10 simple tips to take control of your drinking
And information on who to talk to if you have concerns
What is SX Scotland?
What is this booklet?
SX is about improving the sex, health and wellbeing of gay and bisexual men, and all men who have sex with men, living in Scotland.
For many gay and bisexual men, and all men who have sex with men, socialising with alcohol is a big part of our culture. This booklet offers suggestions to help you take control of your drinking.
Our ethos at SX is to be sex positive and we strive to improve the physical, sexual and mental health and wellbeing of all men who have sex with men. SX works with cis and trans men, and many other allies across Scotland. Through listening to the people in our community, and empowering them to have their voices heard, we provide support to those we work with, encouraging them to have consensual and pleasurable sex with the least harm. SX is provided by Waverley Care. Waverley Care is positive about HIV, hepatitis C and sexual health in Scotland. By being part of Waverley Care we have benefited from over 30 years of learning and expertise working to reduce new infections, increasing access to testing and challenging the stigma experienced by our communities.
Heading out for a drink offers the possibility to socialise, meet up with friends and potentially hook up with new guys for sex. Alcohol lowers our inhibitions, making us feel more relaxed, which can contribute to a fun night out. Of course, sometimes it can go too far – it can affect our judgement and lead us to making choices we can later regret. When asked about our drinking, we can often dismiss other people’s concerns. We say we drink just as much as our friends, that we can cut back on our drinking any time we want, and that our drinking is not excessive. Over time, however, we may doubt ourself and question if we are drinking too much or if it has gotten out of control. If you feel that this could be you, you may want to consider getting your alcohol consumption under control.
Alcohol
booze / bevvy / vino / drink What is it? Alcohol is a legal drug sold as beer, wine or spirits. The potency of alcohol is stated on the packaging as a percentage of the liquid. It can range from 4 to 5% in beer, 11 to 14% in wine, to 35 to 55%+ in spirits. The law Alcohol can be consumed legally by people over the age of 18. Guidance UK Government medical guidance suggests you should not drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week and no more than 3 to 4 units in one sitting. This is approximately 14 shots of spirits, 7 pints of regular lager or 7 average size glasses of wine. The effects The right amount of alcohol may help reduce feelings of anxiety and inhibitions and make you feel sociable, chatty and confident. The downsides Too much alcohol can cause hangovers, nausea, headaches and sweats. Excessive consumption can cause black-outs, accidental injury, unconsciousness, coma and even death. Long term excess
drinking can cause liver damage, high blood pressure, strokes and cancer. Alcohol can also lower your inhibitions which can lead to risk taking, such as unprotected sex. It can also allow you to be taken advantage of, or being hurt by others. Regular alcohol consumption can lead to addiction. Mixing it Taking alcohol with cocaine can be particularly dangerous. Once they mix together in the body they produce a toxic chemical which stays in the body much longer than cocaine or alcohol alone. This effect increases the damage done to the heart and liver. For information on mixing alcohol with other drugs, please see the other drug pages in this booklet. Alcohol will not effect your HIV medication. However, many men may forget to take their meds when consuming large amounts of alcohol. Therefore, it might be worth setting a reminder on your phone to take your meds.
