Drinking at safe and sensible levels can be part of a healthy social life and you may find that alcohol makes you feel more sociable, less inhibited and anxious. However, sometimes drinking habits can become excessive and dangerous and we can start to rely on alcohol to make us feel able to manage stress and take part in social activities. Limiting your alcohol intake and giving your body time to recover each week are the keys to avoiding the ill effects and feelings of dependency caused by excessive alcohol. Women: Although it is recommended that women keep to a maximum limit of 2-3 units of alcohol per day – it is not suggested that you drink daily, but that you keep at least two days per week alcohol free to allow your body to recover. Men: Although it is recommended that men keep to a maximum limit of 3-4 units of alcohol per day – it is not suggested that you drink daily, but that you keep at least two days per week alcohol free to allow your body to recover. Under 18 or pregnant: you are advised not to drink.

One unit is 10 ml or 8mg of pure alcohol. It takes the average adult around an hour to process this so that there's none left in their bloodstream, although this varies from person to person. A unit is equal to one 25ml single measure of whisky (Alcohol by volume 40%), or a third of a pint of beer (ABV 5-6%) or half a standard (175ml) glass of red wine (ABV 12%) Work out your alcohol units for yourself with this handy sum: Strength (ABV – alcohol by volume) x Volume (ml) ÷ 1000 = No. E.g. Pint of Stella: 4.8 x 568 ÷ 1000 = 2.7 Or use the Unit calculator from the NHS site below: Small glass red/white/rose wine (125ml, ABV 12%) Standard glass red/white/rose wine (175ml, ABV 125%) Large glass red/white/rose wine (250ml ABV 12%) Pint of lower-strength lager/beer/cider (ABV 3.6%) Pint of higher-strength lager/beer/cider (ABV 5.2%) Bottle of lager/beer/cider (330ML, ABV 5%) Can of lager/beer/cider (440ml, ABV 4.5%) Alcopop (275ml, ABV 5.5%)

Single shot of spirits (25ml, ABV 40%) If you'd like a free unit measure glass email healthandwellbeing@sussex.ac.uk - a very easy way of working out how many units you drink. We also have free unit and calorie calculators which are very handy for a quick check. If you are concerned that you are drinking too much, do this simple self-test on the Think Drink Drugs website. Look at this page on the Think Drink Drugs website for advice on what to do. At the time - if you drink too much, you are more likely to engage in risky behaviour including walking home alone, having unprotected sex, getting into fights or getting involved in an accident. As alcohol is a depressant it can lower your mood further if you are feeling upset. Binging could lead to alcohol poisoning which can be very dangerous. The next day – you may have an awful hangover and have suffered from poor sleep. You may be unable to complete your work; you may have no memory of the night before or have feelings of remorse over what you may have done.

Long term – you will gain weight, and will be far more susceptible to cancer, liver disease, infertility, heart disease and stroke. Heavy drinking can impact on your personal relationships and can affect your energy levels, mental agility and ability to concentrate which will have a knock on affect on your studies. Remember, the most common date rape drug is alcohol, so keep an eye on your drinks so that neither drugs nor extra alcohol are added. Never accept a drink you haven’t seen poured and don’t leave your drink unattended. air conditioning unit cost replaceIf you suddenly feel very drunk or out of control, ask a friend you trust to get you home and do the same for friends in the same situation.ac unit fort worth Alcohol and Harm Reductionsmall standing ac unit

Click on the link below and download the High-Way Code's guide to safer alcohol use. High-Way Code Alcohol Harm Reduction [PDF 1.77MB] If you’re having problems cutting down by yourself, there’s an alcohol and drugs drop-in on Mondays at 12pm at the Student Life Centre. This is run by Annie Berry who has years of experience in this area. She is also a Counsellor on campus so if you can’t get a space at the drop-in you can email counsellingreception@sussex.ac.uk for an appointment with either her or one of the other counsellors to assess your needs. If you are registered at the campus Health Centre, each nurse has training in “alcohol brief intervention” so don’t be afraid to say that you are concerned about your drinking and may need help. Similarly, your GP practice off campus will be able to help. There is online help available through the CALM relief series – a system accessible to all Sussex students and staff. Use this link to find out how to register for and log on to the series.

It is worth noting that the Drink and Drug Wise section was developed in North America, and so the characters and some information is aimed at a US rather than UK audience. This material will be updated and adapted for the UK in the near future. In the meantime, we hope you find the information available useful. Every November, we have an “Alcohol awareness week” which we run with Brighton and Hove alcohol services in Falmer House. Look out for us there or E healthandwellbeing@sussex.ac.uk if you would like to volunteer to help. There are numerous helpful leaflets on alcohol and cutting down at the Student Life Centre, The Counselling service and the Advice and Representation Centre. Pavilions runs Adult Drug & Alcohol Services for Brighton & Hove since April 2015. They aim to make life better for people affected by Drugs and/or Alcohol. Pavilions brings together a range of partners with proven expertise, creative minds and a shared desire to re-shape drug and alcohol treatment and recovery services in Brighton & Hove.