International Children of Alcoholics (COA) Awareness Week in its 15th year

International Children of Alcoholics (COA) Awareness Week, the annual campaign to raise awareness of how children are affected by parental alcohol problems, is now in its 15^th year.

The campaign runs from 11 until 17 February and aims to support people who are either growing up or have grown up in households impacted by parental alcohol dependency.

People are being encouraged to join the conversation on social media using the hashtags #COAWeek2024 and #URNotAlone.

How can you tell if someone has a drinking problem?

As an accredited provider of alcohol testing services for members of the public, family law professionals, social workers and businesses, we know all too well how chronic and excessive alcohol consumption can impact families.

There are many ways that drinking too much can cause harm, including making a person more prone to health problems such as liver disease, affecting mental health, and encouraging increased risk-taking, which can lead to injuries and accidents.

However, it can sometimes be difficult to know whether someone is struggling with alcohol dependency, especially if they have taken steps to conceal the problem.

Here are a few signs you can look out if you have concerns:

• Drinking at unusual times, such as the morning or lunchtime
• Staying stocked up on alcohol, including hiding it in strange places such as the office or car
• Behavioural changes such as lack of sleep, irritability or any behaviour that is generally out of character
• Loss of memory caused by alcohol blackout, or trouble recalling events while intoxicated
• Binge-drinking i.e. consuming large quantities of alcohol in a short space of time

Alcohol testing you can trust

Whether you suspect someone of alcohol misuse, or simply need a test for personal reasons, AlphaBiolabs can help.

We are a leading alcohol testing laboratory, offering 100% accurate and reliable alcohol testing for family law professionals and social workers, the workplace sector, and for members of the public for official matters.

Our ISO 17025 accredited laboratory is equipped to test a variety of samples including blood, hair, and nails. We also offer alcohol monitoring in the form of SCRAM Continuous Alcohol Monitoring..

Unsure which test is best for you? Call our friendly, knowledgeable Customer Services team now on 01 402 9466 or email info@alphabiolabs.ie to discuss your requirements.