Regularly drinking more than the recommended limit can lead to serious health and wellbeing problems.
This applies to adults who drink most weeks.
The Chief Medical Officers’ guideline for both men and women is that:
- To keep health risks from alcohol to a low level it is safest not to drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis
- If you regularly drink as much as 14 units per week, it is best to spread your drinking evenly over 3 or more days
- The risk of developing a range of health problems (including cancers of the mouth, throat and breast) increases the more you drink on a regular basis
- If you wish to cut down the amount you drink, a good way to help achieve this is to have several drink-free days each week.
Tips on cutting back
Alcohol and pregnancy
If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, the safest approach is to not drink alcohol at all, keeping the risk to your baby at a minimum. Drinking during pregnancy can cause long-term harm to the baby.
For further advice and information visit:
How to get further help for yourself
There are a range of free, confidential and local support services that can help you:
Advice for someone else
If it’s become clear that someone you care about has issues with alcohol, it can be hard to know what to say or do. The following organisations can provide help and support:
Turning your life around from alcohol. Listen to Jane's story, with the help of With You in Wigan and Leigh and Greenslate Farm Community Rehab, Jane has turned her life around and is now supporting others as a group facilitator.
Communities in Charge of Alcohol
Are you interested in supporting your local community by becoming an Alcohol Health Champion? Champions facilitate conversations in the community to help reduce the harm caused by alcohol to health and communities.
As a champion you will:
- Receive free training
- Gain a nationally recognised qualification in “Understanding Alcohol Misuse”.
Contact us to find out more about being an Alcohol Health Champion.