Alcohol is the most common drug in Sweden, and it is legal to use if you’re old enough. When used in moderation, alcohol can be nice and help create good times. But it is a bad idea to drink when you meet customers, because your judgment may get worse, and it is good to have control of the situation. Do not accept drinks from anyone, there is always a risk that someone has put something in the glass.
Alcohol is a strong drug that kills many more people than all other drugs together. When you drink, alcohol reaches your brain in a few minutes, and it affects things like the central nervous system. At the start, being a little drunk can feel good. You can feel more free, and perhaps your feelings get more intense. But when you drink more, you lose control over both feelings and body. Your judgment and your energy get shaky. Being drunk makes you less sexually sensitive, and it can be difficult to get an erection or keep one. If you drink a lot of alcohol over a long time, it can lead to long-term impotence and a lower sex drive.
Alcohol and medicine together is usually a bad idea. Read the information that comes with your medicine to find out how alcohol and medicine combined can affect your body – or search drugs.com or medicine.org.uk to find out.
Alcohol often makes it difficult to make good decisions, and this makes it a bad idea to combine alcohol with other drugs.
Side effects
If you drink a lot, you can get alcohol poisoning. In the long term, drinking a lot of alcohol can lead to depression and damage to different organs in the body – most often your brain, your heart and your liver. Alcohol is often a factor in accidents and violence. It is addictive, both mentally and physically.
Support
Have you thought about drinking less alcohol, taking less drugs, or stopping completely? Are you using a medicine in a destructive way? Are you worried that a friend is drinking too much?
Sometimes it is a good idea to talk to a professional who can give advice and support. Read more about Alcohol and drug counselling here.
