ALCOHOL AWARENESS
Am I drinking too much?
Units of alcohol
A unit of alcohol is 10ml of pure alcohol, which is about half a pint of normal strength lager or a
single measure (25ml) of spirits. A small glass (125ml) of wine contains about one-and-a-half units of
alcohol.
Men should not regularly drink more than 3-4 units of alcohol a day, and women should not
regularly drink more than 2-3 units a day.
'Regularly' means drinking this amount every day or most days of the week.
It's also recommended that both men and women should have at least two alcohol-free days each
week. Your health is at risk if you regularly exceed recommended daily limits.
____________
Risks of Alcohol Misuse
Alcohol misuse means drinking excessively - more than the recommended limits of alcohol
consumption (see above).
The short-term risks of alcohol misuse include:
• alcohol poisoning - this may lead to vomiting, seizures (fits) and falling unconscious
• accidents and injuries requiring hospital treatment, such as a head injury
• violent behaviour that might lead to being arrested by police
• unprotected sex that could potentially lead to unplanned pregnancy or sexually transmitted
infections (STIs)
• loss of personal possessions, such as wallets, keys or mobile phones, leading to stress and anxiety
Long-term alcohol misuse is a major risk factor for serious conditions including:
• heart disease
• stroke
• liver disease
• liver cancer and bowel cancer
As well as causing serious health problems, long-term alcohol misuse can lead to social problems,
such as unemployment, divorce, domestic abuse and homelessness.
_______________
Am I drinking too much alcohol?
You could be misusing alcohol if:
• you feel you should cut down on your drinking
• other people have been criticising your drinking
• you feel guilty or bad about your drinking
• you need a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or get rid of a hangover
_______________
Getting help
If you're concerned about your drinking or someone else's, a good first step is to contact the Surgery
and speak to a GP or Nurse Practitioner. They will be able to discuss services and treatments
available.
Alternatively you can complete a confidential patient questionnaire which is available at reception.
If this highlights anything of concern we will contact you and arrange an appointment for you to see
a clinician at the Surgery. The questionnaire is also on our website:www.theoaktreesurgery.co.uk
If you want further information about Alcohol and your health then follow the links below:http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Alcohol-misuse/Pages/Introduction.aspx
http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/alcohol-use-disorders-identification-test-audit
https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/check-the-facts/health-effects-of-alcohol/appearance/calories-inalcohol
This is one unit of alcohol…
…and each of these is more than one unit
AUDIT – C
Name.................................................
Date of birth……………………………..............
Questions
How often do you have a drink
containing alcohol?
How many units of alcohol do you
drink on a typical day when you are
drinking?
How often have you had 6 or more
units if female, or 8 or more if male,
on a single occasion in the last year?
Scoring system
0
1
2
3
4
Never
Monthly
or less
2-4
times
per
month
2-3
times
per
week
4+
times
per
week
1 -2
3-4
5-6
7-9
10+
Never
Less
than
monthly
Weekly
Daily
or
almost
daily
Monthly
Scoring:
A total of 5+ indicates increasing or higher risk drinking.
An overall total score of 5 or above is AUDIT-C positive.
PLEASE HAND TO RECEPTIONIST WHEN COMPLETED
Thank you
Your
score
SCORE