MHAP_Southampton_23_05

would dangerously affect or even kill some people.
A dependent drinker usually experiences physical
and psychological withdrawal symptoms if they
suddenly cut down or stop drinking, including:
hand tremors – “the shakes”
sweating
seeing things that aren’t real
(visual hallucinations)
depression
anxiety
difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
This often leads to “relief drinking” to avoid
withdrawal symptoms.
Realising you have a problem
with alcohol
This is the first big step to getting help. You may
need help if:
you feel you should cut down on your drinking
you often feel the need to have a drink
you need a drink first thing in the morning to
steady your nerves or get rid of a hangover
other people have been criticising or warning
you about how much you’re drinking
you get into trouble because of your drinking
you think your drinking is causing you problems
you feel guilty or bad about your drinking
Someone you know may be
misusing alcohol if:
they regularly exceed the lower-risk daily limit
for alcohol
they’re sometimes unable to remember
what happened the night before because of
their drinking
they fail to do what was expected of them as a
result of their drinking – for example, missing
an appointment or work because of being drunk
or hungover
Getting help with treating
alcohol misuse
If you’re concerned about your drinking or
someone else’s, a good place to start is with your
GP. Try to be accurate and honest about how much
you drink and any problems it may be causing you.
Your level of alcohol intake may be assessed using
various tests and this will determine your type of
treatment. They’ll be able to discuss the services
and treatments available. Initially your alcohol
intake may be assessed using tests, such as the:
Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test –
a widely used screening test that can help
determine whether you need to change your
drinking habits
Fast Alcohol Screening Test – a simpler test
to check whether your drinking has reached
dangerous levels
Treating alcohol misuse
Treatment options include counselling, medication
and detoxification. Detoxification involves a nurse
or doctor supporting you to safely stop drinking;
this can be done by helping you slowly cut down
over time or by giving you medicines to prevent
withdrawal symptoms.
A dependent drinker usually experiences physical
and psychological withdrawal symptoms if they
suddenly cut down or stop drinking, including
anxiety after waking, sweating, nausea and
vomiting, hallucinations, seizures or fits, hand
tremors, depression and insomnia. This often leads
to “relief drinking” to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
To stop drinking instantly could be harmful and you
should take advice from your GP to do this safely.
Cutting down or stopping drinking is usually just
the beginning, & most people will need some
degree of help or some long term plan to stay in
control or to stay completely alcohol-free. Getting
the right support can be crucial to maintaining
control in the future. Only relying on family, friends
or carers for this is often not enough.
Some people with medium or high levels of alcohol
dependence may need intensive rehabilitation
& recovery support for a period after they stop
drinking completely; either through a programme
of intensive support in their local community or by
a residential rehabilitation service. This may be in
an NHS inpatient unit, or in a medically-supported
residential service, depending on your situation and
the assessed medical need.
Further help for alcohol abuse
As well as the NHS, there are a number of charities
and support groups across the UK that provide
support and advice for people with an alcohol
misuse problem. Helpful contacts for Alcohol
Addiction can be found on our Mental Health
Glossary on pages 22 - 25.
www.mhap.co.uk 9