Crisis Messenger: Text THEMIX to 85258 – available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Adfam

Adfam is a charity providing information, advice and support for families affected by someone else’s drug or alcohol use. They cover issues including substance use, addiction, family relationships and the impact of drugs and alcohol on family life.

Phone: 020 3817 9410
Opening times: 9 am–5 pm, Monday–Friday
Website: www.adfam.org.uk

Samaritans

Samaritans is a charity providing emotional support to anyone who is struggling to cope or needs someone to talk to. They are there for people experiencing all sorts of difficulties, including stress, anxiety, loneliness, relationship or family problems, bereavement, feeling overwhelmed and concerns about mental health or suicide.

Phone: 116 123

Opening times: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year

Website: http://www.samaritans.org