Drinking alcohol and getting drunk affects the way you think and feel. Even small amounts of alcohol can affect you. For example, decisions can be harder to make, and we think we can do more than if we have not had a drink.

Childline gives straightforward information on alcohol, covering topics like feeling pressured to drink, binge drinking, how to help a friend who is too drunk and how to tell if you have a drinking problem.

York Young Person’s Drug and Alcohol Service have made an alcohol and drugs awareness video.

Measuring the amount of alcohol in a drink

Advice on alcohol is given in ‘units’ so it’s worth knowing about them. Alcohol units tell us the quantity of pure alcohol in a drink.

If you’re aged over 18 years, it’s advised not to drink more than 14 units per week on a regular basis, to keep health risks from drinking alcohol to a low level. If you do drink as much as 14 units per week, it is best to spread this evenly over 3 days or more. The NHS Live-well alcohol support website has lots of useful advice and support around the risks of drinking too much. 

Use the unit calculator to find out how many units are in a particular drink, or to check how much you're drinking.

Alcohol Change UK have produced many alcohol factsheets explaining topics such as supporting a loved one experiencing problems with alcohol and 8 top tips for healthier drinking and happier relationships.

I'm worried about myself or someone I know

Alcohol affects everyone differently. If you feel like you can't cope without it, or you need alcohol to relax or face some situations, then you might have a drinking problem.

You might also:

• worry about when you'll have alcohol next
• find it hard to stop drinking once you've started
• often regret or forget things you said or did while you were drunk
• find it hard to remember how much you've had to drink in one day
• think about alcohol a lot, for example, at school, work or at the cinema
• plan your social life around alcohol by making sure you can drink where you're going
• often feel hung over
• get into fights and arguments or cause accidents when you have been drinking
• have money problems because of drinking
• be violent towards your friends or family when you have been drinking
• drive whilst over the legal limit

If any of these warning signs are true and you are worried about the amount of alcohol you or someone you know is drinking, know that help and support is available through York Young Persons Drug and Alcohol Service. They offer free, confidential advice and support and also offer support to young people affected by someone else’s alcohol use. Telephone: 01904 4646800 or email: [email protected]. Alcohol problems are not just about being an 'alcoholic' or causing immediate health problems.

Alcohol and the law

The law can be complicated about alcohol so it's worth knowing what you can and can't do:

• age 16: You can drink wine, beer or cider with a meal at a restaurant when accompanied by someone over 18
• age 18: You can buy alcohol but remember it's against the law to buy alcohol for anyone under the age of 18