Alcohol Awareness Week 2025
There are so many ways that you can make change for yourself and others this Alcohol Awareness Week as Alcohol Change UK looks at the links between alcohol and work.
Whether it’s helping to change the role alcohol plays in a workplace or getting tips for managing your own drinking when the pressures of work pile up, Alcohol Change UK has got something for you.
How does alcohol show up at work?
Whether it’s a bonding tool, a reward, Friday night drinks, or a networking event, alcohol is often made to feel like the main attraction, particularly at workplace socials, to the point where many of us are made to feel uncomfortable if we don’t drink – no matter our reason!
And when work stresses start to get on top of us, we can find ourselves using alcohol as a way to try to cope. Had a bad day? Have a drink. Feeling apprehensive? A drink will help. But the reality is drinking alcohol as a way to try to manage our stress and anxiety can worsen our symptoms and prevent us from performing well. And work-stress doesn’t only affect us as employees, we can feel it in the same way if we’re freelancing, volunteering, or studying at university.
Five things from Alcohol Change UK that you can do if you are concerned about your own or someone else’s drinking.
- Track your drinking: Use a free app like Try Dry® or keep a daily diary of your alcohol use. This can help you see patterns, measure units, and stay accountable as a first step. If you’re concerned about someone else, recommend Try Dry® as a way to track their own drinking.
- Identify triggers: Reflect on what might be driving your drinking. Is it work stress, social pressures, or specific people, places or events? Identifying triggers, whether for yourself or someone else, is key to making changes.
- Start cutting back: Alcohol can make stress, anxiety, and low mood worse over time. Reducing your intake or taking a break can improve your wellbeing and help you address the underlying issues for lasting change.
- Talk to your GP: Share your concerns with your doctor, being honest about how much you drink. They can provide clear, safe, and practical advice tailored to your needs. If you're supporting a loved one, encourage them to get a check-up from their GP and offer to accompany them.
- Seek support: Open up to someone you trust, or connect with supportive networks like AA, Smart Recovery, or online peer forums. You don’t have to face this on your own, help and support is available, and people access it every day.
Alcohol Change UK is here to help and support you.
If you're worried that you're drinking too much, there's support available.
