How many drinks can you "really" have?

Alcohol: The “Social” Drug

Alcohol is a historically common drug. We as human beings have been drinking for thousands of years. One of the reasons behind the commonality of alcohol use is due to the uncertain quality of water in the past. In older times, people did not know how to filter water or even understand the problem with drinking water that was fouled. However, they did understand that when they drank water from certain places, people died. Fast forward to modern times. We have some of the best filtering techniques ever used. We have huge systems that clean the water we drink and bathe in. In many parts of the world (but certainly not all) there is access to clean water, juice, milk, and pretty much any beverage your mind can conjure. Yet we still drink alcohol. Alcohol actually does not quench thirst at all. When someone says a cold beer on the back porch in summer is refreshing, they may be right. But the only thing about an alcoholic beverage that is doing anything for them physically is cooling them down. The drink itself is actually making them thirstier than before they drank it.

What Problems Does Alcohol Cause?

Drinking is often encouraged by cultures around the world. However, alcohol abuse can cause a lot of physical problems. Some of which are:

• Hangover Hangover is your body detoxing (to some degree) from the poison you’ve put into it – alcohol. You can feel headaches, body aches, disoriented, nauseous, like you have a migraine, and more. There are a lot of urban legends on how to avoid or cure a hangover. Your best bet is to avoid excessive alcohol in the first place. 
• Chronic Disease Consistent alcohol use can cause high blood pressure, which leads to heart problems. Also, alcohol is really hard on the liver. Drinking can lead to damage of the liver cells and liver disease. 
• Cancer Long-term drinking is associated with certain types of cancer. Some of the at-risk areas are: liver, mouth, throat, esophagus, and larynx. Long-term alcohol consumption has also been linked to breast cancer in women. 
• Birth Defects Exposing infants to alcohol when a woman is pregnant can cause the child to be born with imperfect organs or retarded brain growth. 
• Dependence Physical and psychological dependence (addiction) to alcohol, also known as alcoholism, is a major problem in both the US and around the world. # Death Alcohol is actually a poison. If you drink too much too fast, you can die. Also, mixing other drugs with alcohol is extremely dangerous and can lead to death.

How Alcoholism Happens

Drinking alcohol is a part of many traditions – both in the US and all around the world. 51.5% of the US population identifies themselves as regular drinkers while 43.1% of men in the US are binge drinkers. Alcoholism isn’t just binge drinking. It is characterized by symptoms like:

• Excessive and uncontrollable cravings to drink. 
• A growing tolerance to alcohol. 
• Inability to control one’s drinking. 
• Withdrawal symptoms when one stops drinking (which can be very severe and even fatal – alcohol withdrawal requires medical detoxification). 

It will become apparent that someone is an alcoholic when they exhibit the above characteristics, and when they excessively use alcohol to “solve” problems or to avoid their problems altogether. Alcohol consumes their life, and they may not care to admit it. One should know the pitfalls of alcohol abuse and how to avoid them. Make sure your friends, family, and children are educated about the effects of alcohol. In answer to the question, “How many drinks can I really have?” only you can really answer that. Is one drink going to do you any harm? Not particularly (although allergies cannot be ruled out). But some people are unable to drink in moderation. Many learn the hard way – over years – that they cannot take the one drink. If you are driving, the correct amount is zero. Always assign a designated driver. Those who neglect their basic responsibilities when it comes to drinking can wind up dead, or make a mistake that they wind up thinking about for years or decades behind bars. So, don’t be that person. Use good judgment. Over to you!