Alcohol, drugs and gambling safety
The areas of drug and alcohol use are full of myth and misinformation. We’ve gathered together a range of reliable information and support services so you can get to know the facts.
Alcohol
It’s good to know the number of units of alcohol you are drinking. The nationally recommended advice is that men and women should drink no more than 14 units of alcohol a week. That’s equivalent to:
- six pints of average strength beer, or
- 10 small glasses of low strength wine.
It’s easy to get into buying rounds of drinks or feel pressured to drink. We all have different tolerances to alcohol and we never want a good night to turn bad. So, know your units and stick to your own levels.
You can download a free app from Drink Aware to track your alcohol consumption, calculate units and set your own goals to moderate your drinking. You can also try the free Alcohol Change unit tracker, and read their blog post, Friend or Foe? Alcohol and our mental health.
If you need advice or support for your drinking, you can contact Change Grow Live. The support and advice is confidential.
Drugs
Drugs can have short and long term effects. The best advice is not to take drugs. However, if you do please ensure you are aware of what you are taking, the risks. Drugs will differ in their purity levels and ingredients so please consider safety when taking drugs. Mixing drugs with alcohol can have harmful affects on your body.
Check out our Drugs and Alcohol podcast.
Support and Help
Change Grow Live The Place, offer a range of specialised support for young people up to age 25, including:
- Structured support and up-to-date, in-depth harm reduction advice around drugs and alcohol.
- Confidential, specialist support for young people affected by someone else's substance use.
People who engage with the service can expect:
- A free, confidential & welcoming service
- Access to professional advice and information
- Personalized, person-centred support tailored to individual needs
- Opportunities to build knowledge around substances
- Guidance on managing the impact of substance use on themselves or their family
Talk to FRANK: find out more about drugs and their effects, including legal highs. If you are worried about a friend you can call 0300 123 6600 anytime for confidential advice.
Gambling
Gambling can seem fun, that rush of endorphins can be a bit of a thrill. It's important to keep control of your gambling as it could not only have an impact on your bank balance but also affect you mental health.
According to an YGAM survey, in 2022 71% of students gambled in some way that year, and 47% of those students had gambled to make money. Gambling can easily become addictive. Please remember the gambling system is set for the house to win, there is no such thing as luck in gambling.
What does it mean to have a gambling problem:
- you are spending more money than expected,
- you are constantly thinking about gambling,
- gambling is taking up a big chunk of your time.
If you feel that gambling is starting to control your life please reach out for help and support.
Support and Help
NHS Help for problems with gambling
Nottingham Time Out Gambling Project
Money problems and mental wellbeing
There is a clear link between mental health and money problems. University financial worries can be a cause for feeling stressed, anxious and overwhelmed all of which can have an impact of your studies. NTU have a dedicated Student Money Team who can provide advice, help and support.
Money Helper have created a handy guide on how to look after yourself and your money.
You can also access the mental health and money toolkit which has interactive activities to help you.