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Mental health

Alcohol consumption

Drinking alcohol is perceived by many people as a form of relaxation. Yet alcohol actually induces stress when you look at what alcohol does to your body. Drinking may seem like a solution to tense feelings, but it is not. Also, you may not feel comfortable drinking alcohol at all but experience pressure to do so. For all sorts of reasons, you may find it difficult to control, reduce or stop.

Short- and long-term risks of alcohol

Alcohol reaches the brain through the blood. When you drink alcohol, you feel the effect after about 10 minutes. If you have eaten well, it takes a bit longer for the alcohol to be absorbed. Consuming excessive amounts of alcohol puts you at risk in the short term. This may include symptoms like vomiting, experiencing a blackout, and suffering from a hangover. Over the long term, heavy drinking can lead to various diseases and damage to multiple organs. The day after heavy alcohol consumption, memory function is impaired compared to normal. IParticularly, long-term memory is affected more severely during a hangover. Drinking an average of three alcoholic drinks per day (or 25 drinks or more a week) can eventually cause brain damage. Cognitive functions such as critical thinking, analytical thinking, and flexibility decline over time. Prolonged excessive drinking can cause a gradual shrinking of the brain (alcoholics may experience a shrinkage of 10-15%).

You sleep well?

It's often wrongly assumed that drinking alcohol is good for your sleep. While alcohol can make it easier to fall asleep, the quality of sleep is actually reduced. Alcohol affects REM sleep, disrupting dreams and causing you to wake up less refreshed.

Try not to immediately ask what the reason is for that person not to drink alcohol (at that moment). People who make this choice often have to justify themselves enough, even though it's completely unnecessary.
Ask what they would like to drink instead of trying to persuade them to have a drink.
Also, try playing games without turning them into drinking games, or let the person who doesn't drink or drinks less participate in alternative tasks instead of taking sips. This ensures that everyone feels included and doesn't feel left out.
If you're ordering shots at the pub and someone in the group doesn't drink, make sure that person gets a non-alcoholic shot. This way, they can still participate and join in the fun atmosphere.
A cocktail evening with friends? Make sure you can also create non-alcoholic cocktails; there are plenty of delicious recipes available.

Self-learning module

With your Fontys account, you can make free use of online self-help modules (e-health). Check out the modules related to addiction below.

Alcohol

Do you have doubts about your alcohol usage? Do you want to get better at coping with temptation or social pressure? This is the right module for you! It contains useful tips and exercises that will give you more control over your alcohol usage and keep your drinking fun and responsible.

Go to the self-learning module

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