There are loads of different types of alcoholic drinks you can get. Some types are cider, lager, bitter, white cider, alcopops, vodka, whisky, brandy, white and dark rum, red and white wine and loads more as well.
Over 1000 young people aged 15 and under are admitted to hospital each year with alcohol poisoning. This can mean the persons stomach has to be pumped, a pretty unpleasant thing to have done to you!
so what is it like ?
Alcoholic drinks contain ethyl alcohol or ethanol as it is more commonly known. As it is a drink it comes as a liquid and it is drunk. There are some reports that people have injected alcohol and even tried to snort it. This can cause damage to the body.
Alcohol is a physically addictive drug!
Alcohol is measured in units, heres a breakdown drinks and thier units:
For more information about units, ABV and the way alcohol can REALLY effect your body click here to go to the science section.
It is illegal to sell alcohol in a shop to anyone under the age of 18 years. Some shops won't sell alcohol to anyone under the age of 21.
Over 1000 young people aged 15 and under are admitted to hospital each year with alcohol poisoning.
Every time you drink alcohol the effects can be different. It doesn’t matter how many times you have drunk you will never know exactly how you will be affected. The mood you are in, what you have eaten, the way your body is working that day and a load of other factors can make all the difference.
Alcohol damages the body each time you drink it. If you drink too much or too often it can damage the brain, liver, heart, kidneys, blood, throat and mouth.
So how much can I drink and still be safe and healthy?
It is recommended that:
There are lots of people who go out all the time and drink. Many of them will not come to any serious harm. But there are the cases that are more serious. The following are some of the consequences of drinking alcohol:
A hangover
It is basically feeling like death. Many people have a head and/or stomach ache, some might throw up, you feel tired and sort of like you have the flu. It does pass but a lot of people swear they will never drink again (but a lot do!).
Whack
If you have been drinking alcohol it can make you more vulnerable. You could end up getting beaten up or attacked by strangers without doing anything at all to them. There is also the possibly that drunken friends, whose judgement has been messed up through drinking, might have a go at you as well.
Icky
You could have unprotected sex leading to an STI (sexually transmitted infection e.g. gonorrhoea, Chlamydia, HIV / AIDS), become pregnant or have sex with someone that you regret when you sober up.
What was I thinking
Alcohol can really mess up the way you think. it can cause people to do stuff they would never normally do and they really regret it when the drink wears off.
Fight the world
Some peoples moods change really quickly if they have been drinking. They can go from happy to sad, quiet to violent fast and you never know how the alcohol will really affect someone till they've drunk it. It doesn't make someone violent but it can make them lose control and forget that little voice in their head that tells them to stop.
Rape and sexual assault
It is a big risk if you are male or female, especially if you are more vulnerable after drinking alcohol.
Don’t have too much
if you feel you’ve had enough don’t let anyone fob you off with “just one more won’t hurt”. Any drug can make you do things you wouldn’t normally do, slow down your reactions, make you pass out etc. All of these leave you vulnerable to
theft, attack, rape or choking on your own vomit.
Keep an eye on your drink
If someone you don’t know (or do know) gets you a drink make sure you see what you are getting. Remember:
Gamble - Alcohol can affect you differently each time you drink it and you never really know whats going to happen. Sometimes it's too late to do anything because you're already drunk so use your head and don't have too much..or just don't drink!
Be careful - If you are going to drink remember to be safe. Drinking on the street is asking for trouble as anything could happen including the police taking you home and you getting in trouble.
All we ask is for you to be aware of what might happen.
If you'd like to know where to get help from click here.