A message from Dr. Evan Adams, Chief Medical Officer, and Dr. Shannon McDonald, Deputy Chief Medical Officer

We hope everyone who is participating in our Sober/er for October challenge is feeling the health benefits of a reduced or no-alcohol lifestyle! Congratulations to everyone for working on your personal health and wellness in this important way. We're so pleased with the hundreds of positive comments, posts and messages from participants (see below), who are encouraging other community members by either sharing their successes this month or their years of sobriety so far. Some say they're feeling more clear-headed and energetic than they have in a long time, and some say they're believing this will be a turning-point! 

We're also pleased that this challenge has increased our comfort level in talking about alcohol. Don't worry if you didn't do as well as you wanted to – every bit of work toward wellness helps.

While Sober/er for October is coming to a close, you don't have to go back to old ways if that means drinking too much; our hope is that you will continue with this new lifestyle to continue improving your health!

A note of caution: after a period of abstinence, if you'd previously been drinking heavily, there is the risk that your alcohol tolerance will be lower than before, so if you do decide to resume drinking alcohol, be sure to go slow.

In this message, we'll briefly reiterate points from some of the Sober/er for October messages our team has sent this month via social media including tips for reducing / quitting alcohol, the best approach for helping people with alcohol use disorder, the risks of alcohol, and resources including treatment centres if you feel you need more help in this area.

Tips for reducing or quitting alcohol use

• Surround yourself with people who don't drink alcohol and avoid socializing with people who drink alcohol.

• Avoid places where alcohol is being served, but if this is not possible, have a non-alcoholic beverage / mocktail.

• Be accountable: let others know you're reducing / quitting alcohol.

• Stock your fridge with non-alcoholic, beverages – buy sparkling flavoured waters or make flavoured water with cut-up lemons, limes or cucumbers, etc.

• Be sure you don't replace alcohol with unhealthy, high-calorie, high-sugar or high-chemical beverages such as juice, energy drinks, pop or diet pop.

• Try social activities that are not conducive to drinking: get your friends together and go for a hike, or try playing games, whether new or familiar.

• If you believe you have a serious problem with alcohol, see the last section of this message for resources including treatment centres and medications.

• It is critical to keep trying and never give up. Some people who are now sober made multiple attempts to reduce or stop their alcohol use before they did it. You can do it too!

Helping people with alcohol use disorder

• Know that drinking too much alcohol is a health issue, not a moral issue, and that being judgmental or stigmatizing alcohol use is harmful, not helpful. We have to help each other, not tear each other down. Remember, we are all connected, and what happens to one affects us all.

• Long-lasting change is most likely when it's self-motivated and rooted in positive thinking, while the least effective strategies are those motivated by feelings of guilt, fear, shame or regret, Harvard Medical School researchers have found.

• We need to be aware that some people drink more heavily to self-medicate past / ongoing traumas. Every person responds differently to trauma.

Talking with youth about alcohol use

• In the case of younger community members, it is important to be non-judgmental and have open conversations with them about alcohol. Some tips for doing this can be found here.

• We need to accept that young people are going to make choices we may not agree with; like us before them, youth will make mistakes and learn from them. If drinking is going to happen, we need to focus on reducing the risk of bad outcomes. This could mean allowing youth to be open and honest about where they are going and what they are doing, and letting them know they can call a responsible adult at any time for a safe ride home.

• Young people also need healthy alternatives to social drinking: they should be provided with an array of opportunities to participate in sports, cultural activities and other non-drinking social events.

Risks related to alcohol consumption

As physicians, we can only guide our patients by warning them about the risks of drinking alcohol. Here are just some of the risks associated with drinking alcohol:

• The Canadian Cancer Society notes that drinking any type of alcohol raises your risk of developing cancer. The less you drink, the lower your risk. No amount of alcohol is considered safe, but if you do you drink, keep it to no more than one drink a day for women and no more than two drinks a day for men. Even one drink per day can increase a woman's risk of breast cancer.

• According to The Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology, even small amounts of alcohol in pregnancy cause unknown risks to babies in the womb. Women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant should not consume alcohol.

• It is unsafe for parents to drink while caring for children, especially infants, when intoxicated, as judgement and abilities may be impaired.

• In a review of 95 unexpected deaths in First Nations youth ages 15-24 between 2010 and 2015, alcohol was found to be a contributing factor in 54% of cases.

• Alcohol is a contributing factor in many, many injuries and accidents in general, whether youth or adult, Indigenous or non-Indigenous.

Resources for assistance with alcohol use disorder

• We encourage you to seek help if you need it. Here are some ideas that have worked for others: 

• Treatment centres: for info on FNHA-funded treatment centres, click here. 

• Support groups: e.g., Alcoholics Anonymous, SMART, Al-Anon, AlaTeen.

• Health care providers: speak to them about your concerns.

• Medications: ask your health care provider about medications that can prevent relapses and/or reduce cravings.

• Therapy may also be available: ask your health care provider for a referral.

• Traditional healing/cultural activities: Participation in these has been found to be very beneficial for those with alcohol use disorder. Culture really does save lives.

• Use the 24/7 Ku-uus Crisis Line as necessary: they have information about many different resources, programs and services.

• Be informed: check out the FNHA webpages on substance use or these links: Alcohol Reality Check in British Columbia: www.alcoholreality.ca; and Alcohol Best Practices Portal: http://cbpp-pcpe.phac-aspc.gc.ca/public-health-topics/alcohol/.

Sober for October social media comments

These are just some of the hundreds of Facebook posts, comments and messages we received during our Sober for October campaign! Thank you everyone for participating! So many proudly shared their many years of sobriety with us, their personal stories, sent words of encouragement to other community members, or commented about their Sober for October journey throughout the month. Now let’s keep this sober or sober-er movement going so we can be our healthiest selves! ~ Dr. Evan Adams, FNHA Chief Medical Officer and Dr. Shannon McDonald, FNHA Deputy Chief Medical Officer

Find out more about the Sober for October challenge here.