Alcohol Consumption and the Festive Season

Drink responsibly and everyone have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all the staff at Toogood Road Family Medical Centre

The consumption of alcohol is widespread within Australia and associated with many social and cultural activities. When consumed, alcohol produces a number of central nervous system depressant effects.

Alcohol concentration varies considerably with the type of drink. In Australia, beer contains 0.9–6% alcohol, wine contains 12–14%, fortified wines such as sherry and port contain around 18–20%, and spirits such as scotch, rum, bourbon and vodka contain 40–50% (NSW Ministry of Health 2017).

A standard drink contains 10g of alcohol. Many drinks have more than 1 standard drink in them. Check the label on your bottle or container to see how many standards drinks are in it.

In 2019, 1 in 4 (25%) people aged 14 and over exceeded the single occasion risk guidelines by consuming more than 4 standard drinks in one sitting, at least monthly.

Harms

Alcohol is absorbed rapidly in the bloodstream and affects the brain within about 5 minutes, though this may vary from person to person depending on body mass and general state of health (NSW Ministry of Health 2017). The Table below displays the short term and long term effects of alcohol consumption.

Table ALCOHOL1: Effects of alcohol consumption
Short-term effects	Long-term effects
Reduced inhibitions A sense of relaxation Loss of alertness or coordination, and slower reaction times Impaired memory and judgement Nausea, shakiness and vomiting Blurred or double vision Disturbed sleep patterns Disturbed sexual functioning	Oral, throat and breast cancers Liver cirrhosis Brain damage and dementia Some forms of heart disease and stroke Illness, injury Death

Source: NSW Ministry of Health (2017).

Guidelines to reduce your risk

To reduce your risk when you drink alcohol, follow the Australian guidelines to reduce health risks. These guidelines are based on scientific research and evidence and have been recently reviewed by the National Health and Medical Research Council. The proposed new guidelines state:

Adults

If you’re a healthy adult:

To reduce the risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury for healthy men and women, drink no more than 10 standard drinks per week and no more than 4 standard drinks on any one day.
The less you choose to drink, the lower your risk of alcohol-related harm. For some people, not drinking at all is the safest option.

Children, young people and pregnant women should not consume alcohol.

How to drink more safely

For many people, it’s possible to enjoy alcohol and still drink at a level that is less risky. Read about how you can https://www.qld.gov.au/health/staying-healthy/atods/alcohol/safe If you’re drinking a lot or finding it hard to control your drinking:

get tips on how you can reduce or quit alcohol - https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/alcohol/about-alcohol/how-can-you-reduce-or-quit-alcohol
find a free alcohol support service in our list of alcohol contacts - https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/alcohol/alcohol-contacts
call the hotline below for advice and support

National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline contact

Call the National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline for free and confidential advice about alcohol and other drugs. 1800 250 015

How can you reduce or quit alcohol?

It's a good idea to see your doctor first if you want to quit or stop drinking alcohol. They can help you to manage any withdrawal symptoms you may have. It's also helpful to have an action plan and a support network to help you achieve your goals.