This document provides an overview of a unit on alcohol awareness. It includes learning objectives about identifying the unit strength of alcoholic drinks, reasons for misusing alcohol and its effects, how misuse can affect others, health impacts, and withdrawal effects. Sample session activities are described, such as calculating drink units, discussing new alcohol guidelines, and group investigations presenting information on reasons for misuse, impacts, and sources of help. The session aims to improve understanding of alcohol misuse and where to seek support.

1. Understanding Wellbeing
Week 5: Introduction to alcohol awareness for the individual

2.  LO 1: State the unit strength of several alcoholic drinks (1.1)
 LO 2: Identify reasons for misusing alcohol (2.1) & list
psychological and physical effects of alcohol misuse (3.1)
 LO 3: Describe how alcohol misuse can effect family, friends
and society (4.1) & identify organisations that can offer help
(7.1)
 LO 4: Identify a variety of health impacts (5.1) & the effects of
alcohol withdrawal (6.1)
Session 5 Objectives

3.  4 examples of where to get support or advice on
substance misuse
 4 ways that stereotyping can affect users
 5 signs or symptoms that may indicate substance misuse
 3 harmful effects of substance misuse on
individuals/society
Recap – Group buzzers

4. Please stand up
 I will read out a statement…
 If the statement applies to you then please sit down
Ice Breaker

5.  Men and women should drink no more than 14 units of
alcohol a week - the equivalent of six pints of average
strength beer or seven glasses of wine - in order to
keep their health risks low, new guidelines have
recommended.
 The new Department of Health limits - which came into
effect on Friday the 8th of January - replace the previous
ones on drinking, which were set out 21 years ago.
New alcohol guidelines:
What you need to know

6.  Work in pairs to read through and discuss the hand-out relating
to the new guidelines
Think about, discuss and answer the following questions;
1. Do you think they are right to reduce the recommended
guidelines?
2. Do you think people will take notice of the new guidelines?
3. Do you think the reasons for changing the limit are good
enough?
Activity 1

7.  Choose at least 4 different kinds/brands of alcohol (Fosters,
vodka, wine etc.)
 Find out and take notes on the % of alcohol, amount of units
(often found on the back) and the quantity (ml) of those alcoholic
drinks
 Bring your notes back in to class to share with others
Homework
You needed to…

8. What is a UK unit of alcohol?
10 millilitres of pure alcohol or ethyl alcohol
Why are ‘units’ used to measure alcoholic drinks?
To improve the public’s understanding of how much alcohol is in the volume of liquid they are
consuming & to help people drink at safer levels.
What is ABV?
Alcohol By Volume (the percentage of alcohol contained in a volume of liquid)
The packaging or containers for most alcoholic drinks now have the unit content displayed…if
however they do not, there is a way to quickly approximate. This is called the litre method:
The ABV % indicates how many units of alcohol would be in a full litre (1000ml) of that particular
liquid. We can then estimate how many units are in the quantity of alcohol we are drinking…
Units of alcohol

9. A 1 litre (1000ml) bottle of 12% ABV red wine?
12 units
What about 1 glass (250ml)
3 units
So…how many units?

10. A pint (approx. half a litre) of 5% lager
2.5 units
A shot (25ml) of 40% whisky
1 unit
And a couple more…

11.  Work in pairs
 You can either use mobile phones or laptops
www.drinkaware.co.uk/tips-and-tools/drink-diary/
(Website is also on your worksheet)
You will share your findings as a group
This worksheet links to Page 22 AC 2.1
Activity 2 - Complete the
‘How many units’ Worksheet

12.  I need 1 volunteer to stand at the number 7 please
 I will begin a story and I would like you to add to it
and include drinks & unit content to the story as we
go along.
Activity 3 - Alcohol clock game

13. 15 minutes = Plenty of time for
a brew, chat, drink of water,
toilet visit 
BREAK TIME

