Mind Your Self : NI Top 5's : Top 5 days off work

Alcohol

So you take the odd day or two off work after you've had a heavy session. So what? Everyone does it. It's no big deal, right? Wrong. Drinking more than 20 units of alcohol in a week will damage your health. And twenty units of alcohol is a lot less than you think - just 10 pints of beer or 2 bottles of wine.

• How much do you drink?

So let's find out how much you drink. Count up the the amount of alcohol you've drunk in the last seven days and write down the total. And no hiding the afternoon one or the couple with dinner on Wednesday - The Total it has to be!

If it's under 20 and most weeks are the same, you're fine. But if you're over 20 units, you're in the danger area.

Men who drink more than 20 units a week spend more time in casualty, in police stations, in crashed cars, in impotence clinics and in coffins than the under-twenty-units men. (By the way, there is no-one, but no-one, more boring to a casualty doctor than a drunk.)

So what do you want to do?  You can keep on as you are now or you can make some changes. Just 1 or 2 changes for a start.

Count your units every week. 20 is the limit. When you've had 20, stop for that week and start again next week.

Pick days to Not Drink. Pick one at a time and tell yourself that whatever happens you are Not Drinking that day.

• The morning after the night before.

No joy? Still hungover most mornings? Need more help?  Fair enough.

Firstly, when you aren't drinking you'll have much more time on your hands; you'll need to fill it with something. Do Something. Anything. (Well, almost.) Go to bingo. Paint the bedroom. Take the children out. Seduce someone (a volunteer of course). Go to church. Play bridge. Write a novel. Ring your sister in Birmingham.  Wash the car. You get the picture?

Secondly, celebrate your success. Each day is a victory over the habit. Look forward to your next drink, certainly, knowing when it is to be, and knowing when it is not to be.

Thirdly, don't tease yourself. Don't pretend you can go out with your mates and have a sparkling water. You might succeed once but regularly? No chance. Send yourself to places where you won't have temptation in your face.

No joy? Still in bother?

Perhaps you'd be better with some serious help.

Serious help can be found via your GP and AA. See the Getting Better section for more help. Check out our Alcohol test!