► Safe drinking

Tis the season to be jolly…..errr but not that jolly

With the silly season fast approaching it seems like a good time to stop and take stock of our relationship with booze. Most of us like to enjoy a drink at Christmas…and indeed not only at Christmas…but with binge drinking becoming more and more widespread in the UK, we are fast becoming a country of part-time alcoholics.

Sounds a bit dramatic doesn’t it? But a lot of people, particularly young people, are drinking to a level that is causing permanent damage to their bodies. A recent study showed that many people are unaware of what safe levels of drinking are.

 NHS guidelines for safe drinking allow us 2-3 units per day for women and 3-4 units per day for men. I think many of us will be surprised to hear that there are 3 units of alcohol in a large glass of wine. Bearing this in mind, ask yourself the question - are you drinking safely?

To find out how many units is contained in your favourite tipple and to work out how many units you’ve consumed visit http://www.drinkaware.co.uk/

Here are some tips for drinking safely while still having a good time…

Pace yourself…drink water or a soft drink with or in between alcoholic drinks

Eat before drinking or at least have a snack while you’re out

Don’t accept drinks from strangers and never leave your drink unattended – it’s all too easy for someone to spike your drink

Look out for your friends and make sure they look out for you

Plan a safe way to get home before you go out…use public transport and ONLY use licensed cabs

If you plan to do more than kiss under the mistletoe, carry a condom and ALWAYS  practice safe sex

Too much Christmas spirit isn’t always a good thing. Take plenty of booze breaks to help keep the peace

If you're worried about your own or someone else's drinking, you can call this free helpline, in complete confidence. They can put you in touch with your local alcohol advice centre for help and advice. Call Drinkline on 0800 917 8282 (open 24 hours)