The label alcoholic, means many different things to different people, and it is more useful to look at the effects for you of your drinking, rather than give yourself a label that does not give you any useful information or options.

You may find it helpful, to write down the reasons why you have asked this question, and then think about what the answers mean for you. For example:

• Are you are worried about how much you drink?
• Has someone else said they are?
• Are you are missing significant events or deadlines?
• Are you spending more than you intended to?
• Are you having a drink rather than eating a meal?
• Have you felt you needed alcohol and could not manage without it?
• Have you recently wanted to cut down or stop using alcohol but could not?
• Have you behaved in ways that you would not have done if you were not drinking?

The guidelines given by the World Health Organisation, state that 14 units of alcohol per week for a woman, and 21 units per week for a man, are the safe levels. They advise that you should have 2 days a week alcohol free. It is not advisable to save all of your units up for one or two nights a week, and ‘binge’ drink them all in one go. Remember the guidelines are not targets to drink up to. There are times and circumstances when it makes sense not to drink at all. These guidelines don’t apply to young people who haven’t reached physical maturity.

A binge is when someone drinks 8 units or more of alcohol at one time, or drinks with the intention of getting drunk.

All alcoholic drinks can be counted in UNITS.
There is one unit of alcohol in:
½ pint of ordinary beer or lager (3 – 4% ABV)
1 single pub measure of spirits (whiskey, vodka, gin etc)
One small (125ml) glass of wine in a pub

You may find that stopping or drastically reducing your drinking, leaves you with some symptoms caused by withdrawal from alcohol. This is because when the body is used to a regular dose of alcohol, and no longer receives it, a chemical adjustment takes place. The effects of this adjustment are called withdrawal symptoms. Whilst most people experience some symptoms, these effects vary from person to person, and the safest way to consider making changes in your drinking, is to seek advice and support from the Community Alcohol Service, or your GP.

No. We offer one to one appointments. We also offer people the opportunity to join small groups for ‘auricular acupuncture’ or group support. It is the person's choice to access group activities or not. We do not operate a ‘one size fits all’ service, but one that is tailored to meet the needs of individuals.

Auricular acupuncture is a specialised treatment, used with great success when treating problems of substance misuse. This treatment is widely used in Britain with great success, as part of a recovery process for individuals. The treatment involves the insertion of 5 very fine sterile needles into each ear, at specific points. The client then relaxes for 40 minutes. This helps the body to cope with the process of withdrawing from substances. The treatment is only offered by trained practitioners, and only to clients who indicate that they want it.

The CAS is a free service, and we have a clear confidentiality policy, which is explained to people when they first visit.

No. We will advise you as to whether you are drinking at a hazardous or harmful level, and will give advice on cutting down. If you decide that you want to stop drinking we will help. We will work with you to set goals that are right for you, we won’t try to make you do anything.

This is difficult to answer. We won’t set any time limits or prescribe a certain length of time, but we may initially offer you six sessions. It’s a good idea to review your treatment with you every six sessions or so, to ensure that you are getting what you need from the service.

Occasionally we can visit people at home, however this is when the person has great difficulty leaving the house, perhaps due to mobility problems or a mental health issue. We also see people in surgeries, and other community settings, which may be easier to get to. We also provide telephone help where that is most appropriate. If you think that attending the office may be difficult for you, please contact us to discuss how we may be able to help.

We understand that there may be times when you need a drink. All that we ask is that you attend the service in a reasonably sober state. Perhaps there are certain times of the day when you would be less likely to need a drink- we can try to arrange a suitable time.

Detox, sometimes called managed withdrawal, is a planned procedure, during which a person who is physically dependent on alcohol, stops drinking and is given medication for seven to ten days, to help minimise withdrawal symptoms. This can be done in an inpatient setting or in the person's own home, depending on circumstances. Following assessment, the medication is prescribed by a GP or Consultant, in conjunction with the nurses at the Community Alcohol Service. In order to give the best chance of success, it is important to prepare for detox, and to plan the aftercare in collaboration with a Community Alcohol Service Worker. To undertake Detox you need to be working with the Community Alcohol Service.

Not necessarily. Some people find that they can cut down to a safe level that they’re happy with. Some make the decision to have a period of abstinence, before reinstating controlled drinking. Others stop drinking forever, because they feel that it is safest for them, or because their health would be seriously at risk if they continued to drink at all.