Understanding your drinking Units of alcohol in drinks
We want to help you to understand how to use alcohol safely and reduce any potential harm to your physical and mental health. Do you know the guidelines for the weekly consumption of alcohol? Do you know your own average weekly intake of alcohol in units? This risk tool will help you find out if you are risking your health because of the amount of alcohol you are regularly drinking. Your total score from the following six questions will help you find out if you need to think about your alcohol use and make any changes for your health and wellbeing. Question 1: How often do you have an alcoholic drink? Never (0) Monthly or less (1) 2-4 times per month (2)
2-3 times per week (3) 4+ times per week (4) Question 2: How many units of alcohol do you consume on a typical day when you are drinking? 1-2 (0) 3-4 (1) 5-6 (2) 7-9 (3) 10+ (4) Question 3: How often do you consume six or more alcoholic drinks on one occasion? Never (0) Less than monthly (1) Monthly (2) Weekly (3) Daily or almost daily (4) Question 4: Has there been a time where you
have consumed more alcohol than you feel you should have? Never (0) Maybe (1) Sometimes (2) Regularly (3) Every time (4) Question 5: Have you ever put yourself in a harmful situation because of drinking alcohol? Never (0) Maybe (1) Sometimes (2) Regularly (3) Every time (4) Question 6: Have you ever had sex that you wished you hadn’t had because of drinking alcohol? Never (0) Maybe (1) Sometimes (2) Regularly (3) Every time (4) Total up your score from the six questions. Score of 9 points or under This score indicates that you are a low risk drinker. This means you are less likely to develop an alcohol related illness in the future. If the amount of alcohol that you drink changes, or you have concerns, get in touch. We’re here to help.
Score of 10 to 18 points This score indicates that you are drinking at increasing risk levels. Continuing to drink at this level could cause serious health implications later in life. We suggest that you either drink less amounts of alcohol each time you drink, or give yourself a break between times. Check out our service directory for details of support services. You can also contact us, speak to your GP or check out the Drink Aware website. Score of 19 points or over This score indicates that you are drinking at higher risk levels. Continuing to drink at this level is likely to cause a serious alcohol related illness. We suggest that you attempt to significantly reduce your alcohol drinking and speak to someone who may be able to help, such as your GP. Check out our service directory for details of support services or the Drink Aware website. Reducing the amount of alcohol you drink can help lower your blood pressure, reduce your diabetes risk, lower your cholesterol, and reduce levels of cancer-related proteins in your blood. It can also help you save money, get a better night’s sleep and give you more energy. Drink Smart!
Tip One: Reduce
Reduce the amount of alcohol you drink Simply try and reduce the amount of alcohol you drink. If you’re currently drinking more than the recommended guidelines, any change that you make, even a small change, can help you reduce the harm that alcohol can cause. The less you drink, the lower your risk of developing problems; it’s called harm reduction. If possible, try and keep your alcohol consumption below the recommended government guidelines.
Tip Two: Goals
Decide on how much to drink before you go out Decide on the maximum number of drinks you want to drink in a day, or over a week. This could mean limiting how much you drink when you go out or limiting the number of times you go out. Writing down your drinking goals can help remind you that you’re trying to limit your drinking. People who drink within the recommended guidelines have a much lower risk of developing problems.
Tip Three: Count
Record how many drinks you consume Record how many drinks you consume each time you drink. This can help you reduce, or slow down, your drinking when you go out. You can use a handwritten note on paper or record your drinks on a phone app, whatever is more convenient for you. A useful phone app is: Drinkaware for iOS or Android. The app lets you track the units, costs and calories of alcoholic drinks and set personal goals.
Tip Four: Measure
Learn how to use alcohol units effectively Use alcohol units to measure your consumption. A brief guide to units is included near the beginning of this booklet. If you’re going to measure how many drinks you have, try and be accurate. Learn what a unit is, and what counts as a standard drink, so that you can accurately measure how many you’ve had. Stick to your goal even when you are on holiday, eating out or at a bar.
Tip Five: Space
Space out the alcohol between soft drinks Space out the alcoholic drinks by alternating them with soft drinks. Some drinkers will skip an alcoholic round and replace it with an alcohol-free beer, glass of water or fizzy drink to slow down their alcohol consumption. No matter how much you drink, it’s always a good idea to drink plenty of water along with alcoholic drinks. Water can reduce the effect alcohol has on your body and lessen the chance of a hangover the next day.
Tip Six: Pace
Pave yourself on a night out Try sipping your drink more slowly or only having only one drink an hour. People who consume drinks quickly, particularly the first few, are at greater risk of developing alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence. Pacing yourself will reduce the amount you drink, which will lower the harm to your body and lessen the chance of a hangover the next day.
