How to Help Yourself and Others?

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Have a plan if you're going out drinking.

Don’t leave your friends as you’re safer together. Carry some spare cash especially for your taxi home. Let someone know where you’re going and what time you’re coming back. Think about your sexual health and carry a condom.
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Stay in control to stay safe.

Watch your friends, watch your drink, watch out for difficult or risky situations and avoid them, know how alcohol affects you. Never mix alcohol with other drugs. Have fun not regrets...
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3. Think about what you would do in an emergency.

Learn some first aid and the recovery position. Enter ICE, (In Case of Emergency) a person who can be called in an emergency, into your mobile phone just in case for any reason you need someone you can trust to come help you. If you get lost or lose your friends have a place that you all know you can go to find each other.
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4. Know and find out about alcohol.

Have an understanding about units and safe drinking levels. If you’re young try to delay your experience with alcohol until you’re ready and able to enjoy alcohol safely. For more information, TALK TO FRANK using the details below..
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5. Get help if you need it.

If you’re a young person and need help, information advice or support concerning alcohol or issues related to alcohol then help is available from:
ENGAGE Knowsley (CGL)
 

Who Else Can Help?

There are lots of local and national organisations who can offer support, advice & guidance if you need it.

ENGAGE Knowsley (CGL)

CGL provide help and support to adults, children, young people and families. Our innovative and creative approach allows us to provide a broad range of safe, high quality health and social care services. Last year we helped more than 211,000 people.
www.changegrowlive.org
0151 546 9557

Merseyside Youth Association

Merseyside Youth Association are a community benefit society that delivers targeted and preventative programmes for young people in Knowsley, to support their development and future lifes chances.

Instagram: @think.mya 

Twitter: @Think_mya
Jess: 07759 707461

Chris: 07921 949496

WHAT ARE THE FACTS ?

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Remember

Alcohol, although enjoyable when used responsibly, is still a drug and carries risks! 

Think about how you drink, where you are and who you’re with when drinking as these situations can affect how you experience a night out with alcohol. Also let’s be clear you should never mix alcohol with other drugs!
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Understand

About the units in alcohol and how alcohol affects you personally when you’ve been drinking. It takes one hour per unit of alcohol to leave your system once you’ve stopped drinking so work out how long it takes for alcohol to leave your body to reduce other problems for example driving or being a passenger in someone else’s car.
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Think

About your appearance!  Alcohol affects how you think, behave and act. That expensive dress, impressive style or easy going nature you were trying to show off before you started drinking can drastically alter when you’ve let alcohol take control of you!
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The morning after

Alcohol is responsible for many a person’s ‘if only I hadn’t’... Alcohol affects your ability to make good decisions, avoid risky situations and remember last night. Alcohol can also cause problems in relationships, can cause  harm to yourself and/or others and is associated with many long term health problems regardless of your age or how healthy you may think you are.
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Addiction

Alcohol is addictive with hospital cases of young people requiring medical treatment for serious disease and organ failure due to the consequences of risky drinking. Just because you’re young doesn’t mean you’re invincible.

ALCOHOL MYTHS

There are so many myths and rumours about the effect consuming alcohol can have on you, we're here to dispel these myths and get to the truth!

Check out some of the most common Myths that we hear from young people - and what the actual TRUTH is...

MYTHBUSTERS

Eating food before drinking alcohol means you're more likely to be sick although vomiting can help to sober you up!

Actually eating before and/or during drinking means that the effects of alcohol are slowed down. Vomiting to try and sober up is false and could even be dangerous. Only time can help you recover. It takes one hour per unit for alcohol to leave your body.

Alcohol has no calories!

Alcohol is high in sugar and so has a lot of calories. Plus these calories have no nutrition. Alcohol also affects the way your body burns fat for energy so regularly drinking can mean you put on weight or struggle to lose it.

Alcohol is less harmful than illegal drugs!

Alcohol is responsible for more deaths than all illegal drug related deaths each year and is associated with many health related long term problems and medical conditions. The immediate risks concerned with alcohol range from sexual health issues, violence and serious accident with machinery or when driving. Mixing alcohol with other drugs increases risks and is often unpredictable.

Sex is better when you've had a drink!

You are far more likely to have unprotected sex putting yourself at risk of unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, regretful sex and the issue of how consenting sex was between each person at the time. Sex entered into with a consenting, responsible and respectful partner can be much more enjoyable and fulfilling than when experienced in a situation you are less likely to be able to control.

Alcohol helps you be more confident, eases worries and help's you enjoy yourself better!

Alcohol may make you feel more confident or forget your worries when you’ve been drinking. However this sometimes can be a false confidence and problems return soon after. Depending on your mood and wellbeing alcohol can make you feel less confident or increase negative beliefs if you’re not in control of your feelings, thoughts and actions.