Aaron's story

"I was in town with my mates drinking and got really wasted, and asked my mate Steve if he had any pills. I don't know what I was thinking because I was really out of it. I took two pills and don't remember much after that.

My mates told me that I started having a fit in the park and they had to call an ambulance. In the hospital they had to pin me down to treat me as I didn't have a clue what I was doing and I was fighting against the people trying to help me. My family had to watch me spend the night on a life support system and it was touch and go for a while.

I don't remember much from that night, but what I do remember terrifies me. I was so drunk that I had no idea what was going on and I made a really stupid decision. Now, if I do drink, I never drink so much that I lose control of myself, and I will never do drugs again."

Alcohol slows down your brain and reduces your ability to think about what you are doing. Aaron learned the hard way that drinking too much can lead you to make really stupid decisions – and it almost cost him his life.

Drinking makes you more vulnerable to accidents - one in every three people who are taken to hospital emergency rooms has been drinking. If you drink, be aware that people can spike your drink with harmful drugs, so never leave your glass or bottle unattended.