In Finland, alcohol consumption increases during summer and vacation periods. After several weeks of heavy drinking, cutting back can be challenging when returning to daily routines. This is evident from the calls received by the Substance Abuse Helpline, operated by EHYT (Finnish Association for Substance Abuse Prevention). The “From Terrace to Work” campaign by EHYT encourages individuals to monitor their drinking habits and offers support for reducing alcohol intake.

As summer ends, the Substance Abuse Helpline sees an influx of calls from people struggling to reduce their alcohol consumption after their vacations.

“Callers report that they continue to drink as much as they did during their holiday, even though they need to be fit for work in the mornings and want to stop drinking,” says Kaisa Åberg, head of the Substance Abuse Helpline.

Excessive alcohol use in the workplace can manifest as tardiness, fatigue, decreased work quality, and even workplace accidents.

The “From Terrace to Work” campaign supports those whose alcohol use has been excessive during the summer. The campaign materials include tips for reducing alcohol consumption and the OttoMitta app for tracking alcohol use and identifying risks. The app assesses the risk profile of alcohol use and provides feedback based on the information entered by the user.

“You can also evaluate your situation with the Substance Abuse Helpline staff and explore your options if reducing or stopping alcohol consumption on your own is challenging. If necessary, the helpline can provide guidance on seeking treatment,” Åberg explains.

Concerns About Changes in Alcohol Legislation

Recent changes to the alcohol law, allowing the sale of drinks with up to eight percent alcohol content in grocery stores since June, have raised concerns. According to the retail sector, sales of stronger drinks have started briskly.

“From the perspective of preventing problems, it is unequivocally bad that stronger alcohol is more easily and widely available,” Åberg states. “There are fears in the substance abuse prevention field that the increased harms will place an additional burden on social and health services.”

For healthy working-age men, the moderate risk level for alcohol consumption is 14 units per week, and for women, it is 7 units. One unit of alcohol corresponds to 33 cl of beer. The same amount of an eight percent drink equals 1.8 units of alcohol. With stronger drinks, the risk limits are exceeded more quickly.

“No one wants to make alcohol a problem for themselves. Therefore, it is essential for anyone who drinks alcohol to occasionally reflect on the consequences of their drinking. It’s much easier to make adjustments before problems become prolonged,” Åberg says. “Most severe harms are avoidable if one recognizes their excessive drinking in time.”

EHYT’s “From Terrace to Work” campaign is active on social media during weeks 32 and 33. The OttoMitta app for tracking alcohol use and identifying risks is available at ottomitta.ehyt.fi.

The national Substance Abuse Helpline at 0800 900 45 offers support and assistance if you are concerned about your own or a loved one’s substance use. The helpline is free and anonymous, available 24/7, and staffed by social and health professionals. More information: päihdeneuvonta.fi.

8 Tips for Reducing Alcohol Consumption

Do you drink more in the summer than at other times? Cutting back can be difficult when returning to daily routines. Here are eight tips to help you reduce your drinking, determine if it is a problem for you, and achieve moderation.

1. Track Your Consumption Keep a drinking diary, either on paper or electronically. You can use EHYT’s OttoMitta app to easily record your alcohol units. Having the diary makes the amount of alcohol you consume concrete. How does it look? OttoMitta: ottomitta.ehyt.fi.
2. Determine Acceptable Limits A good guideline is the moderate drinking limits. For men, consuming over 14 units per week exceeds the moderate risk threshold. For women, the limit is 7 units. If you need to reduce, set clear limits for your drinking and calculate how much you need to cut back. Start with a dry month to see if you find it difficult to be without alcohol. If so, consider why it feels challenging. Remember, professional help is available.
3. Recognize When and Why You Drink Identify situations where you drink too much. Can you avoid these situations? Pay attention to your emotions. Do you drink out of boredom or sadness? Are the feelings positive or negative? Do you always drink with certain people? Think about what you gain from drinking and how you could achieve the same without alcohol.
4. Tell Others About Your Plan to Cut Back Talk to those close to you about your alcohol use. Let them know you want to reduce and ask them not to encourage or tempt you to drink. Support from those around you can help you stick to your decision, and you may also find peer support in cutting back.
5. Find Alternatives to Drinking Think of new ways to relax. Arrange to meet in places where alcohol isn’t served. If you’ve been drinking to unwind after a work week, find a new habit. For example, have coffee with a friend or watch a good movie.
6. Learn to Say No Be prepared to refuse alcohol. Plan how you will decline offers: “No thanks, I’m cutting back on my drinking,” “No thanks, I sleep better if I don’t drink,” “No thanks, I have a long day tomorrow.”
7. Don’t Get Discouraged Don’t get discouraged if you experience setbacks. Change takes time, and even small reductions help. Try to understand why you drank more than you wanted. Think about how you can avoid similar situations in the future.
8. Substance Abuse Helpline – When You Need Support to Reduce or Stop Drinking Sometimes reducing alcohol use alone isn’t possible because alcohol can cause a strong dependency. You can seek professional help from a health center or occupational health service, which can refer you to substance abuse services if needed. If you want to discuss your situation, professionals at the Substance Abuse Helpline are available at 0800 900 45 around the clock. Calling is free and anonymous.

Find more from EHYT ry (Finland, August 2024)

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