Alcohol

• Impaired judgement
• Memory loss
• Aggressive behaviours
• Slower reaction times
• Lack of coordination
• Slurred speech
• Laboured breathing
• Headache
• Nausea and vomiting
• Increased risk of falls and accidents
• Black-outs / unconsciousness
• Alcohol poisoning
• Increased risk of stroke and dementia
• Poor work performance
• Hangovers

• Alcohol dependence or addiction
• Increasingly aggressive and/or violent behaviours
• Cirrhosis and liver failure
• Sexual and reproductive problems (such as impotence, fertility issues)
• Increased risk of stomach and bowel cancers, as well as stomach ulcers
• Increased risk of heart damage and heart attacks
• Weight management issues
• Nutrition-related deficiencies
• Poor sleep hygiene
• Financial issues
• Interpersonal conflicts
• Family and relationships problems and breakdowns
• Mental ill-health conditions, such as depression and anxiety

If you feel that you want to be taking take more control over your alcohol use, consider the following options:

• Start tracking how much and what type of alcohol you are drinking. You can get a better idea of your drinking patterns by using an online tracker, such as the I am Sober app.
• Become more aware of what triggers are attached to your drinking. For example, you may be drinking at certain times of the day, around specific people, or when you experience painful thoughts and feelings. Building your awareness of high-risk times for drinking can help you put a plan in place to prevent it from happening.

If you know you are going to be in a situation where alcohol use is encouraged or a normalised part of a particular group culture, make a plan for how you will manage it:

• Make a commitment to yourself before you go about how many drinks you will have to stay within a reasonable limit.
• Use water and/or non-alcoholic drinks as ‘spacers’ between alcoholic drinks, or plan to only have non-alcoholic drinks.
• Tell someone you trust at the event that you’re trying to cut back and let them know how they can support you to do this.

There can be two types of social pressure to drink alcohol:

• Direct pressure from people pushing the expectation that you will drink, or giving you options or opportunities to drink, or
• Indirect pressure from being around other people who are drinking.

You can manage these pressures using the practice, delay, distract, and decide framework:

• Practice saying 'No' in a calm and confident way before you go out so it’s easier to do when you’re in the moment.
• Delay drinking within an achievable timeframe (5, 10, 15 or 30 minutes). Gradually increase your delay periods. This teaches your brain that you don’t have to act on impulses that will eventually pass. Urge surfing can be a good technique to use when you need to ride out strong urges.
• Distract yourself from drinking. Walk, read, talk to a friend or watch a movie. Have a list of activities that you can do when the urge to drink comes up.

Remind yourself after the end of the set period of time why reducing your drinking is important to you. How will it help you to be the kind of person you want to be, and have the life you want to live?

Find other ways to unwind and let go of tension in place of drinking alcohol, such as:

• exercise (running, surfing, rock-climbing, bushwalking, dancing)
• meditation
• yoga
• art
• music
• mindfulness
• cooking
• gardening
• camping

Remember to take care of yourself: eat a healthy diet, have a structured sleep routine, maintain positive social relationships, and exercise regularly. By doing this, you’ll set yourself a strong foundation to build your resilience and positive wellbeing.