Alcohol: Good or Bad?
The bad news...
Alcohol is widely available, well-advertised and can sometimes be seen as an
‘acceptable drug’ due the amount of people that use it regularly. BUT this doesn’t
mean it cannot be harmful like other drugs are.
There are many short and long term consequences to drinking alcohol:
Short term:
Vomiting – too much alcohol can cause you to vomit, if you don’t drink often
it won’t take much alcohol to get you to this level
Having a hangover – Made plans for the next day? Scrap them!
Alcohol poisoning – Did you know alcohol is a poison? If you drink a lot of
alcohol in a short amount of time the alcohol levels in your blood will
become too high and will start to affect your body’s vital functions. In
serious cases you can stop breathing, choke on your own vomit or fall into a
coma.
Weight gain – alcohol has a lot of calories in it, in fact one pint of beer
equals the same calories as a reasonably sized slice of pizza
Mood swings – alcohol is a depressant, it can cause you to feel miserable,
this in turn affects relationships with friends and family
Disturbed sleep – alcohol can affect your sleeping patterns, lack of decent
sleep in turn affects your mental state
Accidents – you are more likely to have an accident and injure yourself
Long term:
Liver disease
Mental illness
Premature ageing
Bowl or Liver cancer
Heart disease
Impotence in men
Alcohol makes you feel more confident, cause you to lose your inhibitions and
impair your judgement leading you to take more risks. You may regret these risks
once you are sober, some examples are having unprotected sex, drink driving or
committing crime such as criminal damage. You might also put yourself at risk of
having crimes committed against you such as being robbed, attached or sexually
assaulted.
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It's not all bad!
We're not saying don't drink alcohol EVER (although remember the legal drinking
age is 18), alcohol can be an enjoyable thing, a cheeky social pint with a friend on
the weekend can be awesome. All we're saying is be careful whilst drinking and try
not to drink too frequently, the key is drinking responsibly and knowing your limits.
You don't drink?...So what!
Remember, not everyone drinks alcohol, it’s okay to never drink it, it’s YOUR choice.
If you feel pressured to drink it’s okay to just say no and walk away, if they are your
real friends they wouldn’t make you do anything you didn’t want to do. You may
find that if you say no, make a joke of the situation and tease your friends for trying
to make you drink then the situation will resolve itself.
Most of all - Stay Safe
If you are going to drink alcohol here are some tips to help keep you safe:
Eat – Make sure you eat a full starch rich meal before going out, this will slow down
the rate alcohol is absorbed, meaning you won’t get drunk as fast.
Don’t mix – Avoid the stronger drinks and stick to one type of alcohol
Get your own – Always pour your own drink if at a party, then you know exactly
what you are drinking and how strong it is. If you are at a pub or bar then make
sure you are present if someone else is buying your drink.
Charge up – Make sure your mobile phone is fully charged and has credit, this way
you can call friends, parents, emergency services if you get into any trouble.
Watch your drink – always keep an eye on your drink and never leave it
unattended and then return to it, anyone could have put anything in it!
If you want any information on alcohol or think one of your friends has an issue with
alcohol then there are services you can speak to, check them out in the signposting
section below.
Signposts
Getting Help Locally
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Wyze-Up - Yzup offers support, information and advice to young people under the
age of 18 about drugs and alcohol.
Alcoholics Anonymous Cornwall - If you believe you or a friend/family member have
a problem with alcohol then this site will offer information and help and will answer
any questions you may have about Alcoholics Anonymous.
Find your local GP surgery
National Support Websites
Drinkaware - Drinkaware aim to reduce alcohol-related harm by helping people
make better choices about their drinking
Alcohol and the law - Find out more about alcohol and the law
Rise Above - Have any questions about drink? Here you’ll find great advice and tips
for making decisions about alcohol
Childline - Damaging yourself: Alcohol information
NHS Choices - For loads of info and advice on healthy living and alcohol check out
the NHS choices website
Created 15 June 2017
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