Alcohol is a drug, and can be addictive with continued use. Studies show that children who drink alcohol before the age of 15 are four times more likely to become alcoholic as adults. Alcohol addiction treatment centers encounter many adolescents who need help for early-onset substance abuse. Alcohol remains the No.1 drug of choice for all age groups, and is often combined with other drugs.
Alcohol is alcohol, whether it is a fancy Cosmopolitan or a tap beer. If you consume a “light” beer, does it make a difference? Not so much. Regular beers have a 5 percent alcohol content and some light beers have about a 4.2 percent alcohol content.
Standard drink sizes and content: A “standard” drink contains 14 grams of alcohol.
If you order a glass of wine, it may not be a standard-sized drink; it may be larger.
Who should not drink alcohol:
High-functioning alcoholism: Some people boast that they have a high capacity for alcohol. This is not a good thing, because tolerance typically rises with prolonged use, and someone who abuses alcohol may be a “high functioning” alcoholic before the inevitable physical and social consequences occur.
Alcohol affects every organ in the body. The most commonly known related disease is cirrhosis of the liver, but there are many adverse medical effects of alcohol abuse:
Mental and emotional disorders can occur because of alcohol abuse:
People abuse alcohol to self-medicate chronic pain, stress and other emotional problems and, over long-time misuse, more alcohol is needed for the same effects.
Older people, even those in good health, cannot physically process alcohol the same way younger bodies do, so the safe limits of drinking (for those other than people in recovery from alcoholism) are approximately:
Binge drinking is epidemic on college campuses, and may result in violence such as fighting and date rape, and failure at school.
Women process alcohol differently than men:
When you can’t stop: Hangovers can be unpleasant, but this is not necessarily a learning experience for drinkers because alcohol dependency is a chronic disease. Treatment and support are needed when alcohol misuse turns to abuse and addiction.
