How are you drinking?
Most of us like a drink, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But New Zealand has a drinking culture that costs us dearly, because “it’s not the drinking, it’s how we’re drinking”. We don’t drink in a measured fashion. We bank our drinking and we spend it all at once and this is when the most harm happens. ALAC has an important new programme designed to change the acceptance and celebration of drunkenness and intoxication and to reduce the amount of alcohol we drink at a time.
Alcohol Harm
Alcohol is a drug that affects the way people think, feel and behave. It depresses the intellect, reduces inhibitions, anxiety and tension, but at the same time, increases agitation. With increased use, it can progress from being important psychologically to becoming a mental and physical need.
As dependence grows, the less drinkers are able to control or monitor their behaviour. The priority of addiction, to seek out and consume alcohol, takes over. The drinker becomes apathetic and cares less and less about their principles, standards, family, friends, appearance, job and social standing. If left untreated, it can lead to permanent mental, physical and social harms. Alcohol dependence can also cause premature death, not only from cirrhosis of the liver but also from suicide, accidents and the effects of intoxication.
What are the safe levels for drinking?
Problems are of course not the only indicators. If a person drinks consistently more than the upper recommended level of alcohol each day it is likely they will develop problems or that problems will become more clearly obvious. Therefore the concept of drinking limits has evolved in the hope of preventing harm.
For men: If their total week averages more than 21 standard drinks then they are at increased risk of developing alcohol-related problems and should consider cutting down.
For women: If their total for the week averages more than 14 standard drinks then they are at increased risk of developing alcohol-related problems and should consider cutting down.
The reason for having a lower limit for women than for men is that women are affected more rapidly because of their generally lower body weight, higher proportion of body fat and lower rate of alcohol metabolism in the stomach and small intestine.
ALAC's Recommendations for the Moderate and Safer Use of Alcohol:
For men: No more than 21 standard drinks a week and no more than six standard drinks on any one occasion.
For women: No more than 14 standard drinks a week and no more than four standard drinks on any one occasion.
Also: alcohol-free days
Click here to Test Your Drinking.
Where to next?
If you or someone you know is caught in a cycle of drinking dependency, or a culture of drinking is doing you more harm than good, below are some resources you might want to get hold of. You may also want to contact a treatment agency in your area, or go to www.alac.org.nz or call The Alcohol Helpline on (0800) 787 797 for more information.
ALAC's Self-help Booklets
ALAC has a series of self-help booklets entitled Drinking and Your Health, which includes:
- Is Your Drinking O.K.?
- Cutting Down
- Stopping Drinking
- Maintaining the Change
- Concerned About Someone's Drinking?
You can get copies of these and other publications from Alcohol and Drug services or directly from ALAC or call The Alcohol Helpline on (0800) 787 797.
Alcohol & Drug services
Also when the time is right for you, you may find it useful to contact somebody at an alcohol and drug service. There are alcohol and drug support services available in your region. Most of these services are free while a few charge. You can go to the Find a Health and Social Service section of this website, or you can also call the Alcohol Helpline on (0800) 787 797 and they will give you the details of the alcohol and drug services in your area which are most suited to you. These services will help you and suggest specific actions for change. They will also suggest other services and organisations that can help you.
Website links
www.fade.org.nz
Fade
Information and fact sheets about drugs and alcohol in New Zealand, for both young people and parents. Includes interactive activities to learn about drugs and alcohol and their effects on our body.
Credit
We would like to acknowledge Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand (ALAC) for the information contained in the following resource.
This content was last updated March 6, 2012.
