Find support
You may need help with your own drinking, with someone else's drinking, or with the problems alcohol has caused around you. These are practical routes into help in Scotland.
If you are worried about your own drinking Start with a GP, Drinkline Scotland or a local alcohol service.
You do not need to know what treatment you need before you ask for help. A GP or alcohol service can assess your drinking, withdrawal risk and health and discuss what should happen next.
Drinkline Scotland — 0800 7314 314Call Find local alcohol and drug services in Scotland↗ Read about getting help→Alcoholics Anonymous Free peer-support meetings for people who want to stop drinking.
AA has meetings across Scotland as well as online meetings. You can contact AA directly without going through a GP or alcohol service.
Alcoholics Anonymous — 0800 9177 650Call Find an AA meeting↗SMART Recovery and WithYou Other routes are available if AA is not for you.
SMART Recovery uses practical tools to help people change addictive behaviour. WithYou provides local and online help with alcohol, drugs and mental health.
SMART Recovery UK↗ WithYou — find local or online support↗If someone else's drinking is affecting you Partners, parents, children, relatives and friends can get help for themselves.
You do not have to wait for the person drinking to ask for treatment. Family support can help you deal with fear, boundaries, money, children and what you can and cannot control.
Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs — 08080 10 10 11Call Al-Anon Family Groups — 0800 0086 811Call Families of Alcohol Abuse↗ Help for families and friends→Help for children and young people Children should not be left carrying adult responsibilities because a parent drinks.
A child should not be responsible for getting a drunken parent to bed, keeping them safe, looking after other children or protecting the other parent from what is happening.
Childline — 0800 1111Call Children First — 08000 28 22 33Call NSPCC — adults worried about a child — 0808 800 5000Call Read about children and families→Money, debt and benefits Alcohol problems can lead to arrears, debt, benefit problems and difficulty paying ordinary bills.
Citizens Advice Scotland can help with debt, benefits, bills and other money problems. You can ask for help even if the drinking itself has not stopped.
Citizens Advice Scotland — 0800 028 1456Call Citizens Advice Scotland — get advice↗ Read about work and housing→Housing and homelessness Get advice quickly if rent, a tenancy or somewhere to live is at risk.
Shelter Scotland provides housing and homelessness advice. Your local council also has legal duties towards people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Shelter Scotland — get housing help↗ Alcohol, work and housing→Domestic abuse and immediate safety Alcohol does not cause or excuse abuse. If you are frightened or unsafe, specialist help is available.
Scotland's Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline supports people experiencing domestic abuse or forced marriage and people worried about someone else. It is available 24 hours a day.
Scotland's Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline — 0800 027 1234Call Domestic abuse helpline — phone, text, WhatsApp or webchat↗ Immediate danger — 999CallMental health and emotional support Alcohol problems and mental health problems often need attention at the same time.
Breathing Space is for people in Scotland aged 16 or over who are feeling low, anxious or depressed. Samaritans is available day and night for anyone who needs someone to talk to.
Breathing Space — 0800 83 85 87Call Samaritans — 116 123Call NHS 24 — 111 for urgent medical or mental health adviceCallUrgent medical help Severe withdrawal, alcohol poisoning, collapse or serious deterioration can be medical emergencies.
Call 999 for seizures, collapse, severe confusion, hallucinations, someone who cannot be woken, abnormal or very slow breathing, or any situation where life may be in danger.
Emergency — 999Call NHS 24 — 111 for urgent problems that are not life-threateningCall Read about urgent help→