Tip Seven: Eat
Don’t drink on an empty stomach Eating is not cheating! Eating food before you go out drinking can reduce your craving for alcohol. This isn’t true for everyone, but if eating does reduce your craving for a drink, make sure you eat a meal before you drink. Eating beforehand might also help you reduce the amount you drink after or grabbing that kebab on the way home.
Tip Eight: Triggers
Avoid situations where you have to drink Avoid situations where you feel you might have to drink. When you are trying to cut down your drinking, it can be a good idea to avoid situations, places or some friends that you associate with drinking. People, places, and certain activities can be triggers that cause you to have an urge to drink. Avoiding triggers can help prevent you from drinking when you might normally do so.
Tip Nine: Alternatives Get on your bike or try a hobby If drinking has become a big part of your life, try substituting it with other activities during the times when you might usually drink. Go to the theatre or cinema, begin an exercise program or start yoga, make new friends who don’t drink as much, or try activities with your family. Find something that you enjoy, and will stick at, to occupy the time when you might go out drinking.
Tip Ten: No
Learn to say no, politely In life, you’re likely to find yourself in situations where someone is going to offer you a drink or expect you to drink with them as you have done in the past. Learn to politely say “no thank you”, and really mean it. Say it quickly, and firmly, so that you don’t give yourself time to change your mind. The more often you do this, the easier it will be to say it. You’ll soon drink when you really want to, and not just from habit.
What to do if you think someone is having a bad reaction to alcohol Are they anxious or panicky? Sit calmly with them in a quiet room. Keep away from noise, bright lights and crowds. Encourage them to take slow, deep breaths. Are they drowsy? Sit calmly with them but keep them awake. If they become unconscious phone 999 immediately for an ambulance and tell them what they have taken, if you know. Place them in the recovery position until the ambulance arrives. Don’t try to wake them up with coffee or tea, or a cold shower or bath. Are they unconscious? Check if they are responsive, such as asking their name or squeezing their shoulders. If they are breathing put them in the recovery position. Phone 999 immediately for an ambulance and tell them what they have taken, if you know. Have they stopped breathing or having difficulty breathing? Check there is nothing in their mouth. Phone 999 immediately for an ambulance. If you need to perform CPR, put the person on their back. Kneel next to them. Place the heel of one hand in the centre of their chest. Place your
other hand on top of the first and interlock your fingers. With straight arms, use the heel of your hand to push the breastbone down firmly and smoothly, so that the chest is pressed down between 5–6 cm, then release. Do this 30 times at a speed of 2 presses per second. If they are still not breathing then repeat and check until help arrives. The Recovery position. This position makes sure that a person can still breathe if they become unconscious. It will also stop them choking on their vomit. Roll the person on to their side. Put their upper hand under their chin. Bend their upper leg and put it in front of them. See the image below:
Questions? Get in touch, we’re here to help. www.S-X.scot info@S-X.scot
If you have concerns about your drinking, need more information or someone to talk to about it, these groups can help: SX Scotland
Alcohol Change UK
Waverley Care
Samaritans
Drink Aware
Mind
Alcoholics Anonymous
NHS Inform
s-x.scot 0131 652 3250 info@s-x.scot
www.waverleycare.org 0131 558 1425 info@waverleycare.org www.drinkaware.co.uk 020 7766 9900 contact@drinkaware.co.uk www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk 0800 9177 650 gso@alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk
alcoholchange.org.uk 020 3907 8480 contact@alcoholchange.org.uk www.samaritans.org 116 123 jo@samaritans.org www.mind.org.uk 0300 123 339 info@mind.org.uk www.nhsinform.scot
Funding for this booklet was provided in part by
This resource has been designed and developed by
SX is provided by Waverley Care Scottish Charity No. SC036500