Minimising Harmful Substances

Negative Effects of Substance Misuse

We all know about the harm alcohol, smoking and drugs can do to the body. They can affect your body physically, causing raised blood pressure, heart disease and lung damage as well as cancer risk in any part of your body from the mouth, oesophagus and lungs to even breast and bowel cancer.

Harmful substances can also affect our mental health causing or worsening conditions such as depression, anxiety and even causing dementia and psychosis.

Reducing Alcohol Consumption

Most people drink in moderation, and maximum recommended units are 14 a week for both men and women. If you are exceeding this, here are some tips to reduce this:

• Try having at least 3-4 consecutive days or more of not drinking at all. This gives the liver a break from metabolising alcohol.
• On the days you may drink, try to reduce the number of units of alcohol by alternating with non-alcoholic or soft drinks.
• Instead of meeting a friend for a drink, do an activity instead such as a walk in nature, or play a game such as golf or tennis.

Stop Smoking

There are many ways to help people stop smoking and free services in local chemists are available locally. Smoking is addictive due to the nicotine and it is not easy to quit. However, the health and financial benefits are huge if you can stop.

For some people, vaping is an alternative to smoking. However, it is not fully known what effects the chemicals that are in vapes will have on the lungs and our advice is not to substitute one harmful habit for another potentially harmful and costly habit.