Anyone who wants to cut back their drinking, or needs help for alcohol addiction, or support to aid someone else in treatment or recovery, is also being reminded of the range of services available – so no one need be ashamed to reach out, or feel they must face the challenge alone.
Health and work problems, money worries, relationship breakdowns, plus wider pressures on the NHS, Police and other public services, are among the well-documented harms caused by excess alcohol.
And to highlight this, 2023’s Alcohol Awareness Week (3rd-9th July), run by Alcohol Change UK, is focused on costs – to individuals, to families and to wider society.
“However much you consume, Alcohol Awareness Week is a great chance to reset your relationship with drinking”
KCC Public Health Consultant Jess Mookherjee said: “Alcohol misuse comes with many costs, and for some it destroys lives.
“Though anyone can be impacted, journeys into addiction are often made by the most disadvantaged. Guided by our new Drug and Alcohol Strategy, we will work with all our partners to tackle the wider factors that affect health, such as stress and work insecurity, that disproportionately impact the vulnerable in our communities.
“We also know the pandemic and cost of living are leading more people to drink at home, where it’s easy to lose track of the units you are consuming. Some people also drink to get rid of depression, not realising alcohol can make it worse.
“Early symptoms you or a loved one may need help are shaking, sweating, nausea and heightened anxiety when not drinking. But, however much you consume, Alcohol Awareness Week is a great chance to reset your relationship with drinking.”
Using the ‘Know Your Score’ online test you can gauge how drinking could be affecting you and others. Depending on the score, you’ll be offered appropriate advice about where to find help by experts in a short video – and you can go from there.
If you suspect you are a dependent drinker you should get specialist help to quit safely – just search ‘alcohol support’ on kent.gov
Change or recovery may feel out of reach but last year alone our services helped over 5,000 people cut down their drinking or break the cycle of alcoholism.
Sue successfully cut back the amount of alcohol she was drinking with the help of One You Kent
Sue, from Tunbridge Wells, (pictured), sought help from One You Kent, the free healthy lifestyle service commissioned by KCC.
Sharing her success story, the 76-year-said: “I managed to drastically reduce my intake of alcohol. I was drinking most evenings, two or three glasses of wine or gin and tonics. More at weekends. The good thing is I still enjoy a drink but confine it to a Friday and Saturday evening, and then only in moderation. I don’t miss it either.”
Cutting down the amount of alcohol you drink can help you to sleep better, lose weight and lower your blood pressure – improving your health and wellbeing in both the short and long term. Visit One You Kent here for the help and advice available in your area to make small changes for better health
KCC also commissions specialist treatment. Forward Trust runs the East Kent Community Drug and Alcohol Service while Change Grow Live delivers the West Kent Drug and Alcohol Wellbeing Service.
Amy Williams, from Forward Trust, said: “At Forward we know all too well the cost of addiction and alcohol misuse – not just for the person drinking too much, but the toll it takes on their loved ones.
"If you’re worried, Forward can help - from support and advice on how to cut down on your drinking, to more structured, clinical options for people who need to detox and become abstinent, as well as services for family and friends."
Contact Forward Trust on 0300 123 1186 to find out more, or if you’re not ready to speak to someone, get in touch with us using our anonymous online chat service Reach Out.
Jane Scott, from Change Grow Live, which supports adults living in Dartford, Gravesham, Maidstone, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Malling and Tunbridge Wells, said: “We offer a fully confidential and non-judgemental service to anyone looking to access information and advice on drugs and alcohol.
“As well as providing treatment options, we provide personalised support, both one-to-one and group sessions and mentoring.”
Get in touch with Change Grow Live for an initial chat by calling 0330 128 1113, emailing westkent.firststep@cgl.org.uk or by visiting one of their centres in Tunbridge Wells, Maidstone or Gravesend. Address details can be found here
Key facts
- The majority of people in the UK, nearly 80%, drink sensibly, within safe limits, however over 300,000 people in Kent consume more than the recommended 14 units of alcohol a week. Some 14,000 in the county are dependent drinkers.
- People can spend tens of thousands of pounds on alcohol over the course of a lifetime.
- The total bill of alcohol harms to the UK is estimated to be at least £21 billion – a year.
- Alcohol-related deaths are also increasing with drinking claiming over 20970 lives in England in 2021– 587 of those in Kent – the highest on record.
- Visit Alcohol Change UK here for more facts and factsheets
