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Sensible drinking Q&As

Published by Bupa's health information team, June 2009.

Answers to questions about sensible drinking

This section contains answers to common questions about this topic. Questions have been suggested by health professionals, website feedback and requests via email.

 

I know someone who I think has a problem with alcohol. What can I do to help?

If you feel that someone you know is drinking inappropriately, it's important that you approach the issue in a careful and sensitive manner. Many people don't realise or like to admit that they have a problem with alcohol and poor handling of the situation could make things worse.

Explanation

What to look out for

Someone with a problem with alcohol may:

  • drink regularly or in large quantities
  • often be drunk
  • drink at inappropriate times (for example in the morning)
  • often complain of being hung-over or constantly tired
  • have slurred speech, tremors or sweating
  • smell of alcohol

If you think that someone might have a problem with alcohol, you should talk to him/her about it in a sensitive manner. You could perhaps make a comment about an example of your own drinking behaviour which you feel may have been inappropriate (such as feeling ill the next day or doing something out of character) and see how he/she responds to this. If you don't feel comfortable doing this, talk to someone else who is also close to the person you're worried about, and who might be in a better position to do so.

Encourage the person to keep a drink diary - he/she might not realise how much he/she is drinking. Organisations such as Drinkline and Alcoholics Anonymous can be contacted by anyone for more help, advice and support. Support him/her in cutting down on alcohol, don't drink alcohol in his/her company and only offer non-alcoholic drinks. Help him/her to avoid situations that are likely to cause him/her to drink alcohol.

Remember, you don't have to be dependent on alcohol to have a problem with it. Occasional or frequent binge drinking are also examples of problem drinking and may cause short- or long-term health effects. If you're concerned that the health of someone you know is at risk from their drinking, encourage him/her to speak to his/her GP. The GP will be able to find out exactly how alcohol has affected his/her health and help him/her to safely cut down or stop drinking.

Further information

Sources

  • Alcohol - problem drinking. Clinical Knowledge Summaries. http://cks.library.nhs.uk, accessed 30 May 2008
  • Simon C, Everitt H, Kendrick T. Oxford Handbook of General Practice. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007:236-239
  • Advice on how to cut down. Know your limits. http://units.nhs.uk/, accessed 2 June 2008
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What should I do if I am with someone who passes out or vomits because of excessive drinking?

Sometimes people can drink too much in one session, making them unwell. Someone who has drunk too much alcohol is likely to vomit and/or pass out. It's important that you know what to do if this happens to someone you're with.

Explanation

If you need to sit or lie someone down because he/she feels unwell, make sure it's somewhere safe. In particular, take care to check for any broken glass.

If someone vomits after drinking too much, try to keep him/her upright with his/her head forwards to stop him/her choking on any vomit or inhaling it. If he/she really needs to lie down, put him or her in the recovery position, as follows.

  • Lie him/her on his/her back (for as short a time as possible).
  • Place the arm closest to you at right angles to his/her body, with the elbow bent and palm facing up.
  • Cross the other arm over his/her body and hold the back of his/her hand against the cheek (face) nearest to you.
  • Grasp his/her far leg above the knee and pull it up so the knee is bent.
  • Pull the leg towards you so that he/she is now lying on his/her side facing towards you.

Check his/her airway and breathing regularly, and if he/she begins to choke or passes out, call for emergency help. If you're on your own and the person has passed out, then before calling an ambulance you should:

  • check that the person's airway is clear - use your fingers to sweep the mouth clear of vomit if necessary check that he/she is breathing regularly
  • if he/she is breathing regularly, put him/her into the recovery position
  • if he/she isn't breathing you will need to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation - chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth breathing. You should keep doing this until he/she is breathing again on his/her own.
  • If an ambulance hasn't been called yet, now is the time to do it.

Make sure you keep him/her warm - too much alcohol can cause hypothermia (a very low body temperature). You will also need to check his/her airway and breathing regularly until the ambulance arrives.

If you're with someone who has passed out because of drinking too much alcohol, it's very important that you stay with him/her until help arrives to make sure that his/her condition doesn't get worse. The ambulance crew will also need you to give them some information when they arrive, such as how much alcohol he/she has drunk, how long he/she has been unconscious for and any other details about them you may have (for example, if you know of any medical conditions he/she has, medicines he/she is taking, or whether he/she may have taken any illegal drugs).

Further information

Sources

  • Advice for when you have a drink. Know your limits. http://units.nhs.uk/, accessed 30 May 2008
  • Alcohol and young people. Department of Health. www.dh.gov.uk, accessed 20 June 2008
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How soon is it safe to drive after drinking alcohol?

There are many things that determine how alcohol affects you, including your age, gender, weight, metabolism, general health, how much food you have eaten and the type of alcoholic drinks you have had. There is no practical way of calculating how many drinks it's safe to have before driving - the safest option is not to drink alcohol at all if you know or think that you're going to be driving.

Explanation

In the UK, the legal alcohol limit when driving is 80mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood. Over half a million drivers are stopped and breathalysed each year and around 100,000 people are found to be over the limit. If found guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol, you could be imprisoned for up to six months, fined up to £5,000 and banned from driving for at least one year. A drink-driving conviction will stay on your licence for 11 years.

Alcohol affects your ability to drive in a number of ways.

  • Your reactions are delayed as it takes longer for messages to get from your brain to your muscles.
  • Your vision may be blurred. In particular, your side ('peripheral') vision and how well you can see in low light levels (for example, at dusk) may be much poorer than usual.
  • You may not be able to judge speed and distance as well as usual.
  • You may be overconfident in your abilities and are likely to drive more recklessly.

The time it takes to metabolise (break down) alcohol varies greatly from person to person. One study found that in a group of people who were all given the same amount and type of alcohol to drink at the same time, some people metabolised the alcohol in around half an hour, while others took over an hour and a half.

On average, it's thought to take around one hour to clear one unit of alcohol from the body (so if you drink five units of alcohol, that would take around five hours). However, you must also take into account whether you were drinking on a full stomach, drinking over a long period, drinking fizzy or still drinks (alcohol in fizzy drinks will affect you more quickly) and if you were drinking non-alcoholic drinks as well. All of these factors will affect the amount of time it takes you to clear alcohol from your body and there is no way of calculating how long that will be.

It's very important to remember that if you have had a lot to drink the night before, you may still be unfit to drive the next day, even if you don't have a hangover. If you have any doubts at all about whether you still have alcohol in your system or about your ability to drive safely, don't drive at all.

Further information

Sources

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Related topics

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This information was published by Bupa's health information team and is based on reputable sources of medical evidence. It has been peer reviewed by Bupa doctors. The content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.

Publication date: June 2009

Sensible drinking factsheet

 

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