Alcohol

Whether you are drinking to socialise, cope with difficult times or just to relax, you may not realise how much you are drinking and the damage it could cause. A small change can make a lasting difference to your health. Local help and support is available

How does alcohol affect me?

Alcohol can have a number of effects on your body:

A diagram of the effects of alcohol on the body: Depression, Memory loss, cancer of the throat and mouth, early ageing, heart trouble, pneumonia risk, liver damage, trembling hands, stomach problems, inflammation of the pancreas, ulcers, falls, painful nerves, impaired sexual performance in men

How much alcohol is okay?

The more you drink the more likely it is that alcohol will harm your health. To keep health risks from alcohol to a low level it is safest not to drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis. However, changes to your body as you get older mean that you should drink even less as you age.

units of alcohol image: Large wine glass 13% ABV - 3.3 units Small fortified wine glass (e.g. sherry) 17.5% ABV - 1.0 units A pint of premium beer 5% ABV - 2.8 units Single measure of spirits 40% ABV - 1.4 units

It is recommended that you should have several alcohol free days a week. Note that drinking 3 units of alcohol in one sitting can increase blood pressure in someone with these issues. Alcohol does not mix well with medication, so check your medication information.

Local help and support

If you are worried about how much you’re drinking and want help to stop you can speak to your doctor or GP.

Read more about local support on our addictions page

Newcastle Treatment and Recovery Service (NTaR) is a community drug and alcohol service for anyone in Newcastle experiencing problems with or affected by drugs and alcohol. Support is available for people of all ages and with all substances.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) can help you if you are having trouble with your drinking, or if your drinking has reached the point of where it worries you. You can attend a face to face AA meeting to get help to become and stay sober. You can talk to others who understand your situation and share your experience. Visit their website to find your local AA meeting. They have a free telephone and email helpline.

PROPS North East (Positive Response to Overcoming Problems of Substance misuse in the family) provide support and information to families of people using alcohol and drugs by providing a range of support services, advocacy, counselling, training and community empowerment.

George Street Social is a coffee shop and dry bar. It’s a safe place for people recovering from alcohol, drugs and other addictions. It’s a social hub for meetings as well as workshops, training, yoga, dance, mindfulness or music. You can stop by and enjoy a game of pool or just a natter with friends or make new ones. They hold 12 step meetings upstairs including Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA).

ReCoCo: The Recovery College College run support groups and free courses to anyone who would find them helpful in their recovery from mental illness, substance misuse, addictions, trauma or distress. This is educational and creative, peer-led support.

YMCA Newcastle provide a safe place for young people to go for support and advice.

The British Liver Trust provide free support for anyone affected by a liver condition. They have a free telephone helpline staffed by expert liver nurses. You can talk to them if you or someone you love has been affected by liver disease or liver cancer, or you are worried about your liver health. They also have online support groups, an online community on Health Unlocked and a liver health screening tool.

If you are concerned about a loved one’s drinking you can contact:

PROPS North East support families, carers and friends affected by a loved ones alcohol misuse

Al Anon family groups provide support to anyone whose life is, or has been, affected by someone else’s drinking. Whether or not the person is still drinking or has stopped. They hold regular meetings where members share their experience of living with alcoholism. The group are relatives and friends of alcoholics who share their experience to help each other. They also run Alateen meetings for 12-17 year olds. Visit their website to find a face to face meeting near you. They also run online meetings. You can call their free confidential telephone helpline or and email them for help too.

Kinship carers: offer support to grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and family friends who step up to raise children when their parents can’t. They have an information and advice service and peer support. Email, call or connect with them on Facebook.

Support Forums

The Newcastle User Carer forum is for adults supporting someone in Newcastle who uses drugs, alcohol or both. It offers the opportunity to have your voice heard and to help improve and develop treatment and recovery services in Newcastle. The forum meets 4 times a year at different venues across the city.

The Newcastle Drug and Alcohol Service User and Carer Forum is for service users, carers of those in and out of treatment and the recovery community. The forums are an opportunity to chat and to raise any issues that you may have. It also provides a supportive place for peer led activities, training, volunteer opportunities, advocacy, and mentoring. The Service User and Carer Forum meets fortnightly from 12pm until 2pm at The Recovery College

National support

Drinkline is the national alcohol helpline. If you’re worried about your own or someone else’s drinking, you can call this free helpline in complete confidence on weekdays 9am to 8pm, weekends 11am to 4pm.
We Are With You is a UK-wide treatment agency that helps individuals, families and communities manage the effects of drug and alcohol misuse.
Adfam is a national charity working with families affected by drugs and alcohol. Adfam operates an online message board and local support groups.
The National Association for Children of Alcoholics (Nacoa) provides a free, confidential telephone and email helpline for children of alcohol-dependent parents and others concerned about their welfare.
Sikh Recovery Network provide information, advice and support for the Sikh community about alcohol and drug misuse.

Hobbies and activities

Having hobbies, talking to others in a similar situation, being active and socialising away from places that serve alcohol can help to cut down drinking or recovery. You can can find hobbies, get active or look for support groups on InformationNOW:

Useful Resources

NHS Better Health has a Drink Free Days app to help you cut down how much alcohol you drink. They also have guidance and apps to help you be more active. This includes the Couch to 5K app to help you gradually build up to a 5km jog or run over weeks; or the Active 10 app to help record your walking steps throughout the day to encourage more walking.

Alcohol Change UK have information and advice on alcohol reduction including a Check your drinking tool, a alcohol unit calculator, Alcohol knowledge quiz, and a alcohol and mental health quiz

The Try Dry® app can help you cut down on alcohol. You can track your units, calories and money saved when you cut down or cut out alcohol

The MyDrinkaware App can help you track your alcohol consumption, calculate units and calories and set goals

NACOA have resources to support children and young people affected by alcohol misuse such as Some-mums-and-dads-drink-too-much and the childrens storybook Jaspers-Wish

Mental health

Cumbria Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust provides NHS mental health, learning disability and specialist services across Newcastle. They provide: crisis mental health support and in patient specialist services, such as neuro-psychiatry. They have a Patient Information Centre and Mental health self help guides covering sleep, depression, anxiety and more.

Last updated: December 20, 2024