This Alcohol Awareness Week (16-20 Nov), we are encouraging students to think about their drinking habits and the impact it has on their wellbeing.
Today’s advice looks at how to enjoy alcohol safely and protect against drink spiking.
There’s no need to stop drinking altogether, all you need to do is follow the guidelines of 3-4 units for men per day and 2-3 units for women per day. To monitor your drinking why not download the free Drinkaware app.
Avoid binge drinking
Drinking lots of alcohol in a short space of time will raise your blood alcohol concentration and could make you drunk very quickly. This could result in a higher risk of an accident or fall. In extreme cases you could die as an overdose of alcohol can stop you breathing, stop your heart or make you choke on your own vomit.
So why not:
- start drinking later
- try a smaller bottle of beer of glass of wine
- go for a lower strength drink
- add a mixer to make your drink last longer
- take a break between drinking and have a soft drink or glass of water which will also help you stay hydrated
Be aware of spiking
Every year hundreds of people have drugs or alcohol added to their drinks without them knowing. This can be by someone they know and it is meant as a joke but the effects are far from funny. Drink-spiking is illegal and seriously dangerous.
How to avoid drink spiking:
- never leave your drink unattended
- keep an eye on your friends’ drinks
- don’t accept a drink from someone you don’t know or trust
- try sticking to bottled drinks and avoid punch bowls or jugs of cocktails
- if you think your drink has been spiked, don’t drink it – tell a trusted friend or relative immediately.
How will I know if my drink has been spiked?
Most drugs take effect within 15-30 minutes and symptoms usually last for several hours. Symptoms will depend on which drug has been used, but most include some of the following:
- blurred vision
- confusion or disorientation
- difficulty concentrating or speaking
- feeling and being sick
- hallucinations
- loss of balance and finding it hard to move
- lowered inhibitions
- memory loss
- paranoia
- unconsciousness
What to do if your drink is spiked
First, tell someone you completely trust, such as a friend, a relative, a medical professional or the police
If you are alone, call someone you trust and get to a safe place. If you need urgent help, call 999. If you don’t have your phone, ask to use the bar’s/club’s phone. Don’t leave with someone you don’t know and be wary of accepting help from strangers.
If you feel unwell, get someone you trust to take you to A&E. Ask a friend or relative you trust to take you home and stay with you until the drugs have left your system.
Report it to the police as soon as you can. The police will need to take blood and urine samples. Most drugs leave the body within 72 hours so it’s important to be tested as soon as possible.
Read more on the NHS website.
If you have been affected by any of the above and want to talk to someone please contact the University’s Wellbeing Team.