Know your alcohol limits during the festive season

The PHA’s Drugs and Alcohol lead Michael Owen said: “Christmas is a great time to relax and meet up with family, friends and work colleagues to celebrate, but it is very easy to overindulge. Excess alcohol can spoil the holiday for not only you but also for your family. We are asking that people set limits for themselves and keep an eye on how many drinks they are having.

“The alcohol guidelines recommend that both men and women drink no more than 14 units per week. If you do drink as much as 14 units per week, it is best to spread this evenly over three days or more. You can’t ‘save up’ your units for a particular day or a party. Binge drinking can have a major impact on your health such as causing damage to the liver, heart, brain and stomach. It can also have a major impact on relationships.

“Alcohol can also have an impact on your mental health, and if you are hung over you can feel anxious and low. Some people may feel down over Christmas and drinking can make this worse.”

If you are planning on drinking alcohol over Christmas, here are some tips for managing your drinking:

• Eat before or while drinking and avoid salty snacks, which make you thirsty.

• Be assertive – don’t be pressured into drinking more than you want or intend to.

• Know your limits and stick to them.

• Stay busy – don’t just sit and drink. Dance or have a game of pool if you’re at a pub.

• Try not to confuse large measures of alcohol with standard measures, eg: a glass of wine served at a party or at home may be much larger than the standard 125ml.

If you or someone you know is in distress or despair, call Lifeline on 0808 808 8000. The helpline is available 24/7.