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Every year, the charity Alcohol Change UK gears up for Alcohol Awareness Week. The goal is always to get people talking and thinking about their relationship with alcohol, and alcohol’s place in our society.
Many people are not aware of the various short- and long-term impacts of consuming alcohol, in terms of both their physical and psychological health. By getting on board with Alcohol Awareness Week from 6-12 July this year, you can help change that.
Alcohol and me
The theme of Alcohol Awareness Week 2006 is ‘Alcohol and me’. This simple phrase invites the public to think about alcohol’s presence in their lives.
“This Alcohol Awareness Week, we’re simply inviting people to take two minutes to explore the role alcohol is playing in their life,” says Alcohol Change UK.
“This could mean understanding more about your alcohol risk level, cutting back on how much you drink, experimenting with an alcohol-free experience or simply learning more. There’s no one-size fits all approach.”
From a pharmacy team’s point of view, it’s not about getting customers to give up alcohol there and then. It’s about encouraging them to think a bit more about their drinking, and signposting them to helpful resources.
Exploring their relationship with alcohol might feel uncomfortable, confronting, or even a little daunting for some people. “That’s okay,” says Alcohol Change UK. “But it might be a sign that this is just the right time to learn more, get advice and take a step forwards.”
The important thing is to make sure that customers feel comfortable discussing topics like alcohol use with you and that pharmacy team members listen without judgement.
Sharing stories
To help people feel less alone, Alcohol Change UK will be sharing stories from people who have been impacted by alcohol and the steps they have taken to bring about positive change.
Anyone is welcome to share their personal story, and can do so through the Alcohol Change UK website: alcoholchange.org.uk/get-involved/campaigns/alcohol-awareness-week-1. Customers can also learn more about how alcohol may be affecting their health and wellbeing and what to do next. The site also offers tips for cutting down on drinking, and includes other digital resources.
“In a world where big alcohol companies glamorise alcohol as central to everyday experiences – from birthdays and barbecues to sofa nights and cheering on our team – it’s understandable that alcohol often feels like an inevitable part of so many of our lives,” says Alcohol Change UK.
“So, this Alcohol Awareness Week, we’re inviting a different conversation and asking: how might alcohol truly be impacting our lives, and what can we do about it?”
How does alcohol affect mental health?
Research conducted by Alcohol Change UK has found that for 44 per cent of people, drinking alcohol negatively impacts their mental wellbeing so much that they experience increased anxiety, troubled sleep, memory issues, sadness or irritability.
The charity explains that alcohol can lead to low mood and anxiety by making symptoms of many mental health problems worse. It can also disrupt the sleep cycle, making people feel less rested and more vulnerable to mood changes.
Relying on alcohol to manage mental health problems can also mean that drinking gets in the way of other activities or puts a strain on relationships – further undermining mental wellbeing.
“Alcohol can be both a cause and a consequence of mental health problems, with some using alcohol to self-medicate, creating a cycle which can be difficult to break,” says Alcohol Change UK.
If someone is feeling anxious, sad, or thinks that alcohol might be negatively affecting their mental health, help is available. They can:
- Speak with their GP
- Use NHS services directories to find an alcohol support service nearby:
- England: nhs.uk/nhs-services/services-near-you
- Wales: 111.wales.nhs.uk/localservices
- Scotland: nhsinform.scot/scotlands-service-directory
- Northern Ireland: online.hscni.net
- Visit the Mental Health Foundation for their advice
- Find out Mind's recommendations.
Over the (safe) limit
- The UK Chief Medical Officers’ low-risk drinking guidelines advise adults not to drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week, spread evenly over three or more days. However, a significant proportion of people regularly drink more than this:
- In England: 27 per cent of men and 15 per cent of women drink over this limit
- In Scotland: 29 per cent of men and 13 per cent of women drink more than the recommended guidelines
- In Northern Ireland: 19 per cent of men and 7 per cent of women drink more than is recommended
- In Wales: the figure is 15 per cent of people overall.
In 2023, there were 10,473 deaths from alcohol-specific causes in the UK, the highest number on record, according to the Office for National Statistics.
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