Alcohol

Whether you are drinking to socialise, cope with difficult times or just to relax, you may not realise how much you are drinking and the damage it could cause. A small change can make a lasting difference to your health. Local help and support is available


How does alcohol affect me?

Alcohol can have a number of effects on your body:

A diagram of the effects of alcohol on the body: Depression, Memory loss, cancer of the throat and mouth, early ageing, heart trouble, pneumonia risk, liver damage, trembling hands, stomach problems, inflammation of the pancreas, ulcers, falls, painful nerves, impaired sexual performance in men


How much alcohol is okay?

The more you drink the more likely it is that alcohol will harm your health. To keep health risks from alcohol to a low level it is safest not to drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis.

However, changes to your body as you get older mean that low risk drinking levels will be slightly less as you age.

units of alcohol image: Large wine glass 13% ABV - 3.3 units Small fortified wine glass (e.g. sherry) 17.5% ABV - 1.0 units A pint of premium beer 5% ABV - 2.8 units Single measure of spirits 40% ABV - 1.4 units

It is recommended that you should have several alcohol free days a week.  Note that drinking 3 units of alcohol in one sitting can increase blood pressure in someone with these issues. Alcohol does not mix well with medication, so check your medication information.


Local help and support

If you are worried about how much you’re drinking and want help to stop you can speak to your doctor or GP.

Read more about local support on our addictions page

Newcastle Treatment and Recovery Service (NTaR) is a community drug and alcohol service for anyone in Newcastle experiencing problems with or affected by drugs and alcohol. Support is available for people of all ages and with all substances.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) can help you if you are having trouble with your drinking, or if your drinking has reached the point of where it worries you. You can attend a face to face AA meeting to get help to become and stay sober. You can talk to others who understand your situation and share your experience. Visit their website to find your local AA meeting. They have a free telephone and email helpline.

PROPS North East (Positive Response to Overcoming Problems of Substance misuse in the family) provide support and information to families of people using alcohol and drugs by providing a range of support services, advocacy, counselling, training and community empowerment.

George Street Social is a coffee shop and dry bar. It’s a safe place for people recovering from alcohol, drugs and other addictions. It’s a social hub for meetings as well as workshops, training, yoga, dance, mindfulness or music. You can stop by and enjoy a game of pool or just a natter with friends or make new ones. They hold 12 step meetings upstairs including Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA).

ReCoCo: The Recovery College College run support groups and free courses to anyone who would find them helpful in their recovery from mental illness, substance misuse, addictions, trauma or distress. This is educational and creative, peer-led  support.

YMCA Newcastle provide a safe place for young people to go for support and advice.


If you are concerned about a loved one’s drinking you can contact:

PROPS North East

Al Anon family groups provide support to anyone whose life is, or has been, affected by someone else’s drinking. Whether or not the person is still drinking or has stopped. They hold regular meetings where members share their experience of living with alcoholism. The group are relatives and friends of alcoholics who share their experience to help each other. Visit their website to find a face to face meeting near you. They also run online meetings. You can call their free confidential telephone helpline or  and email them for help too.

Kinship carers: offer support to grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and family friends who step up to raise children when their parents can’t. They have an information and advice service and peer support. Email, call or connect with them on Facebook.


Support Forums

The Newcastle User Carer forum is for adults supporting someone in Newcastle who uses drugs, alcohol or both.  It offers the opportunity to have your voice heard and to help improve and develop treatment and recovery services in Newcastle. The forum meets 4 times a year at different venues across the city.

The Newcastle Drug and Alcohol Service User and Carer Forum is for service users, carers of those in and out of treatment and the recovery community. The forums are an opportunity to chat and to raise any issues that you may have. It also provides a supportive place for peer led activities, training, volunteer opportunities, advocacy, and mentoring.  The Service User and Carer Forum meets fortnightly from 12pm until 2pm at The Recovery College


Hobbies and activities

It can help to be active and get involved in events near you. You can discover new ideas on InformationNOW:

One you has a number of useful tracking devices including a drinks app.


Mental health

Read more about local mental health help and support on InformationNOW

Cumbria Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust provides NHS mental health, learning disability and specialist services across Newcastle. They provide: crisis mental health support; in patient ; specialist services, such as neuro, psychiatry.  They have a Patient Information Centre and Mental health self help guides covering sleep, depression, anxiety and more.

Last updated: March 13, 2024