My first sober Christmas: Tips to help you say no
Christmas can be a difficult time for anyone who doesn't want to drink alcohol. Eleanor Fatharly gives her tips on staying alcohol-free.
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Alcohol &
Mental
Health
Around 2 billion people worldwide consume alcohol. Of those, an estimated 76 million people are affected by alcohol misuse disorders.
Here, we highlight some of the effects alcohol can have on our mental health, and provide resources to help overcome alcohol dependence and addiction.
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The impact of alcohol
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Impact of alcohol
That's about 1% of
the entire population
of England
589,000
The number of people in England thought to be alcohol-dependent
That's about 10% of
all suicides in England
542
The average number of deaths by suicide in mental health patients per year who also had a history of alcohol abuse, between 2007 and 2017
57%
The proportion of deaths by suicide among UK mental health patients who had a history of drug or alcohol abuse
1 in 3
The proportion of adults with probable alcohol dependence who were receiving treatment and services for their mental or emotional health in 2014
Articles and insights
Articles and insights
Resources
Resources
Factsheets
Alcohol and your mental health
Alcohol and mental health
Alcohol and your mood
All documents produced and provided by Alcohol Change UK. Find more helpful factsheets to help with alcohol consumption here.
Videos
Our history with alcohol
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05:13
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How alcohol affects the human body
05:26
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01:10
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02:54
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Real-life stories of alcohol abuse and recovery
11:15
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16:44
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05:55
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09:02
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Podcasts
The Happy Sober Podcast
Weekly episodes from Craig Beck, a leading 'how to stop drinking' mentor which covers a vast range of topics, including how to control alcohol quickly and easily, dealing with your drinking friends and family, and relaxing without a drink.
I'm Quitting Alcohol
I'm Quitting Alcohol is a 5-minute daily podcast by comedian David Boyle. Join Boyle as he transitions from alcoholic maniac to sober lunatic and attempts to process the past 20 years of booze soaked mayhem.
How I Quit Alcohol
In this podcast, Danni Carr talks with ex-binge drinkers, alcoholics in recovery, drug and alcohol counsellors, and people that have good stuff to say about quitting the drink.
Alcohol Alert Podcast
From the UK's Institute of Alcohol Studies, this podcast covers the latest updates on UK alcohol policy matters.
The Alcohol 'Problem' Podcast
Presented by Dr James Morris, the Alcohol 'Problem' Podcast explores the nature of problem drinking through interviews with medical professionals and well-known public figures.
Who to talk to
Your GP is a good place to start if you have issues with alcohol. They will know what support is available locally and can help you with the following:
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A general health check-up or specific medical tests
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Medication and other treatments for other conditions such as depression, anxiety or sleep problems
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Medication to reduce cravings
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Referral to your local treatment service
If you need help to manage your relationship with alcohol, there are many organisations available to guide and support you. All helplines are confidential, and most will be free of charge:
Drinkline
About: National alcohol helpline.
Telephone: 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am to 8pm, weekends 11am to 4pm).
With You
About: National alcohol helpline.
Telephone: 0808 8010 750
Website: https://www.wearewithyou.org.uk/
About: Free, confidential phone and email helpline for children of alcohol-dependent parents and others concerned about their welfare.
Telephone: 0800 358 3456
Website: https://nacoa.org.uk/
About: Free, confidential phone and email service for anyone in need of support with their drinking habits.
Telephone: 0800 9177 650
Email: help@aamail.org
Website: https://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/
FRANK
About: Confidential information, advice and support for anyone concerned about alcohol and illegal drugs.
Telephone: 0300 123 6600 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
Website: https://www.talktofrank.com/
About: Offers support and understanding to the families and friends of problem drinkers. Alateen is part of Al-Anon and can be attended by 12- to 17-year-olds who are affected by another person's drinking, usually a parent.
Telephone: 0800 0086 811
Email: helpline@al-anonuk.org.uk
Website: https://www.al-anonuk.org.uk/
About: One of the UK's leading alcohol charities providing resources to help people with their drinking habits.
Website: https://alcoholchange.org.uk/
About: Drinkaware provides an online instant messaging service called Drinkchat which uses trained professionals from the national alcohol support service, Drinkline. You can speak to someone at Drinkchat between 9am-2pm on weekdays.
Telephone: 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am–8pm, weekends 11am–4pm)
Website: https://drinkaware.co.uk/
About: A national charity working with families affected by drugs and alcohol. Adfam operates an online message board and a database of local support groups.
Website: https://adfam.org.uk/
About: Helps people decide if they have a problem, build up their motivation to change, and offer a set of proven tools and techniques to support recovery.
Website: https://smartrecovery.org.uk/
About: If you live in Wales, you can contact the DAN 24/7 alcohol and drug any time of the day or night.
Telephone: 0808 808 2234 or text DAN to 81066
Website: https://dan247.org.uk/
About: A national charity that supports anyone concerned about someone else’s alcohol or drug use in Scotland. The helpline is open from 9am-11pm on weekdays with a call-back service on weekends.
Telephone: 08080 10 10 11
Website: https://www.sfad.org.uk/
About: If you are looking for urgent support please contact the Samaritans, who are available 24/7.
Telephone: 116 123
Website: jo@samaritans.org
Who to talk to
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