‘Here’s To Us’ – Friendships and Alcohol Project
‘Here’s to Us’ was created to address a gap in conversation around how young adults can be affected by a friend’s alcohol use. According to our survey, 60% of people who responded had felt personally affected by a friend’s drinking, but more than half of respondents have never tried speaking to a friend about their alcohol use. We explored the impact of alcohol on people’s social lives, both within the context of social drinking and lone drinking, through conversations at the University of Stirling, casual conversations and our ‘Friendships and Alcohol’ Survey. The embeddedness of drinking culture in Scottish society can have social and mental health consequences, as well as physical harm.
“It can be difficult to look for support for a friend’s drinking; you can be affected by it but still feel like you’re too distanced from the problem to talk to someone about it.”
‘Here’s To Us’ focuses on peer support just as much as it delves in peer pressure as well. The name ‘Here’s To Us’ is a nod to the toast typically used before drinking in social settings – but it’s core message shouldn’t be something unique to drinking. It’s important to acknowledge closeness and celebrate friendships outside of drinking contexts.
We shared this project following International Friendship Day (30th July), which celebrates the bonds formed between individuals and communities – especially when it comes to young people. In the early stages of the project, we talked about the important balance between looking out for our friends and reflecting on our own boundaries and well-being to maintain healthy relationships. We thought that International Friendship Day would be a good time to shed light on how alcohol use can impact friendships and feelings of belonging – and to promote self-care and support-seeking within friendships.
Our helpline is there for ANYONE affected by someone else’s alcohol or drug use, regardless of your relationship to the person. You can contact our team today via –
Phone: 08080 10 10 11
Webchat: sfad.org.uk
Email: helpline@sfad.org.uk