14. Complete the worksheet in pairs by
working in pairs to write all the reasons
why you think people choose to drink or
not drink alcohol
This worksheet links to Page 22 AC 2.2
Activity 4 - The decision on whether
to drink or not

15. For the next part of the session you will be working in small groups to gather, interpret and present
information that relates to the following areas:
Group 1: Identify and describe 3 different reasons why people may misuse alcohol (2.1) & describe 3
psychological and 3 (immediate) physical effects of alcohol misuse (3.1)
Group 2: Describe how alcohol misuse can affect 1) family 2) friends 3) society (4.1) & identify and
describe 3 organisations that can offer help and information in relation to alcohol misuse (7.1)
Group 3: Identify the health impact of alcohol misuse on 1) nutrition 2) Liver 3) Heart 4) mental health
5) sexual health (5.1) & describe the effects of alcohol withdrawal (6.1)
Each group will receive a task sheet. You will have up to 45 minutes to research, discuss and
prepare your presentation. You will have up to 10 minutes to present – Presentations will be used
for additional evidence.
Activity 5 - Group investigation &
presentation

16. Group 1 (2.1, 3.1)
Reasons for misusing alcohol: easily available and relatively cheap, socially acceptable
form of drug use, lack of awareness, mask trauma and/or unpleasant feelings, means of
psychological escape, learned behaviour (2.1)
Psychological impact: socially disinhibiting, relieve stress, aid relaxation, increase levels of
anxiety/depression, increase aggression or tendency to be violent, increase risk taking,
dependence
Physical impact: lowers core body temperature, increase feelings of hunger, increase need
to urinate, loss of coordination, balance and motor skills, increases heart rate and blood
pressure (3.1)

17. Impact on family: increase risk of arguments and domestic violence, employment and
financial problems through over-spending, absenteeism or loss of employment,
intergenerational alcohol misuse
Impact on friends: increase risk of inappropriate, aggressive or violent behaviour,
breakdown in relationships
Impact on society: increased levels of aggression and violence in town centres, loss of
social income through absenteeism & inability to work, increased levels of welfare
dependency, healthcare costs (acute & chronic) (4.1)
3 organisations that can offer help and/or information:
Inspire, THOMAS, Alcoholics Anonymous (7.1)
Group 2 (4.1, 7.1)

18. Nutrition: does not contain any useful nutrients and in fact prevents the body from absorbing and
processing other nutrients, high in calories that cannot be utilised
Liver: increased risk of developing diabetes, some liver cells turn to fat, cirrhosis (scarring) of the
liver, increased risk of liver disease (and death)
Heart: increased heart rate and blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms, risk of stroke, coronary
heart disease
Mental health: increased levels of depression/anxiety, psychological dependence, stress levels etc
Sexual (reproductive) health: reduced testosterone levels, sperm production, sperm mobility,
interruption to menstrual cycle, decreased chance of conception, increased risk of risky sexual
behaviour and STIs/STDs (5.1)
Effects of alcohol withdrawal: shaking, sweating, nausea, vomiting, headaches, insomnia,
hallucinations, seizures, delirium tremens (DTs), disorientation, high blood pressure, racing heart
rate, fever – withdrawal from alcohol should always be medically supervised as it can be fatal if not
managed correctly (6.1)
Group 3 (5.1, 6.1)

19. You need to complete the sections
on pages 23/24 which you did not
research/present the information in
Workbook

20.  3 reasons why people may misuse alcohol
 3 psychological effects of alcohol misuse
 1 effect that alcohol misuse may have on family, friends or society
 3 physical effects of alcohol misuse
 2 ways in which alcohol can impact on health
 3 sources of help and information in relation to alcohol misuse
 3 effects of withdrawing from alcohol
Recap – Group buzzers

21. Research what is meant by weight management and body
image
Provide a paragraph to show what you understand of both
topics
This must be in your own words and not copied from the
internet
Homework