This year, 11th-18th November is Alcohol Awareness Week and this year’s campaign is focusing on Alcohol and Me.

To explore this, we’re taking a look at many different ways that alcohol can impact on our daily lives and challenging the stigma around alcohol misuse so that more people are able to access support. We’re looking at how drinking affects:

• Mental health. Drinking heavily can have a harmful impact on your mental health and can make stress, anxiety and feelings of low mood harder to deal with. Understand more about the links between alcohol and mental health – and where you can find support.
• Physical health. Alcohol misuse contributes to over 200 medical conditions, including several types of cancer. And that’s not the only risk – alcohol misuse can also be linked to liver disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. This year, we’re encouraging everyone to recognise harmful drinking and take steps to cut down gradually.
• Relationships. Sometimes, drinking can cause people to behave in ways they later regret – including arguing with partners and even becoming aggressive. If you don’t like who you are when you’re drunk, it could be time to cut down.
• Families. Coping with someone else’s substance use can be stressful, isolating and frustrating for families. We’ll be pointing you towards local and national support for family members, including access to respite and counselling services.