Alcohol Category: Depressants

Also called: booze, drink, bevy, scoops, gargle, cans.

How it’s used

Alcohol is a liquid you drink. It acts as a sedative (‘downer’) and a depressant (slows your brain). A standard drink is called a unit and contains about 10 g of pure alcohol. One unit = ½ pint of beer, lager or cider, a single measure of spirits, 1 alco-pop bottle or a small glass of wine. Since 2009, the weekly safe limits are 11 units for women and 17 units for men.

Short-term effects

Alcohol can start to affect you within 5 - 10 minutes and last for several hours, depending on the amount you drink
It exaggerates your mood, so if you were happy you feel happier but if you were feeling low it could make you feel worse
It relaxes you
You may lose your inhibitions and do things you wouldn’t do sober
It slows your reactions and affects your coordination so you are more likely to have an accident
It affects your judgment so you may make unsafe choices
You may become aggressive or even violent
As you become drunk, your speech slurs, you may have double vision, flushed face and vomiting

Long-term effects

Risk of damage to your liver, heart, stomach, brain and other organs
Alcohol poisoning – when your body has a toxic reaction against too much drinking
Black-outs – when you lose consciousness or can’t remember what you did while drunk
Family and social problems such as divorce, money problems, violence and crime
Depression and risk of suicide

Other dangers

You are more likely to be involved in an accident
You can die if you lose consciousness after a drinking session and choke on your own vomit
The risks of alcohol increase when you combine it with other drugs such as cocaine, heroin, methadone and benzodiazepine
As you lose your inhibitions, you may have unsafe sex. This could lead to unplanned pregnancy, a sexually transmitted disease (STD) or put you at risk of sexual assault.

If you are pregnant

There is no safe level of alcohol in pregnancy. If you drink heavily while you are pregnant this can cause Foetal Alcohol Syndrome, which means your baby could be born small and with birth defects.

Addictive

If you drink too much you can become addicted to alcohol physically, so your body craves it, and psychologically, so you find it hard to cope with life without a drink.

Withdrawal

Withdrawal from alcohol can cause tremors, nausea, hot and cold sweats, anxiety and depression.

How long does it stay in your system?

Alcohol will show up in a urine test for 1-2 days. (The length of time depends on the test used, the amount you drink, if you have other medical conditions and your own metabolism. Please use this figure as a guide only).

What help is available?

Self-help support such as Alcoholics Anonymous
Counselling or psychotherapy
Complementary therapies such as acupuncture
Support from your doctor to help you reduce, withdraw or stay off drink
Residential treatment programmes
Aftercare
One to one or group family support such as Alanon and Alateen
Contact the Drugs Helpline 1800 459 459 to find out about options in your area

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