You drink for fun and know that there are adversities of drinking uninhibited. You have seen friends lose control and being picked up back home by friends after the party. You are afraid you too will meet the same fate some day. You do not know how much of alcohol is too bad. You should know how to read the warning signs of alcohol and how to prevent it from becoming a threat for health and life.
One serving of alcohol
A drink or serving of alcohol is one that has 13.7 grams of pure alcohol. Thus, one serving size for wine is 5 ounces, beer is 12 ounces, malt liquor is 8 ounces and distilled spirits (80 proof) is 1.5 ounces. The actual content may vary slightly in different brands.
Saying NO to alcohol
It is good to say no to alcohol as alcohol is a drug that can cause addiction. Drinkers experience a pleasure after taking alcohol and seek more and more alcohol. Gradually, they develop physical and psychological dependence upon alcohol and cannot sustain life without it. They start to experience pleasure after larger quantities of drinking. This phenomenon is called tolerance. Besides, addiction, dependence, and tolerance, alcohol can cause grievous health problems. It can also affect performance at work or school, and affect the social and personal life. Alcohol in excess increases the risk of accidents and injuries.
There isn’t any way to mask the signs of being drunk. Some people prefer caffeinated drinks to conceal being drunk. These actually are not very helpful.
Effects of alcohol
Alcohol which may initially stimulate the mind, is actually a depressant when consumed over long in large quantities. It can impair judgment, coordination, and thinking. This affects the person and family in many ways. Performance in school and at work is compromised. Alcohol causes an uninhibited behavior. There can be domestic problems, violence, and road traffic accidents. Crimes and self harm are other possible effects.
Alcohol has many undesired effects on health. Excessive drinking causes excessive levels of alcohol to build up in the blood stream and affect various organ systems. The breath may smell of alcohol. Alcohol affects the liver where numerous chemical reactions process nutrients to produce energy. It can cause inflammation, destruction, and scarring in the liver. Alcohol affects the digestive system and cause malabsorption of nutrients. It can affect the heart when it disturbs the rhythmic breathing and causes heart failure and even stroke. Alcohol worsens the control of diabetes and raises the blood glucose levels. Alcohol affects sexual function and can cause menstrual irregularities in women. It can give rise to sexual malpractices. Women who drink can have children who are born with physical deformities and developmental anomalies, and reduced mental capabilities. Alcohol makes the bones brittle and porous and increases the risk of fractures. Excessive amounts can adversely affect he thinking, memory, coordination, and gait. Alcohol increases the risk of cancer like that of the liver, colon, breast, and other organs. Alcoholism leads to increase in rates of suicide and homicide.
Drinking and age
The levels of alcohol in blood and the age for drinking have been legally defined. People younger than 21 years are not permitted to drive with any level of alcohol in their blood. In the US, people aged 21 years and older are permitted to drive at 0.08% (80 mg/dL) of alcohol levels. Most countries allow purchase and consumption of alcohol to only adults above the age of 18 years.
Drinking: A Problem
If it is evident that one is drunk, one should get serious about the problem and seek help. One should begin at home and honestly share the problem with a trusted friend or a family member. Support of friends and family is important to fight the problem of alcoholism. Request others to remind you to not drink and counsel you on the harmful effects of alcohol. Get help from others to plan how to cut down and then quit alcohol.
Alcohol becomes a problem when it affects the social, domestic, and professional life of an individual. Children and teenagers may show poor performance in school and adults may fail to deliver when at work. Strained relations, domestic problems, broken homes, and abusive behavior indicate that alcohol is making a problem. One may want to avoid company and may want to drink in solitude. One becomes a loner and a social outcast. Some people indulge in crime and are fined for illegal offensive activities. One should be alarmed when one develops a seeking behavior and wants alcohol to kick start he day. Remaining without alcohol for few hours maybe a problem and tremors, anxiety, headaches, sweating, and other physical symptoms may cause one to consume alcohol for relief from this distress. This is called the withdrawal syndrome and means one is dependent upon alcohol.
Stop drinking!
The first thing to stop alcohol is to resolve to give up drinking. The house, car, and work place should be cleared of all drinks. One should get serious abrupt quitting and speak to family and friends to help and seek cooperation for the mission of quitting alcohol. One should consult a doctor or healthcare provider to know how much has alcohol affected health and how it can be remedied and prevented. One may join a support or help group. Besides the help on quitting alcohol, one may get to interact with others who have done it or are similarly committed to giving up on alcohol. The doctor may advise some medicines that may help to wean one off the effects of alcohol and decrease the cravings. Alcohol is harmful for health. You should not fall prey to it under peer pressure. It may be difficult yet not impossible to quit. Just resolve to do so and persevere to do so.
