Alcohol

Advice, risks and where to get support

Alcohol affects your health, wellbeing and daily life. Drinking too much can cause short‑term harm and long‑term health problems. This page explains the risks, how to cut down and where to get help if you’re worried about your drinking.

Low-risk drinking guidelines

To keep your health risks low, the Chief Medical Officer advises:

• no more than 14 units of alcohol a week
• spread your drinking over 3 or more days
• have several drink‑free days each week

If you are pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or could be pregnant, the safest option is not to drink alcohol at all.

Short and long‑term impacts of drinking alcohol 

Drinking alcohol can affect many parts of your life, including your health, wellbeing, relationships, education, work, housing, finances and personal safety. Some effects happen quickly, like feeling unwell, sleeping badly or taking risks you wouldn’t usually take.

Drinking too much over time can increase your risk of serious health problems, and the NHS has detailed information about the risks of drinking too much and the long‑term conditions linked to alcohol.

Help to track and cut down

For an easy way to track how much you drink download the NHS Drink free day app

Alcohol dependency

Alcohol dependency is when you feel unable to control your drinking. You might notice cravings, feel anxious or shaky when you stop drinking, or find that you need more alcohol to feel the same effect. Some people start drinking earlier in the day, or find that drinking is beginning to affect their work, school or home life.

This can be dangerous without medical support. If you think you might be dependent, speak to your GP or a specialist service. Do not suddenly stop drinking without medical advice.

When to get help

Speak to a GP, pharmacist or local support service if you’re finding it difficult to cut down on your own, if you feel you need alcohol to get through the day, or if you notice withdrawal symptoms when you stop drinking. You should also get help if you’re worried about how drinking is affecting your health, your relationships or your day‑to‑day life.

Where to get support

Local alcohol support services

Support can include 1‑to‑1 advice, group sessions, help to cut down, support to stop drinking safely, and access to digital tools and self‑help resources.

NHS support

The NHS website has tools, tips and advice on cutting down:

Help in a crisis

Call 999 if someone is:

• unconscious
• having a seizure
• struggling to breathe
• severely injured
• at risk of harming themselves or others

If you’re worried about someone else

If you suspect that you or someone you know may have an issue with alcohol there is help and support available. The level of treatment would depend on the level of the problem, in some cases a time within a treatment or rehabilitation centre may be required.

The NHS Alcohol support pages offer advice, support and related facts.

Local alcohol support services

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