Substance misuse

Alcohol introduction

To give you an idea of how much people can drink in a day without putting their health at risk the 'bench-mark' is:

Women 2-3 units Men 3-4 units.

Drink	Units per measure	How many equals a bottle of spirit?
Pint beer (5%)	3	9 pints
Glass wine (12%)	1.5	3 bottles
Extra strength lager 500ml Can	4.5	6 cans
Cider 7.5% 500 ml Can	3.5	8 cans
Spirit 25ml	1
Spirit bottle	28

Drink	Calories
Beers Lager/Bitter Strong lager	160-180 pint 400-430 pint
Cider Ordinary strength (e.g. Strongbow) Strong ciders, like K or Diamond White, have more calories.	200 pint
Alcopops e.g. Hooch, Smirnoff Ice. Varies but	150 per bottle approx.
Spirits (pub measure) Vodka, Whisky, Gin, Tequila Rum, Brandy Jack Daniels Southern Comfort	50 60-75 60 70
Wine (pub measure) Red White	80 75

Drink

Calories

Beers

Lager/Bitter

Strong lager

160-180 pint

400-430 pint

Cider

Ordinary strength (e.g. Strongbow)

Strong ciders, like K or Diamond White, have more calories.

200 pint

Alcopops

e.g. Hooch, Smirnoff Ice. Varies but

150 per bottle approx.

Spirits (pub measure)

Vodka, Whisky, Gin, Tequila

Rum, Brandy

Jack Daniels

Southern Comfort

60-75

Wine (pub measure)

Red

White

Are you drinking for pleasure or are you drinking to change the way you feel (less stressed, happier, more confident, less depressed.)?
Because you're bored?
Because you're trying to block something out that's bothering or upsetting you?
Because you're scared or embarrassed about sleeping with someone? (Did you know that 1 in 4 boys and 1 in 5 girls lose their virginity or have a one-night stand they regret when drunk.?)
Because all your mates are doing it and you want to fit in?

If you're drinking to change the way you feel it could lead to problems - it's much better to work out other ways to feel more or less about something.
If you're worried about your drinking, or if you've tried to cut down before and found it difficult, ask yourself these 4 questions.

Have you ever felt you ought to cut down on your drinking?
Have people annoyed you by criticising your drinking?
Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking?
Have you ever had a drink first thing to steady your nerves or get rid of a hang-over?

If you answered 'yes' to 2 or more of these questions, your drinking is causing some problems for you and you might want to get some help. Action-For-Change may be able to help you work through things.