Alcohol Awareness Week 11 – 17 November
Many of us like to unwind with a glass of wine or a cold beer after a busy day, however the amount of alcohol that you drink can increase when one drink slowly turns to two or three a night and this can have serious effects on your health.
Excessive drinking can affect anyone at any time and may lead to liver disease, mental health problems, cancer and financial difficulties. Sadly, in the UK one person dies every hour as a result of alcohol.
Herefordshire Council is supporting Alcohol Awareness Week to raise awareness about the harm caused by drinking and to signpost people to where they can find support to help them cut back on the amount they drink.
Research suggests that in Herefordshire the age group most likely to drink at least every week is 45 top 64 year olds and 1 in 4 of adults are drinking more than the 14 units a week recommended to keep health risks from alcohol at a low level. 14 units is around 7 pints of lager or 7 glasses of wine.
Excessive alcohol consumption not only affects the life of the person who drinks, but it also affects the lives of others. The latest estimate suggests that there are 1,400 adults in Herefordshire who are dependent on alcohol, but are not in treatment. This means there are around 635 children living with an adult with alcohol addiction in the county.
Karen Wright, Director of Public Health for Herefordshire, said: “Alcohol can creep up on people and become a problem for many reasons. It could be due to social circumstances, traumatic past events or low mental wellbeing.
“To keep risks to a minimum it is recommended that people drink less than 14 units of alcohol a week and avoid alcohol all together if they think they might be pregnant.
“If you think that you and or someone you know needs help with alcohol addiction, you can find local support through the charity, Addaction. Find out more by visiting their website www.addaction.org.uk or by calling their Herefordshire branch on 01432 802487.“There is also plenty of national support available online. You can access this information by visiting Herefordshire’s WISH website www.wisherefordshire.org/alcohol”
