The silly season is almost here. With it comes a well-earned break; time to relax and to de-stress from the year that was. But beware the risks in “letting the hair down”. It’s a familiar narrative – all these social events and the alcohol, food, gambling and whatever else that can come with it.
Around this time of the year in particular, binge drinking (and drug use) can be a real risk.
However, whatever the temptation, it’s important we look after our own wellbeing and the wellbeing of those around us at this time of year.
Have a look at the following tips; perhaps use a few of these to ‘keep safe’ and to ‘drink safe’ over the Christmas break.
Tips to keep an eye on your drinking: (See ADA’s A HANDBOOK of Alcohol, Drugs and Workplace Risk pp. 20)
· Eat before drinking, or only drink with a meal.
· If you’re thirsty, before ‘cracking a beer’ drink water or something non-alcoholic first.
· Keep track of how much you’re drinking; don’t let friends or wait-staff ‘top up’ your drink.
· Alternate your drinks between full-strength and low-alcohol alternatives.
· Avoid getting into rounds and shouts where there is pressure to drink faster than you would normally.
· Keep control, be assertive – don’t be pressured into drinking more than you want to.
Along with keeping a conscious thought on how much alcohol we’re consuming, and following the tips outlined above, there are many other strategies we can utilise.
One of them is to check in with ourselves via the World Health Organisation’s Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). The AUDIT is a questionnaire that was designed to help in the self-assessment of alcohol consumption. It consists of ten questions on alcohol use which aim to give a better awareness of your alcohol consumption and your level of risk of dependence.
So why not have a look at the link below, check in with yourself, and monitor your drinking levels over the Christmas break. And remember to be honest with your answers, you’re only fooling yourself otherwise!
https://auditscreen.org/check-your-drinking/
If this information raised any concerns for you, please do speak to your GP, they can help you back to good health, or call a helpline: LIFELINE 13 11 14 or BeyondBlue 1300 22 4636.