Alcohol and parents

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Frequently Asked Questions - General

What is a standard drink?

In March 2009 the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia released its updated and revised Australian Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol.These guidelines are based on the concept of a standard drink.

A standard drink contains 10g of alcohol. However, the size of a ‘standard’ drink can vary according to the type of alcohol. The size of a drink served in some hotels, restaurants or even at home may be much bigger than a ‘standard’ drink. Understanding how to count standard drinks can help you keep track of how much alcohol you consume.

One standard drink equals:

• 285ml or approximately one pot of regular beer (4.8% alcohol content)
• 375ml or one stubbie of mid-strength beer (3.5% alcohol content)
• 100ml or one small glass of table wine (13.5% alcohol content)
• 30ml of spirits plus mixer (40% alcohol content).

Cocktails can contain as much alcohol as five or six standard drinks, depending on the recipe.

Alcohol intake guidelines
The following guidelines can help you determine if your alcohol intake is harmful.

• Adult men and women – for healthy men and women, drinking no more than two standard drinks on any day reduces the lifetime risk of alcohol-related disease or injury. Drinking no more than four standard drinks on a single occasion reduces the risk of alcohol-related injury arising from that occasion. Everyone should have one or two days free of alcohol a week.
• Children and young people – the safest choice for young people under 18 years of age is not to drink at all. Young people under 15 years of age are at the greatest risk of harm from drinking and are advised not to drink alcohol. If older teenagers (over 15 years) do drink, it should be under adult supervision and within the adult guideline for low-risk drinking (two standard drinks in any one day).
• Pregnant and breastfeeding women – the safest choice is not to drink alcohol while pregnant or breastfeeding or if you are planning to become pregnant.

The risk of injury and disease increases the more you drink. Any drinking above recommended levels carries a higher risk than not drinking. Mixing alcohol and other drugs – either illegal drugs or some prescription drugs – can cause serious health problems.

For more information on the Australian Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol, visit:
http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/your_health/healthy/alcohol/index.htm

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As outlined above, the National Health and Medical Research Council developed the Australian Alcohol Guidelines, which provide an indication of recommended low risk drinking levels. While it is important to be aware of these guidelines, it is also important to remember that alcohol effects all people differently and often this effect will depend on who you are, what you are drinking and what you are doing whilst drinking.

What are the dangers of consuming alcohol at harmful levels – short term and long term?

There are many dangers associated with consuming alcohol at levels that are considered hazardous to one’s health, and while most of them are physical there are also physiological consequences. Some of the short-term effects of drinking to excess include hangovers, headaches, possible vomiting and nausea. Drinking to excess can also expose people to dangerous situations, such as risk of injury or unplanned sexual activity. A serious short-term effect of consuming alcohol at harmful levels is possible alcohol poisoning, which takes place when there is so much alcohol in the body that it causes the collapse of the autonomic nervous system. This can lead to brain damage, coma or even death.

A possible long-term effect of drinking to excess on a regular basis is becoming dependent upon alcohol, which takes place when the body becomes accustomed to functioning with alcohol present. After time, it can damage parts of the body including the liver and brain.

What can I do to reduce the harm of alcohol when I drink?

There are a number of things that people can do to reduce risky alcohol consumption, including:

• know the standard – know how much alcohol is in what drink so you are aware of the amount of alcohol you are consuming and therefore know when you have had enough
• thirsty? – alcohol does not quench your thirst but in fact makes you more dehydrated. If you are thirsty drink water as this will help prevent dehydration
• drink slowly – take sips and not gulps. Put your glass down between sips
• eat before or while you are drinking
• One drink at a time – do not let people top up your drinks
• pace yourself – try having a ‘spacer’, a non-alcoholic drink every second or third drink
• stay busy – play pool or dance – don’t just sit and drink
• be assertive – do not be pressured into drinking more than you want or intend to.

Why does alcohol affect women differently from men?

Women are affected by alcohol differently to men, as they are more sensitive to alcohol. This has to do with a number of factors, such as:

• women, on average, are smaller than men so an equivalent level of alcohol will produce a higher concentration in women’s bodies;
• women, on average, carry more fat than men. As body fat contains little water, women have less body water to dilute the alcohol leaving a higher concentration of alcohol in women’s bodies; and
• women’s hormone levels will have an influence on how they are affected by alcohol. For example, when a woman’s estrogen levels are high, the intoxicating effects of alcohol will set in faster.

