Reflect on your relationship with alcohol.

Warwickshire County Council is encouraging adults to reduce the amount of alcohol they are drinking. Data shows that adults in Warwickshire aged 35-64 years old are most likely to be admitted into hospital for an alcohol related condition, including liver disease, alcoholic ketoacidosis, diabetes, fatty liver, cancers, high blood pressure and heart attack*. 

It is safest not to drink alcohol at all, but if you do choose to drink, then it’s recommended to consume no more than 14 units spread across 3 or 4 days each week. Drinking alcohol can lead to an increased likelihood of developing certain diseases, such as, certain cancers, liver disease and heart problems.  

There is support available across Warwickshire to help manage alcohol consumption. Warwickshire County Council’s adult drug and alcohol treatment service Change, Grow, Live Warwickshire (CGL) saw a huge increase in people visiting their alcohol information pages during lockdown, showing that more people are taking a positive step in thinking about their drinking habits and seeking support.  

Councillor Margaret Bell, portfolio holder for Adult Social Care and Health said: “The past couple of years have been very difficult for everyone as we have all dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people find comfort in alcohol, particularly in times of increased stress but increased alcohol intake can worsen mental health problems. Warwickshire County Council services are here to support our residents, visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/health for more information about mental health, wellbeing and drug and alcohol services.”  

The pandemic is not over, so take some time this Alcohol Awareness Week and think about your own alcohol consumption; is there room for improvement and what steps can you take to reduce your alcohol intake. It is important to find positive alternatives to using alcohol as a coping mechanism which will have a positive effect on your mental and physical wellbeing.  

Some ideas could be: 

• connecting with family and friends more through video chatting and phone calls 
• keeping up with our physical health while at home with online classes and videos -  more advice on keeping physical during the pandemic can be found here: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/beactive    
• going for a walk after working from home to establish the end of the day and take notice of your surroundings and nature 
• picking up a new skill or hobby like reading, art & crafts, sports and exercise 

More help and advice is available at alcoholchange.org.uk. 

Alcohol Change has developed a quiz where you can review your drinking habits, available here.  

If you’re looking to cut down or quit alcohol, here are some tips to help get you started:  

• Set yourself a limit and stick to it. 
• Have at least three alcohol-free days each week. 
• Don’t drink on an empty stomach. Always have something to eat first. 
• Have a non-alcoholic drink, like water or a soft drink, between each alcoholic one. 
• If you start having cravings, distract yourself for a few minutes. Try this mini-meditation video on YouTube.  

It’s okay not to feel okay and it’s brave to seek help and support with drinking. If you would like to talk to someone about your drinking habits, or you are concerned about someone you know, support is available at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/alcohol.   

CGL is a free and confidential drug and alcohol service for Warwickshire adults 18+. More information about the service is available here. Contact details for the service are:  

• T: 01926 353513 
• E: Warwickshire.Info@cgl.org.uk 
• Facebook: Change Grow Live Warwickshire 
• Twitter: @WarwickshireCGL 

Compass is a free, confidential substance misuse service for children and young people who need support around their own or another person’s drug or alcohol use. The service works with anyone between 5 and 25 years of age in Warwickshire. Seek help here. Contact details are the service are:  

• Freephone: 0800 088 7248 
• Email: compasswarwickshire@compass-uk.org 
• Text: (Chathealth): 07507 331525 

Opening hours: Monday – Thursday 9am – 5pm, Friday 9am – 4:30pm 

Compass also have their youtube channel up and running now with different video clips on for young people/professionals/parents to view. Click the link here.  

More information. 

There is a range of events throughout the week held by CGL & Compass for anyone interested in finding out more about alcohol and the support available.  

Compass  

Friday 19th November – alcohol awareness event at Warwick university in conjunction with CGL Coventry and Warwickshire 12-2pm. Stalls, displays, beer goggles etc.   

Tuesday 16th November – alcohol awareness webinar for professionals 

CGL