Drinking sensibly

Need support?

Please get in touch with the University's Employee Assistance Program (EAP), which is a confidential workplace service provided by the University to help staff members deal with a wide range of concerns. It is available to staff members and their families and aims to have a positive impact on their wellbeing.

Other services which could help include, Cyngor Alcohol Information Services (CAIS) have a self help guide to help people reduce drinking for healthier living. Visit their website: www.cais.co.uk or Employment Support Service - this is a free, confidential service offering advice and support for employees available in north Wales

---

The Anglesey & Gwynedd Recovery Organisation (AGRO) has been set up for people in recovery run by people in recovery. They hold evening and weekend meetings and events and is a member-led organisation founded on the values of inclusivity and mutuality; it is an organisation run by people in recovery for people in recovery
Anglesey and Gwynedd. Contact details can be found here.  

----

For most people who drink, alcohol is a source of pleasure and enjoyment. It makes us feel more relaxed, but also less inhibited. In some situations this leads to fights and arguments, ill considered sexual contact, law breaking and accidents.

Acting ‘silly’ may be soon forgotten, but the more serious consequences of inappropriate behaviours and actions on others may last a lifetime. Listen to an account of a typical weekend night by an A&E Nurse, here

No-one is trying to spoil your fun or say you should never drink and everyone, regardless of age or whether they "can handle it" should always drink sensibly. 

But how much is safe?  Guidelines are intended to describe the volume of alcohol that is thought not to damage health. Alcohol by volume (ABV) is the percentage of alcohol contained in the beverage. This is not the drink drive limit. You are strongly advised not to drink any alcohol before driving, including the night before driving as you may still be affected. 

You need to avoid alcohol altogether if you are pregnant, or planning pregnancy, if you are in very hot or very cold climates, or taking medicines that should not be mixed with alcohol or if your suffer from medical or mental health conditions that may be made worse by taking alcohol.


The current daily guidelines for both men and women are that you should drink no more than 14 units over the course of three days or more. This is the equivalent of a bottle and a half of wine over the course of a week. It is also best not to "save up units" and drink them all in one go and to make sure you have at least 2 alcohol-free days a week.

Different drinks contain different concentrations of alcohol by volume:

Example

ABV

Standard pub measure / can size

No of Units

(approx)

Red / white wine

12%

125 ml standard glass

1.5

Champagne

12%

125 ml glass

1.5

Sherry

17.5%

50 ml

1

Port

20%

50 ml

1

Super strength lager

9%

500 ml can

4.5

Export lager / beer

5%

1 pint

2.8

Standard lager / beer

3.5%

1 pint

2

Low alcohol lager

1%

275 ml can

¼

Strong cider

8.5%

500 ml can

4

Regular cider

5%

1 pint

2.8

Gin / vodka / rum

37.5%

35 ml

1.3

Whisky / brandy

40%

35 ml

1.4

 

If you regularly drink, work out what you drink in a week. If it is difficult to remember keep a daily note of all the drinks, how many units in each, the times of day and where you were.

If you want to cut down plan ahead for a day when it is easier to avoid alcohol or situations when you know you end up drinking more. You might like to tell other people that you are cutting back, this should avoid them putting pressure on you to drink and they might even join in. Try phrases such as: ‘No thanks, I have had enough’ or ‘I have got a lot on tomorrow’.