11 Myths About Safe Drinking

Myths about Safe Drinking

Is there such a thing as safe drinking? Is there a shortcut to sobering up? Is drinking occasionally really that bad? What exactly are unsafe drinking behaviors, anyway?

Unsafe drinking behaviors may include underage drinking, blacking out, injuries, violence, driving while intoxicated, accidents, overdoses, and death.

There are so many myths about drinking that could put your physical and psychological health at risk, including the ones below.

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1. Everybody Else is Doing It

11 Myths About DrinkingAccording to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the latest survey on alcohol showed 25.8% of Americans 18 and older reported binge drinking in the last month, 69.5% report drinking in the past year, and 5.3% of those ages 12 and older have an alcohol use disorder.

These statistics show 74.2% of Americans over 18 are not binge drinking in the past month. It also shows 30.5% did not drink in the last year, and 94.7% of Americans do not have an alcohol use disorder.

2. A Few Drinks is Okay

Public health agencies define one standard drink as 0.6 fluid ounces of pure alcohol.

The myth of a few drinks being okay is only valid if you follow the standard measurements of “a drink.” Public health agencies define one standard drink as 0.6 fluid ounces of pure alcohol. The drinks you purchase at a restaurant, bar, or liquor store are not pure alcohol. The breakdown of standard drinks is as follows:

    • Beer: One 12-ounce can has 0.6 ounces of pure alcohol.
    • Malt Liquor: Eight to nine  fluid ounces poured in glass has 0.6 ounces of pure alcohol.
    • Wine: Five fluid ounces of table wine has 0.6 ounces of pure alcohol.
    • Distilled Liquor: Whiskey, rum, and other distilled spirits in a shot glass, or 1.5 fluid ounces, equals 0.6 ounces of pure alcohol.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services sets moderate drinking guidelines to help you avoid over-drinking. Men should have two drinks or less per day, and for women, one drink or less. They have also set guidelines for binge drinking and heavy drinking.

  • Binge drinking is consuming five or more drinks for males or four or more drinks for females in two hours or less.
  • Heavy drinking for males is drinking four or more drinks in a day or 14 drinks in a week. For females, it is consuming three drinks a day or seven drinks a week. For both males and females, binge drinking five or more times a month is considered heavy drinking.

3. Men Can Drink More Than Women

Alcohol affects every person differently depending on the amount of alcohol found in your blood or blood alcohol concentration (BAC). There are other factors, however, including:

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4. Caffeine Can Reverse the Effects of Alcohol

Alcohol has both energizing and sedating effects as it metabolizes through the body. Drinking alcohol quickly makes its way through the stomach and into the bloodstream to the brain. Caffeine, on the other hand, metabolizes in a different route and exits the body.

Drinking caffeine cannot reverse the effects of alcohol or make you less drunk. While it may pep you up a little bit or mask the sedating effects of alcohol, it cannot break down alcohol and eliminate it from the body. Instead, it enhances the energizing effects of alcohol. That may be one reason for the recent trend of people mixing energy drinks with alcohol.

5. Food Can Reverse the Effects of Alcohol

Food affects the absorption of alcohol, but it cannot reverse the effects and is not how to sober up fast. Eating before or after drinking slows the rate of alcohol absorption simply because it takes longer for the alcohol to pass through the stomach and into your bloodstream.

Many people choose to drink alcohol on an empty stomach to feel all the effects of the alcohol. They may think they can eat later to sober up, but this is not possible. Alcohol on an empty stomach is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and distributed to the body. It is too late for the food to make an impact on the absorption of alcohol.

6. Exercising Can Sweat Out Alcohol From the Body

Alcohol exits the body through urine, breath, and, yes, sweat. However, there is not much evidence supporting the myth that you can sweat out alcohol on purpose. While working up a sweat may make you more alert, it also puts you at risk for injury or accident.

According to researchers, the effects of alcohol on physical activity and abilities can be detrimental, even in those who are physically fit. Alcohol negatively impacts muscle strength, metabolism, neural function, hydration, and performance. Alcohol impairs the whole body, making injuries more likely.

7. Beer Before Liquor or Liquor Before Beer

There are many drinking myths about the order in which you consume alcohol will lead to nausea, vomiting, hangovers, or other negative symptoms. That is not true, however. The effects of alcohol, good or bad, link to your blood alcohol concentration.

It does not matter which type of alcohol you choose to consume. It doesn’t matter in which order you consume them. The percentage of pure alcohol you drink determines the adverse effects of alcohol.

Paying attention to standard drink sizes can be helpful. If you have a 20-ounce mug from which you drink all types of alcohol, the amount of pure alcohol content will vary drastically. Using the drink size calculator, you will discover the following:

  • 20 ounces of lite beer (4.2%) equals 1.4 standard drinks
  • 20 ounces of regular beer (5.0%) equals 1.7 standard drinks
  • 20 ounces of ice beer (5.9%) equals 2.0 standard drinks
  • 20 ounces of flavored malt liquor (5.2%) equals 1.7 standard drinks
  • 20 ounces of 80 proof distilled spirits (40%) equals 13.3 standard drinks
  • 20 ounces of 100 proof distilled spirits (50%) equals 16.7 standard drinks
  • 20 ounces of wine (12%) equals 4 standard drinks

The order in which you drink alcohol can increase or decrease the amount of alcohol you consume.

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8. Breathalyzers Can Be Beat

Thinking you can beat a breathalyzer is a sure sign you should not be drinking and driving. Also, it’s not true.

Breathalyzers work by converting the alcohol on your breath into a number representing the amount of alcohol in your blood. After consuming alcohol, it quickly enters the bloodstream and is exposed to oxygenated blood. As the alcohol continues to travel in your blood, it transfers to the lungs and exits through your breath.

You can’t lower the alcohol content of your breath unless you allow enough time to pass to lower your BAC.

9. Some People Are Born With a High Tolerance

Tolerance happens when someone repeatedly exposes themselves to alcohol. For example, when you first start drinking, you may experience relaxation and euphoria after a few drinks. If you continue to drink alcohol regularly, you will need to consume more standard drinks to feel the same effects.

Tolerance will eventually lead to a decline in liver function.

Tolerance is a learned behavior, meaning no one is born with a naturally high tolerance. There are different levels of tolerance, including acute and chronic, that varies per person and depend on factors like age, weight, absorption, and metabolism.

Tolerance is not a good thing. It will eventually lead to a decline in liver function, at which time tolerance may also decline.

10. Excessive Drinking on Occasion Isn’t Dangerous

High-intensity drinking is a type of binge drinking associated with special occasions, holidays, sporting events, birthdays, spring breaks, and more. A celebration of any kind may seem like a good time to binge drink in excess, but there are many dangers in doing so.

High-intensity drinking can lead to adverse outcomes, such as the following:

11. You Must Have an Alcohol Use Disorder to Get Treatment

Many may think only people with severe drinking problems need alcohol treatment. However, there are multiple levels of treatment available for anyone.

Treatment options include medical detoxification, inpatient rehab, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and outpatient programs.

Signs Treatment is Needed

There are specific signs associated with alcohol misuse and alcohol use disorders:

  • You drink too much or more alcohol than you intended to.
  • You try to stop drinking but can’t.
  • You experience negative consequences after drinking, whether binge drinking, an occasional drinker, or drinking daily.
  • You continue to drink even after it negatively impacts you professionally, personally, or socially.
  • You experience adverse physical effects after drinking, such as hangovers or withdrawal symptoms.
  • You spend a lot of time thinking about the next time you can drink.

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