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In Australia, alcohol use is a daily part of many people’s lives. Most people drink alcohol for enjoyment, the taste, to relieve stress and to socialise.

Alcohol can be part of a healthy lifestyle if you drink in moderation, exercise and eat a healthy diet. However, risky drinking can affect your health, your finances and can cause issues within your family and the broader community.

Alcohol can also become addictive. If you, or someone you know have an alcohol dependence you can speak with your doctor or contact the Alcohol Helpline on 1800 888 236.

Alcohol can hurt your health

Drinking more than two drinks a day can seriously affect your health over your lifetime. Here is how regular risky drinking can affect your body.

Your weight: Alcohol contains a lot of “empty” calories and can slow down your metabolism, leading to weight gain, and poor muscle mass. Check how many calories are in your drink here.

Your heart: Heavy drinking increases your blood pressure and can lead to heart damage and heart attacks.

Your liver: Drinking increases your risk of developing liver cancer. Long-term heavy drinking also puts you at increased risk of liver cirrhosis (scarring) and death.

Your stomach: Drinking even one to two standard drinks a day increases your risk of stomach and bowel cancer, as well as stomach ulcers.

Your mental health: Alcohol is a depressant and can increase your risk of mental health conditions and suicide.

Rethink your next drink, think about who’s it gonna hurt.

Source: Health Direct.

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Has alcohol affected your health?

Alcohol can hurt your performance at work

Drinking too much alcohol can affect your concentration, judgement, problem solving ability, co-ordination, reaction times, mood and memory; all of which can hurt your performance, safety and relationships at work.

To remain in good standing in your job, rethink your next drink, think about who’s it gonna hurt.

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Can alcohol hurt your performance at work?

Alcohol can hurt your wallet

Drinking too much alcohol can sabotage your finances.

Consider this: 4 beers a night equates to approximately $50 a week, $218 a month and $2621 a year

To work out exactly how much you are spending on alcohol click here

Limiting your drinking can save you money and can go towards something a bit more rewarding like a holiday with your family or a fishing trip with your mates.

Rethink your next drink, think about who’s it gonna hurt.

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How much do you spend on alcohol?

Alcohol can hurt your family

While it is acceptable to responsibly drink in front of children, parents and grandparents should be careful about the attitudes and behaviours they display in front of their children/ grandchildren as they play a large in role in shaping their children’s attitudes and beliefs about drinking.

Rethink your next drink and think, who’s it gonna hurt.

If your drinking is impacting your family, contact the Alcohol Helpline on 1800 888 236 or for a full list of local services, visit the Albury Wodonga Community Guide.

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Do your kids pay attention to your drinking?

Alcohol can hurt others

Not everyone that drinks, even to excess, becomes aggressive or violent. However, for many, drinking too much can lead to violent and abusive behaviour.

In Wodonga, drug and alcohol use is a factor in almost half of family violence incidents. Alcohol can also lead to anti-social behaviour and crime.

If you have an issue with aggression or violence, or if you know someone that is experiencing violence or is at risk of violence call:

Emergency police: 000
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1800 RESPECT
The Centre Against Violence: (03) 5722 2203

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How can too much alcohol affect others?

Who’s it Gonna Hurt is a joint initiative of

Wodonga Council and VicHealth.