Today is the last chance to chat with professionals from the Island’s Drug and Alcohol Action Team as part of Alcohol Awareness Week.
The team will be on hand to give advice and support at St. Thomas’ Square in Newport, between 10.00am and 5.00pm today.
We’re told this week that over a quarter of the population in England (10 million adults) drink above the guidelines for lower risk drinking. Of these, 2.6 million adults (8% of men and 6% of women) regularly drink at higher risk levels.
The Isle of Wight’s Director of Public Health and Chief Medical Officer, Doctor Jenifer Smith, said: “We’re behind the Know Your Limits campaign because alcohol is one of the leading causes of health problems on the Isle of Wight. It’s so easy to get into a routine of regular drinking which is above the lower-risk guidelines, without realising you might be putting your health at risk. For example, if a man regularly drinks a couple of pints of beer most days of the week, he is drinking above the lower-risk guidelines.”
A helpful list of tips to help you ‘rethink your drink’ have been produced for the ‘Know Your Limit’s campaign
1. Decide on your ultimate goal. Do you want to cut down to a set daily amount? Maybe you want to avoid binge drinking? Or perhaps you would like to give up alcohol altogether?
2. Pick a day of the next week to start cutting down. Go for a day when you are less likely to be under pressure, so it’s easier to avoid alcohol.
3. Keep a drink diary. Writing this on a regular basis will help you to work out how much you’re drinking.
4. Work out how you can avoid situations that you know will encourage you to drink. For example, if you’re going out with friends suggest the cinema instead of the pub.
5. Pace yourself. Try drinking each drink more slowly or alternating alcoholic drinks with soft or low alcohol ones.
6. Find something else to do while you drink, like playing darts or pool, or dancing. This will take your mind off your drinks and help you to slow down.
7. Get out of the habit of drinking because you are stressed or have nothing else to do. Look for other ways to relax: activities like swimming or going for a walk will make you feel better and don’t involve alcohol.
8. Take stock of your progress and make sure you give yourself credit where it’s due for your achievements so far. This will help you keep going to achieve your targets.
9. Try to have at least two alcohol-free days a week. Choose days when you’re less likely to be in situations where you would usually drink alcohol. Always give your body a 48 hour break from booze if you do drink too much in one session.
10. Don’t give up! Changing a habit like drinking takes time and hard work, and sometimes it’s difficult to drink less. Focus on what you’ve achieved so far and reward yourself when you have met your drinking targets. If you do relapse, don’t stop, just set a new date to start cutting down again.
Image: Bachmont under CC BY-SA 2.0
