Alcohol is almost the default way to unwind after a hard day of work. Happy hours encourage us to shed the stress of the day by having a few reasonably priced drinks with our coworkers. A few drinks can help you relax and turn down the volume on your worrying. However, alcohol is not a… Continue Reading Why is Alcohol a Bad Way to Relieve Stress?
“Dry drunk” is an AA term. It refers to someone who has quit drinking but hasn’t worked the steps. Symptoms of dry drunk syndrome may include irritability, cynicism, fear of failure, and resentment–especially towards anyone who encouraged her to quit drinking as well as people who can drink moderately. Often, people with dry drunk syndrome… Continue Reading What is a “Dry Drunk”?
Most movies about college life emphasize the partying common in college life. These movies don’t appear to be much of an exaggeration. One study found that more than 80 percent of college students drink alcohol, and almost half reported binge drinking within the past two weeks. To many students, drinking is just what you do… Continue Reading 3 Ways to Have Fun at College without Alcohol
Mixing caffeine and alcohol is a bad idea. Although the FDA has cracked down on caffeinated alcoholic beverages such as Four Loko–both because they found these drinks were unsafe and because the makers were marketing them to teens–mixing caffeine and alcohol is still common practice, especially among binge drinkers. Adding caffeine and other stimulants to… Continue Reading The Dangers of Mixing Caffeine and Alcohol
Alcohol can affect your health in many different ways. Most people are aware that excessive drinking can damage your liver and cardiovascular system. It can also damage your digestive system, leading to malnutrition and even increasing your risk of cancer. Many people see these conditions as problems for the distant future. You may be less… Continue Reading How Does Alcohol Affect Your Immune System?
Many people have a “work hard, play hard” attitude toward drinking. They may drink very little or not at all during the week, then binge on the weekends. They often feel like this is a way of relaxing after a hard week. Typically, weekend drinkers don’t think of themselves as having an alcohol use issue.… Continue Reading Can You Have a Drinking Problem if You Only Drink on Weekends?
The young adult years, particularly between 18 and 25, are a dangerous time for drug and alcohol use. The earlier someone starts using drugs or alcohol, the more likely she will develop a substance use disorder later on. Drugs and alcohol can also harm developing brains, leading to lower IQ and less self-control as adults.… Continue Reading Why Do Young Adults Use Drugs and Alcohol?
Surveys show that more than half of Americans drink regularly. Depending on the survey, between 51 and 73 percent of Americans drink regularly, and that number may be growing, especially among women and minorities. Somewhere between 10 and 15 percent of regular drinkers will develop a serious alcohol use disorder. With drinking so common, it… Continue Reading How Do You Know When Your Drinking Has Become a Problem?
Alcohol is by far the most misused substance in the world. Most of us know at least one person who has an alcohol use disorder, and we may know other people who have issues we don’t even know about. You may know someone who is recovering from an alcohol use disorder. If so, here are… Continue Reading How Can You Support Someone Recovering from Alcohol Addiction?
One reason it’s so hard to quit alcohol is that it’s so readily available. Most Americans drink at least occasionally and there are many occasions when it’s expected. When quitting other substances, it’s typically a good idea to distance yourself from people who still use them, but with alcohol, that’s often not practical, or even… Continue Reading 8 Ways to Socialize without Alcohol
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