Alcohol misuse or addiction
This page covers the definitions of alcohol misuse and addiction, as well as the support and resources available to you.
What is potentially harmful alcohol use?
Alcohol misuse refers to the potentially harmful consumption of alcohol. Drinking a level of alcohol that is damaging your physical and/or mental health, but continuing to drink despite the consequences, indicates alcohol dependency.
Unhealthy use can range from mild to severe and present in different types, such as problem drinking and binge drinking. The short-term and long-term risks of alcohol addiction include, but are not limited to:
- Physical dependency.
- Health conditions such as injuries or infections.
- Psychological dependency.
- Mental health issues.
- Financial issues.
- Increased risk of suicide.
Resources and support
If you are experiencing problems relating to alcohol, or know someone who is, please remember that you are not alone. You can access free and confidential support at UCL as a registered student. Our empathetic team can support you to find the best treatment method for your needs.
External support
There are also a number of services and websites that can help you better understand and cope with alcohol addiction or misuse.
Alcoholics Anonymous is a peer-led fellowship. The organisation host regular group meetings in local communities to support alcohol addiction recovery and sobriety.
Use the AA search tool to find an in-person meeting in your local area or online.
You can also call their free helpline at +44 (0) 800 917 7650 or email the support team help@aamail.org to contact the organisation.
You can refer to the NHS page on alcohol support for comprehensive guidance on support and treatment.
A service local to both the Bloomsbury (Camden) and East (Newham) Campuses is Change Grow Live, a charity offering drug and alcohol support. They support residents of the London boroughs of Camden, Newham, Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Islington, Westminster, Lambeth and Croydon, and offer:
- Advice on keeping safe.
- Emotional support and counselling.
- Group work.
- Online courses.
- Medically assisted treatment.
- Peer support.
- Recovery support, including education, training and employment advice and; onward referrals to specialist services.
If you don't feel you are able to contact the service yourself, you can ask an adviser from Student Support and Wellbeing Services or your GP, a relative or friend to refer you.
This website provides honest information about alcohol, practical advice and signposts to support.
You can also call FRANK 24 hours 7 days per week on 0300 123 6600 for confidential advice. You can also ask questions to FRANK via email, text and live chat, and if you prefer an in-person centre you can use their website to find the nearest support services to you.
Drinkaware is an independent charity working to reduce alcohol misuse and harm in the UK.
Drinkchat is a free online chat service for anyone seeking advice about their own, or someone else’s, drinking. Drinkline is a free, confidential helpline for anyone who is concerned about their drinking, or someone else's. Call the number 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am–8pm, weekends 11am–4pm) for support. If you are in Scotland, you can contact Drinkline Scotland on 0800 7314 314.
A charity supporting families affected by drugs and alcohol.
Information, advice and support for people affected by a parent's drinking.
- Phone: +44 (0)800 358 3456.
- Website: nacoa.org.uk.
Better Lives is an integrated drug and alcohol service offering free and confidential support for people and families affected by drug and alcohol issues.
Delivered by North London NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with Waythrough, Better Lives runs from three locations in London. You can self-refer by attending a drop-in, by email or by telephone.
We Are With You is a charity providing free and confidential support to people in England and Scotland experiencing challenges with alcohol, drugs and mental health. The charity offers both in-person at 80 local services across England and Scotland, and remote appointments online.
The initial appointment is designed to explore your lifestyle and personal situation, before choosing the best treatment option for you. We Are With You provides mental health interventions to improve exercise, diet, nutrition and sleep, and work in partnership with talking therapy organisations.
UK SMART Recovery is a charity offering Self-Help Addiction Recovery Programmes for drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, gambling, food, shopping, internet and more.
The four-point programme is designed to help participants:
- Build and maintain motivation.
- Cope with urges.
- Manage thoughts, feelings and behaviours.
- Live a balanced life.
You can use the search tool to find an in-person meeting in your local area or an online meeting.
Build on Belief specialises in designing, implementing and running weekend services for people who are struggling with, or are in recovery from substance use; namely drugs and alcohol. Although some of their projects run across the week, they always work at the weekend.
You can access services if you are living in one of the following boroughs: Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster, Ealing, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Harrow, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Greenwich, plus parts of Buckinghamshire and Sussex.
Drinkline is a free, confidential helpline for people who are concerned about their drinking or someone else’s.
Phone: 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am–8pm, weekends 11am–4pm)
FWD is a multi-disciplinary drug and alcohol service for young people aged up to 25 who are resident in Camden.
FWD provides one-to-one structured support and group work sessions to young people affected by substance misuse (including the impact of parental substance misuse) and for those who are at risk of using substances.
Visit the FWD website for further information.
Visit the Egalitarian website to find out about spiking.
Alcohol Change UK is a charity that focuses on reducing alcohol harm. They offer support, interactive tools, tips, and education to help you understand and manage your drinking.
Lower My Drinking is an online self-assessment tool that will recommend a tailored intervention based on the results of your self-assessment. If your results identify that you may be at increased or higher risk it may recommend you access the Lower My Drinking brief intervention app (android and IOS). The app can support you to track and reduce your drinking to within 14 units a week or less through scientifically proven tools.
To take the self-assessment visit the Lower My Drinking website. It is free for Camden and Islington residents.
To access the app please search for ‘Lower My Drinking’ in the App or Google Play Store.
To self-assess whether you may have an alcohol dependency, answer the four questions below:
- Have you ever felt you should “cut” down on your alcohol use?
- Have people “annoyed” you by criticizing your alcohol use?
- Have you felt bad or “guilty” about your alcohol use?
- Have you ever used alcohol first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or start the day (an “eye” opener)?
Your answers will indicate a possible alcohol misues problem. Typically, answering “yes” to two or more questions suggests you may have a substance dependency.
The CAGE acronym represents keywords present in each question. It stands for - Cut Annoyed Guilty Eye
Visit the Alcohol Change UK website to check how healthy your drinking is with a quick quiz.
Visit the My Mental Health website to screen for alcohol misuse..
Blood Alcohol Content, or BAC, refers to the percentage of alcohol in a person's bloodstream, and can be measured within 30-70 minutes after drinking. Contrary to popular belief, nothing can lower BAC except time; coffee, cold showers or water will not help you sober up any faster.
Visit the American Addiction Centres website to estimate your approximate BAC level.
Want to know what's in your drinks?
Visit the Drinkaware website to work out the number of alcohol units and calories you have consumed.
Visit the Rehab-Online website to find a rehab for you or someone else.
Rehab4Addiction is a UK‑based advisory and referral service offering free, personalised guidance for individuals and families affected by alcohol dependence and addiction.
Resources
Books on Alcohol misuse or addiction
‘Over the Influence: The Harm Reduction Guide to Controlling Your Drug and Alcohol Use’ (Second Edition), by Patt Denning and Jeannie Little
Description: ‘ “Just say no” just doesn’t work for everyone. If you’ve tried to quit and failed, simply want to cut down, or wish to work toward sobriety gradually, join the many thousands of readers who have turned to this empathic, science-based resource - now thoroughly revised.’
‘Overcoming Problem Drinking: A self-help Guide Using Coginitive Behavioural Techniques’, by Marcantonio Spada
Description: ‘Up to a quarter of the UK population is currently believed to misuse alcohol. This first self-help book aimed specifically at problem drinking uses an approach based on real clinical practice, first to recognize alcohol misuse and then, using proven Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) techniques, to show the drinker how to turn the tables and regain control of alcohol consumption.
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