All About Alcohol

Contrary to what we are led to believe, alcohol is the worst when it comes to harmful consequences. Globally it kills 2.5 million people and nationally 75,000 people die prematurely because of alcoholism and alcohol-related illnesses. It is the third leading killer globally.

An infographic from the team at Addiction Blog
Alcohol and the modern world (INFOGRAPHIC)

Here are some sobering facts about alcohol you may not have considered:

What is heavy drinking or risky drinking?
For men 14 or more units of alcohol per week.
For women, the number drops to 7.

What is a unit of alcohol?
.6 fluid ounce or 12 grams of pure alcohol, that is a 12 oz. bottle of beer, a shot of booze or a glass of wine (1/5th of a bottle).

Prolonged alcohol abuse or heavy drinking is linked to serious health risks:

• alcoholic cardiomyopathy 
• alcoholic liver disease 
• decrease in bone density 
• decrease in bone mass (leading to osteoporosis) 
• heart arrythmias 
• increased blood pressure 
• increased risk of bone fracture 
• loss of immune response 
• stroke

But, just being drunk can be bad in the short term.

• impaired, drunk or intoxicated driving
• fighting and violence, including domestic violence
• child neglect: 7.5 million children or 1 in 10 children live in homes with alcohol use disorder
• accidents

Lest we forget: alcohol costs money, it has calories, and it speeds up the ageing process.

How to Drink Moderately

These are some suggestions that I use with my clients.
By no means is the list complete. 

• Eat something before getting to the bar or party.

• Have a plan for the evening: How long will you stay?
Who are you going to be with?
Know when you will be home.
Goal is to avoid open-ended nights.

• Limit yourself to only one drink within a 30-minute period.

• Limit yourself to 4 drinks for men and 3 for women and the weekly maximum of 14 for men and 9 for women as recommended by the National Institute of Health for moderate-risk drinking.

• Know what a “drink” is. Remember, a pint is 16 ounces.
Drinks you have with dinner also count. 

• 12 fluid ounces of beer (about 5% alcohol)
• 8 to 9 fluid ounces of malt liquor (about 7% alcohol)
• 5 fluid ounces of table wine (about 12% alcohol)
• 1.5 fluid ounces of hard liquor (about 40% alcohol)

• Keep in mind BAC (BloodAlcohol Content) and think about why it’s important. Maintaining a BAC lower than .06%* is crucial to moderate drinking because our ability to reason becomes impaired at this point. It is the point of no return for problem drinkers. Even if the intention is to limit alcohol intake, if the BAC is higher than .06% you are more likely to continue drinking. Binge drinking is defined as having a BAC of .08% or higher.
*Disclaimer: these recommendations are for people who don't plan on driving a car. Remember, riding a bike under the influence is dangerous and against the law.
Drivers, please consult regulations for your state.

• Alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

• Drink water in between drinks.

• Nosh on snacks while drinking. 

• Tell others, friends and acquaintances, of your intention to drink moderately, if you feel they would be supportive.

• Ask yourself what is the primary goal of the event? Is it social
or just for alcohol consumption? If it’s the latter, rethink who you are hanging out with. 

• Plan activities that don’t automatically involve alcohol.
Be creative.

• If you always drank at a certain time, for example after work, have a plan in place for those off nights. Go to the gym, go for a run or plan an outdoor activity. Go to the movies. 

• Remind yourself of the reasons why you want to drink moderately. For example, the hangover next day; money spent on drinks, cabs and food; the pride in knowing that you can practice self control.

• Practice mindfulness with alcohol. Is your goal to enjoy the taste of that IPA or red wine? How does it taste? What is its texture? Describe what you observe about your experience of drinking
and the people around you.

• Notice how alcohol affects people differently. How do you think alcohol affects you?

• Write in your journal about the experience. 

• Remind yourself that it gets easier the more you practice it.

• List the benefits of moderate drinking in the same journal.

• Know how alcohol interacts with the medications (over the counter or prescription) you take. Often, medications amplify the effects of alcohol, so let that be the guide in what moderate drinking looks like for you.

If you have other ideas, add them below.