Sobering Facts About Alcohol

Many people all over the world engage in occasional drinking.  Some drink moderately, meaning that they have no more than 2 drinks per day. However, even drinking moderately can have its risks. Even though the consumption of alcohol is legal, we would all do well to remember that alcohol is indeed a drug. That means alcohol can be addicting as well as cause problems in your life and the life of your family. Drinking alcohol should be done with caution. Below are some sobering facts about alcohol that may make you want to give up drinking immediately. 

Driving Drunk 

Nearly 3 out of every 10 people will be involved in a car crash related to alcohol at some point in their lives. More than 15,000 people die every year as a result of drunk driving. It may surprise you to know that while the legal limit for blood alcohol content is .08, it may take a significantly less amount of blood alcohol to impair your driving abilities. Your ability to drive, steer a car and react to the traffic around you can become endangered after just one drink.

A man who weighs roughly 160 pounds can have a blood alcohol level of .04 following just 2 beers. Your judgment can be lacking with a blood alcohol level of just .02.

Alcohol Abuse 

Alcohol is the most widely used drug in the United States.  Alcohol abuse is apparent when a person seems to tolerate a large quantity of alcohol without seeming drunk. This high tolerance is an indication that the person is a repeated and heavy drinker and has been for some time. Alcohol abuse is characterized by a person who drinks regardless of the effects the drinking may have on the person’s relationships, work, or responsibilities, and who cannot quit even if they desperately want to and have tried several times. At this point, seeking professional help can break the cycle of addiction.

Health Problems 

Drinking alcohol not only impairs your judgment but it can affect your health as well. Your immune system’s defense is cut down by nearly 70 percent following just 2 drinks.

Additionally, repeatedly drinking too much can increase your risk of developing certain types of cancer including esophageal, breast, throat, mouth and bowel over time.

Prolonged drinking can also destroy your liver. Liver disease is a common complication of alcohol abuse and it can lead to death over time.

In addition, a pregnant woman should refrain from consuming any alcohol at all in order to prevent alcohol related birth defects such as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. It is not known how much alcohol it takes to cause defects, so abstaining from alcohol completely during pregnancy is recommended. Remember, no amount of alcohol has ever been proven to be safe during pregnancy.

Alcohol can also cause infertility in males, so men who would like to become fathers are advised to watch their alcohol intake. 

Death 

Every year, alcohol claims the lives of many individuals. Deaths are not just reserved for drunk driving accidents, but can also involve accidents like falls, drownings, suicides and alcohol poisonings.

Underage drinkers are at an especially high risk for alcohol poisoning. In fact, the amount of alcohol it takes for a person to pass out after drinking is extremely close to the amount of alcohol that can cause death. It is not normal to pass out from drinking and a person who has passed out following drinking needs to be monitored medically.

Little Known Facts About Alcohol 

Alcohol Absorption 

Following drinking, alcohol gets absorbed into the blood stream and makes its way through the body. How quickly this happens may be dependent upon several factors.

Women tend to absorb alcohol more quickly than men.

Interestingly, a person that is muscular may feel the effects of alcohol less than a person with more body fat. This is because muscles tend to absorb the alcohol more effectively, which hinders it from getting to the brain.

Some people think that the body absorbs mixed drinks faster than straight shots of liqueur, however, this may not be true. A drink is a drink no matter what’s in it, and if alcohol is consumed the Breathalyzer test doesn’t discriminate. 

Underage Drinking 

Sorry mom and dad, but chances are that your teenager has been intoxicated at least once. High schoolers don’t know how to drink in moderation. In fact, while teens may drink less frequently than adults, they more frequently binge drink. Binge drinking is done when the person consumes 5 or more drinks in a short period of time.

It is estimated that nearly 35 percent of teens binge drink. By the time they are seniors 80 percent of all high schoolers have been drunk. What’s even scarier is that teens that drink often put themselves in risky situations such as drunk driving, promiscuous behavior, unprotected sex and other substance use. 

Alcohol Is Not a Stimulant 

Alcohol is a depressant. People think that alcohol is a stimulant because it may promote uninhibited behaviors, but this is because of its depressant effects. Alcohol depresses your ability to use judgment, impairs your response time and decreases your ability to use self-control. The first area of the body that alcohol affects is the parts of the brain that are responsible for these functions. It is the lack of control of these functions that causes a person to feel stimulated and uninhibited. 

Hangover Cures 

Anyone who has been drinking has heard any number of crazy tricks to get rid of a hangover. Many of them strange; for example the ancient romans ate deep fried canaries!  You’ve been told to eat, to get some air, to sleep, to stay awake, to drink coffee, to drink again; the truth is that nothing seems to work to get rid of that awful feeling. The only surefire cure for a hangover is time. Only time can sober you up and make you feel like yourself again. Alcohol needs to be oxidized by the body, then and only then will its effects be gone. There is no way to speed up this process. 

Just For Fun 

There is no doubt that the effects of alcohol are real and scary and for some, can cause death. But there are also some fun facts about alcohol that may surprise you.

One ounce of alcohol has the same calorie count as a glass of milk.

Americans drink an average of 15 million gallons of beer every day. Beer contains nutrients that are rich in B vitamins.

Vodka is the world’s most used alcoholic beverage. Vodka is a good cure for a jellyfish sting.

There are over 500 varieties of single malt whiskey.

Just one acre of grapevines can produce up to 800 gallons of wine. 

Sure, there are many fun and interesting facts about alcohol, but the sobering truth is that alcohol is a potentially deadly substance when not used responsibly. It’s fine to enjoy some drinks in moderation, but if you find yourself drinking frequently, binge drinking or if you find that alcohol is interfering with your everyday life, seek treatment.