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People suffer from hangovers the day after a heavy episode of drinking alcohol due to the brain having been deprived of water and glucose. Unfortunately, there is no real cure for a hangover other than time so the best thing to do is drink fluids, especially water to re-hydrate the body and to rest.

Are there are any quick and easy ways to sober up?

There is no quick and easy way to sober up. Many people believe that vomiting, drinking coffee or even having a shower will help people sober up. In reality, the only effective thing that will sober someone up is time. While doing those things outlined may make someone feel better, they will not help someone sober up any quicker. This is important to remember when undertaking potentially risky activities, such as driving or operating heavy machinery.

Can a person’s family history influence their drinking habits?

There is evidence to suggest that people with a family history of alcohol-related problems, including alcohol dependence are at a greater risk of being unable to control their drinking habits compared to the rest of the population.

Can women drink alcohol when they are pregnant?

Drinking alcohol could affect your unborn baby

Women who drink alcohol while pregnant are more likely to give birth to babies who are:

• Smaller
• Premature
• Born with a range of developmental, behavioural and physical effects – known as foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).

It may be that even a low intake of alcohol is harmful to your unborn baby. For this reason, pregnant women are advised to drink no alcohol.

Can women drink alcohol while breastfeeding?  

Alcohol is excreted into breast milk and can reduce milk supply. During the first 12 months of a baby’s life, alcohol can cause damage to the developing brain. Women who are breastfeeding are advised to avoid consumption of alcohol.

If you choose to drink alcohol while breastfeeding, it is suggested that you wait up to two hours before breastfeeding your baby for each standard drink. For example, if you have two standard drinks you should wait four hours before you breastfeed.

Does alcohol have the same effect on different people?

People react differently to alcohol. This can be due to a number of reasons which relate to the type of alcohol being consumed (amount, strength), the person drinking (sex, age, body weight, state of mind) and the environment where drinking is taking place (time of day, being alone).

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There are a number of different groups of people who should take particular care when consuming alcohol, or even question whether they should consume alcohol at all. These groups include:

• people under the age of 18;
• pregnant women;
• women who are breastfeeding;
• people who have a family history of alcohol-related problems;
• people who are taking medication or are using other drugs; and
• people who suffer from medical conditions that will be affected by consuming alcohol, such as hepatitis C.

What is the difference between a tolerance to alcohol and a dependence on alcohol?

A tolerance to alcohol and a dependence on alcohol are very different things. When someone develops a tolerance to alcohol, it means they will have to consume more alcohol to feel the same effects that they used to have with lower amounts of alcohol. Anyone can develop a tolerance for alcohol. When someone develops a dependence on alcohol, they often feel as though they need alcohol and find it very difficult to stop or reduce drinking. Not everyone who drinks alcohol will develop a dependency to it.

What is a BAC?

BAC stands for blood alcohol concentration and refers to the amount of alcohol in a person’s blood. Factors that will generally effect a person’s BAC is how much alcohol they have drank and how quickly they have drank it. In Australia, the legal limit for drinking and driving for most people is under .05 BAC. In Victoria, L or P-plate drivers are not permitted to drive with any alcohol concentration in their blood.

Where can I get help?

If you think you have a problem with alcohol or know someone that you think may have a problem, the first step to getting help is finding someone whom you can trust and chat with, such as

• a friend or family member;
• a teacher at school;
• your local GP; and/or
• another health professional or a counsellor.

Your local GP or other health professional should be able to provide you with confidential advice or at least refer you to a more appropriate service.

If you wish to contact a drug referral and counselling service directly, then visit www.health.vic.gov.au/drugs/sd.htm to find one in your area.

You may also wish to ring DirectLine on 1800 888 216, which is a 24 hour telephone counselling, information and referral services for people wanting to discuss any alcohol or other drug related issues.

For more information about alcohol visit:

Information on Alcohol
http://www.druginfo.adf.org.au/article.asp?ContentID=alcohol

Drinking Choices
www.drinkingchoices.gov.au

TAC Safety
http://www.tacsafety.com.au/jsp/homepage/home.jsp

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