Low-risk drinking

In Australian culture, alcohol often accompanies socialising and celebration. Many people enjoy drinking alcohol in moderation every now and then.

However, Australia has one of the highest rates of binge drinking among young people worldwide. 45% of risky and/or high risk alcohol consumption, occurring at least monthly, takes place amongst 18-25 year old drinkers.

This kind of high-risk drinking can result in negative physical, mental and social consequences.

For more info check out the Binge drinking fact sheet.

It is possible to drink at a level which is less risky for you, while still having fun. There are a number of things you can do to make sure you stay within low-risk levels, and don't get to a stage where you are no longer capable of controlling your drinking.

Drinking at a low-risk level may take some strength on your part - managing pressure to drink more is not always easy (for more info check out the Managing pressure to drink fact sheet Managing peer pressure to drink) but it starts with you deciding you want to make a change, and taking control of the amount of alcohol you consume. Remember it's your decision how much you drink.

How much can you drink and be 'low-risk'?

We all respond to alcohol differently, and it is important that you know your own limits, and understand how alcohol affects you as an individual.

How alcohol affects you may be influenced by a number of factors, such as:

• how much alcohol you drink
• how quickly you drink it
• whether you consume the alcohol with other drugs
• whether you're male or female
• your mood
• your body type
• whether or not you've eaten.

If you have not drunk alcohol before, it may be difficult for you to know what your limits are. The first time you drink alcohol, it may be a good idea to try drinking in a safe area, where someone can help you if you drink too much. This might be at home, or at a friend's place.

To find out about the legal drinking age and other legal risks associated with drinking refer to the ‘Drinking and the Law’ fact sheet which can be found here.

What is a standard drink?

The amount of alcohol you drink is often stated in terms of 'standard drinks'. In Australia a standard drink is any drink that contains 10 grams of pure alcohol, but it is obviously difficult to know how much this is just by looking at a glass!

For a helpful guide that shows how many standard drinks are in a variety of common alcoholic beverages, visit the NHMRC website.

It may be helpful to remember that alcohol is not always served as standard drinks.

It is even more difficult to know how many standard drinks you are consuming when you’re drinking at a party or somewhere outside of a bar or licensed venue (if you’re over 18), where you or someone else is pouring the drinks.

Knowing how many standard drinks you are having may help you in managing your alcohol use. Different types of alcoholic drinks contain different amounts of pure alcohol.

Australian guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol

In 2009, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) published the Australian Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol.

The Guidelines are based on extensive research and are set out below.

Guideline 1 - Reducing the risk of alcohol-related harm over a lifetime

The lifetime risk of harm from drinking alcohol increases with the amount consumed. For healthy men and women, drinking no more than two standard drinks on any day reduces the lifetime risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury.

Guideline 2 - Reducing the risk of injury on a single occasion of drinking

On a single occasion of drinking, the risk of alcohol-related injury increases with the amount consumed.
For healthy men and women, drinking no more than four standard drinks on a single occasion reduces the risk of alcohol-related injury arising from that occasion.

Guideline 3 - Children and young people under 18 years of age

For children and young people under 18 years of age, not drinking alcohol is the safest option.

a) Children under 15 years of age are at the greatest risk of harm from drinking and that for this age group, not drinking alcohol is especially important.

b) For young people aged 15−17 years, the safest option is to delay the initiation of drinking for as long as possible.

The reason for this is that alcohol can affect brain development and lead to alcohol-related
problems in later life.

Guideline 4 - If you're pregnant or breastfeeding

Maternal alcohol consumption can harm the developing fetus or breastfeeding baby.

a) For women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, not drinking is the safest option.

b) For women who are breastfeeding, not drinking is the safest option.

 

Tips for drinking at a low-risk level

There are a number of things you can do to keep your drinking under control, including:

• Set limits for yourself and stick to them
• Start with a non-alcoholic drink
• Try having a 'spacer' - alternating non-alcoholic drinks with alcoholic drinks
• Drink slowly - take sips not gulps
• Try a low alcohol alternative to a pre-mixed drink
• Eat before or while you are drinking, avoid salty snacks, they make you thirsty
• Avoid rounds or 'shouts'
• Have one drink at a time, so you can keep track
• Avoid sculling competitions, and drinking games
• Stay busy - don't just sit and drink
• Be assertive - don't be pressured into drinking more than you want or intend to

Managing alcohol intake

Managing your alcohol use may be difficult. If you reduce your alcohol use you may still crave for it for sometime afterwards. Try not to be too hard on yourself if you don't reach your immediate goal.

Having to try several times may be part of reducing your use and it is important you keep trying. It may be helpful to have someone you can talk to. This may be a friend, a family member, doctor or a counsellor.

More information

You may want to visit www.drinkingnightmare.gov.au and click on the ‘Need Help?’ link for a list of useful numbers and contacts.

Check out the Who can help you section of the site or the other links on the left side of the page to find more about help available for you. 

Acknowledgement: Alcohol Education & Rehabilitation Foundation (AER)