This Alcohol Awareness Week, we’re encouraging the residents of Plymouth to take a few minutes to check their drinking habits.
Led annually by UK charity Alcohol Change UK, Alcohol Awareness Week runs from 6-12 July and this year’s theme is ‘alcohol and me’.
In a world where alcohol is often made to feel central to everyday moments – from birthdays and barbecues to nights in front of the TV and celebrations with friends – this year’s campaign invites us to pause and reflect on the role that alcohol is playing in our lives.
Around 10 million of us are regularly drinking alcohol in ways that can harm our health and wellbeing. While alcohol can often feel normal, expected and woven into daily life, it can affect us in ways we do not always recognise. From disrupted sleep and low energy to increased anxiety, stress and feeling less present in our relationships and day-to-day lives. Over time, alcohol can also increase the risk of serious health conditions including liver disease, high blood pressure, stroke and several types of cancer.
This year’s Alcohol Awareness Week aims to normalise checking in with our drinking in the same way we keep track of other aspects of our health and wellbeing, such as visiting the dentist, monitoring our blood pressure or getting our eyes tested.
We are encouraging people in Plymouth to take Alcohol Change UK’s free and confidential Check Your Drinking Quiz. This helps to gain a better understanding of our own relationship with alcohol, explore how drinking may affect your health and wellbeing, and learn about small changes that can make a positive difference.
The campaign also shines a light on the world around us and how it shapes our drinking habits. From sport, music and television to supermarkets, social occasions and sunny weekends, alcohol is often placed centre stage in the moments we love, which can sometimes make drinking feel expected or unavoidable. Alcohol Awareness Week invites honest, open and judgement-free conversations about these pressures and about the benefits many people experience when they cut back or rethink their relationship with alcohol.
Dr Richard Piper, CEO of Alcohol Change UK, added: “Alcohol is often presented to us as the backdrop to all the moments that matter, from celebrations, sporting events, socialising, relaxing after a stressful day and even quiet nights at home. That can make it difficult to step back and ask ourselves honestly: what role is alcohol actually playing in my life and am I happy about it?
“This Alcohol Awareness Week, we want to create space for more open, supportive and judgement-free conversations about alcohol and encourage people to take a few minutes to check in with their drinking. For some people, that might simply mean finding out where they are with their relationship with alcohol. For others, it might prompt changes such as cutting back a little, trying some alcohol-free days or reaching out for support. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, but understanding our drinking is an important first step.”