Alcohol
A recent survey found that one in four men and one in five women are exceeding the recommended daily limits of alcohol and therefore in danger of causing serious damage to their health.
If you regularly drink more than the NHS advises over a long period your health could be at serious risk of conditions such as:
- Cancer of the mouth, throat, oesophagus or larynx
- Breast cancer in women
- Heart disease or an irregular heartbeat, which can lead to heart attack
- High blood pressure
- Stroke
- Liver damage such as cirrhosis and liver cancer
- Depression, memory loss, brain damage or dementia
Drinking can affect your sex life too. Men can suffer from temporary impotence after drinking. People who drink heavily over a long period of time might also suffer from:
- Less interest in sex
- Impotence
- Shrinking of the testicles
- Reduction in penis size
- Reduced sperm production
- Loss of pubic and body hair
- Enlargement of the breasts (as a complication of damage to the liver)
Alcohol can be high in calories so unless you’re taking plenty of exercise, it can make you put on weight.
In Bedfordshire, more than 5,500 hospital admissions and more than 2,000 crimes each year are alcohol-related.
Did you know?
NHS advice on drinking recommends that 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.
Find out how many units there are in a single drink or in a number of drinks.
Have two alcohol free days per week.
Are you drinking too much? Find out if you are drinking over the recommended levels and therefore putting your health at risk.
If you regularly drink more than the recommended limits, try some simple tips to help you cut down.
Alcohol services
There are a range of services and support available in Bedfordshire for anyone affected by alcohol.
Plan B
26-28 Bromham Road, Bedford, MK40 2QD
Telephone: 01234 344911
Plan B website
Contact the service: Monday-Thursday 9am-5pm; Friday 9am – 4pm
Drop in times: Monday -Thursday 10am-4pm, Friday 12pm-3pm.
Provides advice, counselling and detox service for 10-19 year olds.
james kingham project (jkp)
32 St Johns Street, Bedford, MK42 ODH
Telephone: 01234 344133
Contact the service: Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm
Drop in times: Monday 10am – 4pm, Thursday 10am – 5pm, Friday 10am – 4pm.
This service is for those who are experiencing problems due to their own use of alcohol and for individuals who are affected by other people’s alcohol use. jkp offers a range of services such as late night opening hours, private individual sessions with a named worker, one to one counselling, practical support with everyday issues, relaxation and aromatherapy, self help groups, social events, outreach, women only sessions and much more.
Alcohol services for the community
Head Office - Napier House, 17-21 Napier Road, Luton, LU1 1RF
Telephone: 01582 723434
Email: administration@alcohol-services.co.uk
Kyc – Keep yourself clean (Alcohol Abstinence Group)
Meetings are held at The Wellbeing Centre, 3 Woburn Road, Bedford, MK40 1EG
Telephone: 07539815140 or 07506721172
Email Kyc2010@yahoo.co.uk
Contact the service: Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm
Kyc is an independent group of abstinent people who aim to offer support, friendship and the opportunity to move forward from alcoholism in a positive and non-judgemental way. The group can offer help with accessing support services, training (and in some cases help with costs), finding employment and outreach to rural communities and those feeling isolated.Identification and Brief Advice (IBA) training
Research has shown that identifying and providing brief advice to increasing-risk and higher risk drinkers can reduce alcohol consumption by an average of 24% and that the effect can be sustained for up to four years.
Last year NHS Bedfordshire was awarded funding from the Regional Alcohol Programme to provide Identification and Brief Advice (IBA) training to extend the availability of alcohol advice across Bedfordshire.
Around 700 staff from a variety of organisations across the public and voluntary sector including GP practices, health care, ambulance, police, Bedford Prison and social care have completed the training and are now offering advice to patients in their communities.
It involves using quick and simple screening tools; asking a series of questions to assess whether someone has a drinking problem and then offering brief advice to talk through the issues and direct them to further help and support. It prompts drinkers to recognise the potential risk and reconsider their behaviour and encourages them to cut down their consumption to lower risk levels.
Community Alcohol Liaison Service (CALS)
The Community Alcohol Liaison Service (CALS) consists of two specialist alcohol workers who work with patients attending General Practice, A&E, out-patient clinics, and those admitted to wards. These patients are assessed by trained members of the Acute and Primary Care teams for alcohol misuse using the AUDIT screening tool. Patients whose score indicates hazardous or harmful drinking are offered an appointment with the Community Alcohol Liaison Worker (CALS), who carries out a more in-depth assessment of the patients’ lifestyle and alcohol use. Where appropriate the CALS worker will undertake brief advice, extended brief interventions or referral to specialist alcohol services, including dual diagnosis services or other wrap around support services e.g. housing, benefits advice etc.
As this service is community based it will provide patients with a wider choice of timely interventions that are accessible and closer to home.
If you are concerned about your, or a member of your family’s drinking contact your GP for advice.
Further information
NHS Choices
Alcohol Concern
Drink Aware
Alcoholics Anonymous