Man who lowered alcohol intake backs new campaign
BBCA man who lowered his alcohol consumption over health fears has backed a campaign for those worried about their alcohol intake.
Jamie Stevenson, from Chichester, West Sussex, said he changed his habits when one glass of wine an evening would often turn into an entire bottle.
"I was doing it too regularly. I've got two kids to look after and I want them to have a dad," he said.
A new public health campaign titled Call the Shots on Alcohol is urging people to take a two-minute online test to see if their drinking levels are putting them at risk.
For men and women, it is recommended to drink no more than 14 units of alcohol a week, spread across three days or more, West Sussex County Council said.
In West Sussex, men are believed to be more likely to drink above these recommendations, with one in four (26%) likely to drink to hazardous levels, compared to one in eight (13%) women.
Mr Stevenson, 54, said while he was not teetotal, he had significantly reduced his alcohol intake after heavy drinking had become a "habit" he did not want his children to witness.
"I wanted to stop because it was not going to help my health. And I want them to see me modelling healthier behaviour," he said.
He was referred to West Sussex Wellbeing after he mentioned his drinking during an appointment with his GP.
The council-funded scheme is a public health advisory that aims to guide people to free and confidential alcohol support available in West Sussex, both online and face-to-face.
Adviser Clare Faulkner said the scheme was busier than ever due to contributing factors including lockdown.
"Sometimes people fall into habits. And they may think those habits are okay, but it is not until they have a warning sign, which could be a high blood pressure reading or anxiety, that they start to think about their alcohol intake," she said.
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