Drink less - advice and support
Alcohol facts
Reducing your alcohol intake can do wonders for your health. There are a number of support options available to the residents of Swindon.
Cutting down on your alcohol intake can help improve the healthy lifestyle functions listed below:
- It helps you live longer
- It lowers your blood pressure
- It prevents type 2 diabetes and some cancers
- It gives you more energy
- It helps you handle stress much better
- It helps you think clearly
- It improves the functioning of your liver
The average drinker can save up to £80 per month by changing their drinking patterns. We also know that reducing your monthly alcohol consumption can reduce your calorie intake by approximately 4000 calories.
This is not only a financial benefit but will also help improve your general health and well-being.
The Chief Medical Officers' guidelines for both men and women is that you are safest not to drink regularly more than 14 units per week, to keep health risks from drinking alcohol to a low level.
If you do drink as much as 14 units per week, it is best to spread this evenly over 3 days or more. The number of units depend on the size and strength of your drink.
Here are some examples of certain drinks that will help to highlight how many units you may be consuming when you are drinking.
Wine (11%ABV)
- 125ml glass
- 1.4 units
- 175ml glass
- 1.9 units
- 250ml glass
- 2.8 units
- 750ml bottle
- 8.2 units
Wine (14%ABV)
- 125ml glass
- 1.8 units
- 175ml glass
- 2.4 units
- 250ml glass
- 3.5 units
- 750ml bottle
- 10.5 units
Lager (3.8%ABV)
- 284ml half pint
- 1.1 units
- 440ml can
- 1.7 units
- 568ml pint
- 2.2 units
- 660ml bottle
- 2.5 units
Lager (5.2%ABV)
- 284ml half pint
- 1.5 units
- 440ml can
- 2.3 units
- 568ml pint
- 3 units
- 660ml bottle
- 3.4 units
- ABV refers to alcohol by volume and the size of the drink. The higher the ABV the stronger the drink.
Alcohol advice
Use the unit calculator to find out how many units are in a particular drink, or to check how much you're drinking.
Some people drink too much and don’t even realise it, take the quiz to check if your drinking is healthy.
Tips for cutting down is a tool that you can use to help support you with reducing your drinking.
You can also listen to Dave’s story in relation to his association with drinking. Dave talks frankly, in the video below, about how his alcohol use has impacted his relationships.
Alcohol support services
We commission a broad range of treatment and support services that cater for alcohol users, carers, friends and family.
Our services reflect Swindon’s population and offer appropriate levels of care and support regardless of age, gender, religion, sexual preference or cultural background.
Change, Grow, Live (CGL) substance use disorder service
CGL are a national charitable organisation providing services to Swindon residents who may have an alcohol or drug use concern.
Swindon substance use disorder service (SUDS) is a free, confidential service for anyone who is concerned about their own or someone else's alcohol use.
The specialist CGL team support behaviour change with those affected with drug and alcohol use. The adult SUDS service provides both pharmacological and psychosocial social interventions for those living in Swindon and who are over 18 years.
They provide evening sessions for those who cannot attend during the working day and can offer online tools to make accessing support as easy as possible.
They can be contacted at:
4, Temple Chambers
Temple Street
Swindon
SN1 1SQ
Telephone: 01793 328150
E-mail: SwindonInfo@cgl.org.uk
For further information, you can also view the CGL website.
Mutual aid support groups
In Swindon there are a number of alcoholic anonymous meetings for those who wish to engage in a more discreet option of support. The meetings in Swindon run throughout the week.
SMART recovery helps participants decide whether they have a problem, builds up their motivation to change and offers a set of proven tools and techniques to support recovery.