Death as a symptom of alcohol overdoses was just one of the take-home messages at Thursday's local Drug and Alcohol Awareness Workshop.
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Myths about drug and alcohol consumption were debunked at the CentaCare building when drug and alcohol counsellors from Western NSW Local Area Health District informed concerned community groups, parents and health workers of the facts surrounding drugs, alcohol and addiction.
Counsellor Jo Buckerfield told the audience that death was a very real symptom of alcohol poisoning.
"You can actually die in your sleep from being too intoxicated, it depresses your respiratory centre," she said.
"[Celebrity singer] Amy Winehouse had a BAC of 0.416mg per 100ml of blood when she died in 2011 which was 10 times the legal limit and that's deadly."
Ms Buckerfield told the audience to look for the signs.
"The more you drink the more damage your body will sustain and increase risk," she said.
"Tolerance can actually be a warning sign that your body has started to be affected by alcohol."
"Tolerance can actually be a warning sign that your body has started to be affected by alcohol."
- Jo Buckerfield.
Another big take-home message from the counsellors is don't drink and drive.
Ms Buckerfield said to forget the rules of how to measure drinks, if you drink don't drive.
"On average it takes one hour to process one unit of alcohol," she said.
"There are so many myths of how to count drinks but it depends on age, gender, weight, size and tolerance. There is no absolute safe level of alcohol and driving."
The counsellors said there's no cheats or quick ways to get alcohol out of the bloodstream, the only safe unit of measure is time.
"Your blood alcohol content determines how drunk you are, moderation is the key," Ms Buckerfield said.
"Eating a meal before drinking alcohol will slow down the alcohol to your system but it does not prevent it.
"In reality the only effective thing is time, [showers, coffee or vomiting,] may make you feel better but will not help you sober up quickly."
To reiterate their point the counsellors had locals put on "beer goggles" that made them see what being up five times over the legal limit would feel like.
"Everything is slanty and not straight, why would you drink that much?" Ruth Carney said.
Ms Buckerfield's take-home messages about alcohol were pretty simple.
"Everything in moderation," and "best advice is to simply not drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol."
