Alcohol, Fake News, and Alternative Facts
Dementia Awareness Month
September 18, 2018
Mental Health Week
October 9, 2018Alcohol, Fake News, and Alternative Facts
In this day and age it’s sometimes hard to get the facts about anything, let alone your health. You can read something that tells you it’s safe to do this or eat that, and another article will say the exact opposite. (I still don’t know whether butter is good for me – though that hasn’t stopped me putting it on my toast!)
When it comes to how much alcohol we drink the advice is equally confusing. One reliable source of information is the World Health Organisation’s AUDIT scale. This is a simple questionnaire that can tell you if the amount you are drinking is likely to lead to problems.
Do the Test
Remember that you need to know how much is one standard drink. This is because different drinks have differing amounts or alcohol in them – check the label or see the table below.
Answer Three Questions
| AUDIT C | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | score |
| How often do you have a drink containing alcohol? | Never | Monthly or less | 2-4 times a month | 2-3 times a week | 4 or more times a week | |
| How many standard drinks do you have on a typical day when you are drinking? | 1-2 | 3-4 | 5-6 | 7-9 | 10 or more | |
| How often do you have six or more standard drinks on one occasion? | never | Less than monthly | Monthly | weekly | Daily or almost daily |
| Total score |
Add Up the Score
Results
A score of 6 or more may indicate a risk of alcohol-related harm,
Things to Remember
- Some people are more at risk of the effects of alcohol- this can include young people, women, the elderly, people with mental health problems and people on medication.
- Your risk will be elevated if you drink in dangerous situations such as while driving, fishing or boating
- There is no safe level for drinking during pregnancy
Need more Advice or Assistance?
Free and confidential counselling with a qualified health professional is now provided at the Panaceum for drug and alcohol related problems. Speak to your doctor or call 9956 2424 to make an appointment.
